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Chicken Keeping the Old Way

Some time ago I bought the chicken masters collection of downloadable books of chicken keeping from the old days. I thought some of the information in there was worth reproducing here. The illustrations are beautiful in their own right so - just enjoy!

My favourite, possibly because it is a British book, is The Practical Poultry Keeper, orginally published in 1867. The language may be slightly old fashioned but there are some real gems to be found. I often think that if everything collapsed then books like this would be what you'd need to survive. Information from an age where DIY was normal.

The Practical Poultry Keeper must have been a real bestseller as it was reprinted over 20 times - as the author states in the preface to the March 1899 edition

"the first edition of this work was published in 1867, its object being to give practical details in such a practical way that it might be put into the hands of a person totally ignorant of poultry-keeping, with the reasonable certainty that its instructions would be understood by him, and if followed would command success. The writer does not think now, any more than then, that such a work previously existed; and such an implied opinion may possibly account for the singular hostility with which his own efforts were then received and reviewed by some who claimed to be the leading authorities in the poultry world.

Time proves all things, however; and the constant demand for rapidly- succeeding editions has proved that the practical poultry keeper did fulfil its intended purpose, and supply some real want, and was both understood by, and welcome to, the people for whom it was written."

The collection was five amazing books and there was an offer running giving two additional volumes - there's more info on the chicken masters web site.

Chicken Keeping from the Old Days

Poultry Pictures Set One:

White Wyandotte, Plymouth Rocks and Golden Wyandotte in the first plate, Cochins, Dark Brahmas, Malays in the second.

Poultry Illustrations Set 1

Poultry Pictures Set Two

Duckwing Game, Pile Game, Grey Dorkings & Black-Red Game in the third plate and Buff Leghorn, Minorcan and Brown Leghorn in the fourth plate.

Poultry Illustrations Set 2

Poultry Pictures Set Three

Various Hamburghs in the fifth plate (some of the description is lost) and Golden Spangled Polish, Spanish and White-Crested Black Polish Hens in the sixth. The Polish look just like Edwardian ladies in their fancy hats, out for a stroll.

Poultry Illustrations Set 3

Bantams, Silver Sebright, Golden Sebright and Japanese

Poultry Pictures Set Four

The seventh plate is described as French Fowls although they look more like they're from another planet! The eighth plate is a selection of bantams, including Silver Sebright, Golden Sebright and Japanese

Poultry Illustrations Set 4

Old Chicken Keeping Photos Set Five

The ninth plate is a lovely black and white photo of a child with some chicks from another book in the collection and the last plate shows a DIY chicken coop made from piano boxes.

Old Chicken Keeping Photos Set Five