Take more pleasure in owning a backyard flock with low-cost, imaginative projects that reduce chores, solve common problems, and benefit chickens and chicken-keepers alike, from a predator-proof chicken run to a self-filling waterer, automatic coop doors, and more.
Take more pleasure in owning a backyard flock with low-cost, imaginative projects that reduce chores, solve common problems, and benefit chickens and chicken-keepers alike, from a predator-proof chicken run to a self-filling waterer, automatic coop doors, and more.
More eggs, less work! And more enjoyment for both the chickens and their keeper! That s the promise of Frank Hyman s Hentopia. From the Vending Machine Feeder to the Refilling Rainwaterer, Hyman s innovative building projects are designed to save time and money while keeping chickens safe, healthy, clean, and well fed. Featuring easy-to-follow instructions and colorful photos, the 21 projects for the chicken yard range from creative doorways, nest boxes, fencing, and roosts to a predator-proof pen, a Chunnel chicken run, and a sturdy but inexpensive coop made from wooden pallets. With a lively, humorous voice, Hyman generously shares his expert advice on all aspects of chicken-keeping. Requiring minimal previous carpentry experience and using many salvaged or found materials, Hentopia is within reach of every aspiring chicken-keeper.
“"This is the book I wish I'd read when I started keeping chickens. Frank Hyman is so funny and personable that he has managed to write an extremely handy and detailed chicken-keeping manual that is also quite entertaining to read. More importantly, he's lived the backyard chicken lifestyle and solved every imaginable problem using nothing more than a few ordinary tools and some ingenuity. Whether you're dreaming of keeping chickens or already manage a flock of your own, you will be inspired to take on one of these projects--and your chickens will thank you." -- Amy Stewart, NYT bestselling author of The Drunken Botanist and Wicked Plants "Having worked with Frank for nearly a decade and read dozens of his articles and columns, I always walk away with some new bits of information that I can put to use right away. Hentopia is no different. Frank's creative projects are practical, well designed and easy to do and will make your everyday chicken-keeping chores a breeze. He's a true zen master of poultry!" -- Roger Sipe, Editor, Hobby Farms and Chickens magazines and HobbyFarms.com "Practical, resourceful, and fun!" -- Melissa Caughey, author of How to Speak Chicken and A Kids' Guide to Keeping Chickens , and blogger at Tilly's Nest " Hentopia brings together practical DIY family flock keeping systems that decrease daily chores while at the same time keep costs down with innovative use of materials. It describes ways to allow chickens to have a high quality of life--including fresh grazing and foraging--while having protection from predators. From the chickens' point of view this book is something to crow about!" -- Patricia Foreman, Animal Scientist, Pharmacist, and author of City Chicks”
"This is the book I wish I'd read when I started keeping chickens. Frank Hyman is so funny and personable that he has managed to write an extremely handy and detailed chicken-keeping manual that is also quite entertaining to read. More importantly, he's lived the backyard chicken lifestyle and solved every imaginable problem using nothing more than a few ordinary tools and some ingenuity. Whether you're dreaming of keeping chickens or already manage a flock of your own, you will be inspired to take on one of these projects--and your chickens will thank you." -- Amy Stewart, NYT bestselling author of The Drunken Botanist and Wicked Plants
"Having worked with Frank for nearly a decade and read dozens of his articles and columns, I always walk away with some new bits of information that I can put to use right away. Hentopia is no different. Frank's creative projects are practical, well designed and easy to do and will make your everyday chicken-keeping chores a breeze. He's a true zen master of poultry!" -- Roger Sipe, Editor, Hobby Farms and Chickens magazines and HobbyFarms.com
"Practical, resourceful, and fun!" -- Melissa Caughey, author of How to Speak Chicken and A Kids' Guide to Keeping Chickens, and blogger at Tilly's Nest
"Hentopia brings together practical DIY family flock keeping systems that decrease daily chores while at the same time keep costs down with innovative use of materials. It describes ways to allow chickens to have a high quality of life--including fresh grazing and foraging--while having protection from predators. From the chickens' point of view this book is something to crow about!" -- Patricia Foreman, Animal Scientist, Pharmacist, and author of City Chicks
Frank Hyman is a certified mushroom forager who teaches mushroom identification to chefs, arborists, organic farmers, and the general public. His writing on foraging has appeared in Forbes, Paleo Magazine, and Hobby Farms. He lives in Durham, North Carolina.
Keep Chickens with Less Work & More Joy Free yourself from the burden of daily hen-tending tasks, and go on vacation without worrying about your flock. How? Turn your backyard into a hentopia: a chicken habitat that keeps your flock safe, clean, fed, and entertained, with less work left over for you. Frank Hyman's ingenious designs and DIY instructions guide even those with minimal carpentry skills in building inexpensive, low-maintenance structures and accessories to create a sustainable paradise for your hens.
This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.