Got a little space and a hankering for fresh eggs?

Robert and Hannah Litt have dispensed advice to hundreds of urban and suburban chicken-keepers from behind their perch at Portland’s Urban Farm Store, and now they’re ready to help you go local and sustainable with your own backyard birds. In this handy guide to breeds, feed, coops, and care, the Litts take you under their experienced wings and share the secrets to:

Picking the breeds that are right for you

Building a sturdy coop in one weekend for $100

Raising happy and hearty chicks

Feeding your flock for optimal health and egg nutrition

Preventing and treating common chicken diseases

Planning ahead for family, neighborhood, and legal considerations

Whipping up tasty egg recipes from flan to frittata

With everything that first-timers will need to get started—along with expert tips for more seasoned keepers—this colorful, nuts-and-bolts manual proves that keeping chickens is all it’s cracked up to be.

From the Hardcover edition.