When is the right time to shear a sheep? Is there a market for manure? What time of day is best to collect eggs? What is the correct way to milk a goat? What does a duck eat? Can a cow and a sheep share the same pasture? Which types of rabbits are easiest to raise?

The perfect book for anyone who has ever dreamed of having that little place in the country, Barnyard in Your Backyard offers tried-and-true, expert advice on raising healthy, happy, productive farm animals: chickens, geese, ducks, rabbits, goats, sheep, and dairy cows.

Each chapter focuses on a different animal, discussing the pros and cons of raising the animal, housing and land requirements, feeding guidelines, health concerns, and a schedule for routine care. Species that are easy to raise, hardy, and companionable are profiled. First-time farmers will discover simple, clear instructions for caring for animals throughout the year, as well as guidelines for processing barnyard products such as milk, wool, and eggs. Combining practical advice from real experts, easy-to-use checklists and charts, a seasonal care calendar, and detailed black-and-white illustrations, Barnyard in Your Backyard offers a comprehensive review of the ins and outs - the tribulations and triumphs - of living with and caring for a small barnyard.

In this beginner's guide, the editor of "Rural Heritage" magazine collects expert advice on raising chickens, goats, sheep, cows, and other barnyard animals for fun, recreation, and profit. Two-color. Illustrations throughout. 480 p.

Author Gail Damerow lives in Gainesboro, Tennessee, and operates a small-scale farm raising chickens and other farm animals. She has raised chickens since 1970 when she bought her first home, which "came with chickens." Gail has been a creative writing instructor at Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville since 1988. She is the editor of Rural Heritage magazine, a monthly columnist for Dairy Goat Journal, and the author of several Storey titles for adults and children alike which include Your Chickens, Fences for Pasture and Garden, and The Perfect Pumpkin. She has been published in many periodicals, including Acres U.S.A., Backyard Poultry, and Dairy Goat Jounal as well. Gail's book for adults, The Chicken Health Handbook, is considered "Flawless" by Booklist (April 1994). Likewise, Ron Macher from Small Farm Today magazine has said of Gail's A Guide to Raising Chickens: "If you want to raise chickens, you can go out and buy A Guide to Raising Chickens and have it all. This is the best single book on chicken raising I have seen--it has solid practical advice, good 'how-to' tips, and covers everything. Buy this book."