Books - Hollywater Hens

Suzie Baldwin of Hollywater Hens has appeared in many magazines and has written several books. These books are available in the Hollywater Hens Shop at our smallholding on the Surrey / Hampshire border and also online. Click on the cover images below to be taken directly to the Amazon page for that book.

Suzie's latest book is "The Smallholder's Handbook: Keeping & caring for poultry & livestock on a small scale" which was published on 28^th May 2015.

The Smallholder's Handbook is a detailed manual to start, plan and manage your own smallholding. Suzie explains the level of work involved, how much space you need and how to prepare your land. There are chapters on keeping poultry (chickens, turkeys, ducks and geese), as well as pigs, cows, goats and sheep, and bees. She also explains why having a variety of animals makes the best use of your resources and how many of each type to keep. Comprehensive advice includes choosing breeds, transporting, feeding, housing, daily care and wellbeing, as well as international legislation that applies to livestock.

The previous book from March 2012 is the No. 1 best seller "Chickens: The Essential Guide to Choosing and Keeping Happy, Healthy Hens. Foreword by Joely Richardson", in which chicken expert and poultry breeder Suzie Baldwin offers a practical guide to everything both the beginner and more experienced hen owner needs to know, from whether to buy chicks or hens, what varieties to chose, how to tell if you're buying a healthy chicken and how to ensure it stays that way, to how many chickens you should keep, and what kind of coop is best. She also answers all the questions commonly posed by first-time owners, from whether you need to have a cockerel, whether chickens ever fly away and how quickly they will start laying, to how to prevent them being attacked by foxes and what to do when they become unwell.

Reviews for "Chickens"

'Take my word for it, you become involved and fascinated. The moment I get home I wander out into the garden to collect my hens' newly-laid eggs.' From the Foreword by Joely Richardson

'Susie has written a very useful book that clearly reflects her love and understanding of these wonderful birds. For the beginner it has all that is required to make a good start, and for the experienced keeper it covers a lot of useful reflective information that will add to their hobby. A great addition to anyone's library.' Mark Elliott BVSc VetMFHom MRCVS

'A colourful 142-page book filled with everything you need to know about the birds, from details about the various different breeds to tips on how to care for and handle the birds.' House & Garden

'It's a great book for any first-time hen-keeper.' YOU Magazine

'Practical advice right through from choosing your chooks, to taking care of them and general information. Brilliant for the novice and the experienced keeper alike.' Grown Your Own

Note that you will occasionally see the following book for sale in the UK (on amazon.co.uk for example) but that it is essentially the same as the "Chickens" book above but aimed at an American audience.

Chickens are back! More-relaxed suburban and urban ordinances on raising and housing chickens, plus the desire for homeowners to become more self-sufficient as "backyard homesteaders," has led to renewed interest across the country in keeping chickens. "Chickens for the Backyard Homesteader: The Essential Guide to Choosing and Keeping Happy, Healthy Hens" is packed with tips, strategies, and advice that gives readers the confidence to look after their hens and avoid common problems.