Pure Poultry: Living Well with Heritage Chickens, Turkeys and Ducks

“Part memoir and part roadmap to success, Pure Poultry tells a compelling story full of grit, passion and discovery as the author and her husband embrace a sustainable, off-grid life in the woods ― with chickens, turkeys and ducks. Whether you are a seasoned fowl keeper or a passionate dreamer, you will find yourself nodding, laughing, commiserating, learning and simply enjoying the author’s knack for weaving her experiences, observations and lessons into a page-turner of a narrative. Once I started reading, it was next to impossible to put Pure Poultry down, even when I heard my own geese honking for their supper. And when I finally closed the book, for the last time, I knew exactly why I keep the fowl that I do, I learned some tricks I’d not discovered in the past 35 years and I felt happy!”
― Oscar H. “Hank” Will; sustainable farmer; editor in chief, GRIT Magazine ; author, Plowing with Pigs

“In Pure Poultry , [Miller’s pragmatism and mirth] come through in a beautiful blend, making this a great book for anyone who is dreams of waltzing down the country-living path (whether or not you intend to raise heritage poultry). And in sharing her own life experiences, she also provides an excellent resource for the aspiring poultry person to learn the how to’s of keeping chickens, ducks and turkeys in your own backyard or on your own farm.”
― Carol Ekarius, author, Storey’s Illustrated Guide to Poultry Breeds

” Pure Poultry is not merely about chickens, ducks, and turkeys, but about one couple’s off-grid sustainable life style that includes keeping free-range poultry for fun and profit. Author Victoria Redhed Miller’s engaging style draws you in right from the start and holds you captive all the way to the end. Reading Pure Poultry is like visiting with an old friend.”
― Gail Damerow, author of The Chicken Encyclopedia

” Pure Poultry is a fun, easy read and full of personal stories. Sharing their experience raising turkeys, ducks and chickens is a lesson to all. All beginners can learn from their wins and mistakes at getting started with poultry.”
― Frank R. Reese founder of Good Shepherd Poultry Ranch

Hatching a Sustainable Life with Heritage Poultry

Whether you are a seasoned fowl keeper or a passionate dreamer, you will find yourself nodding, laughing, commiserating, learning and simply enjoying the author’s knack for weaving her experiences, observations and lessons into a page-turner of a narrative.
― Oscar H. “Hank” Will, Editor in Chief, GRIT Magazine and author, Plowing with Pigs

… a great book for anyone who dreams of waltzing down the country-living path … Victoria also provides an excellent resource for the aspiring poultry person to learn the how to’s of keeping chickens, ducks and turkeys in your own backyard or on your own farm.
― Carol Ekarius, author, Storey’s Illustrated Guide to Poultry Breeds

Houdan. Nankin. Indian Runner. Narragansett. These are only a few of the many hundreds of lesser-known poultry breeds which tempt the adventurous livestock owner. Sporting an infinite variety of unique characteristics and personality traits, heritage breeds are a valuable (and entertaining) addition to a sustainable food system.

Pure Poultry is the first book in nearly a hundred years to focus specifically on heritage breeds of chickens, turkeys and ducks and their role in a self-reliant lifestyle. This timely, beautifully illustrated resource includes:

• Detailed guidelines on everything from housing, breeding and day-to-day care, to processing, cooking and preserving;
• Much-needed information on choosing heritage breeds for egg and meat production;
• Tips, inspiration, recommended reading and a unique planning worksheet that simplifies the process of starting out with poultry.

Brimming with quiet humor, this immensely readable “how-to and why-to” book will appeal to new and experienced poultry keepers alike. Based entirely on personal experience ― including plenty of lessons learned the hard way ― Pure Poultry is a must-read for anyone who wants to raise heritage breeds as an integral part of a more sustainable food system.

Author Victoria Redhed Miller’s engaging style draws you in right from the start and holds you captive all the way to the end. Reading Pure Poultry is like visiting with an old friend.
― Gail Damerow, author, The Chicken Encyclopedia

Victoria Redhed Miller is a writer, photographer and off-grid homesteader who raises heritage poultry in the foothills of Washington State’s Olympic Mountains.