Midwest Book Review: Samantha Johnson and her brother, Daniel, have collaborated on a number of rural-living guidebooks, including How to Raise Rabbits and Beginner's Guide to Beekeeping. Both Samantha and Daniel are 4-H alumni and live on the family farm, Fox Hill Farm, in far northern Wisconsin. In Chicken DIY: 20 Fun-to-Make Projects for Happy and Healthy Chickens they focus on providing twenty of do-it-yourself projects for building chicken coops for the hobbyist. In Chicken DIY, aspiring chicken farmers will find creative plans and easy-to-follow construction tips for making a safe and healthy environment for their fine-feathered friends. Veteran farmers and poultry enthusiasts Samantha and Daniel provide complete and easy-to-follow instructions for 20 essential projects, ranging from coops and feeders, to runs, ramps, roosts, incubators, and more. Clear step-by-step color photographs guide the reader through each hands-on project. Chicken DIY provides an informative overview of the basic tools and skills needed to complete each project. Of special note is the section explaining the positive benefits and satisfaction of building things yourself. Bonus chapter takes a fascinating look at the history of chicken-keeping. Sustainable and fun, raising chickens is one of the most interesting and rewarding backyard hobbies suitable for urban, suburban, and rural settings. While very highly recommended, especially for community library DIY collections, it should be noted that Chicken DIY is also available in a digital book format.
