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A wide range of books have been published covering many areas of Poultry keeping in Australia. These books are suitable for schools, VET, and the general public. Have a browse below! If you know of any other books that you would like us to list, please drop us a line at info@poultrycrc.com.au

Commercial Poultry Nutrition and Environment

Two new textbooks, “Feeding Commercial Poultry” and “The Poultry Growing Environment”, have recently been produced by the Poultry CRC. These volumes have been written as reference texts to the Certificate III in Poultry Production course and are freely available to any CRC Participants who wish to use them. They can also be ordered through PrintWest using the attached order form. CRC Particpants can also access the student guides and assessments which accompany these books, and which have been developed for the following units:
AHCLSK310A – Implement Feeding Programs (available from October, 2012)
AHCLSK313A – Monitor Livestock Growing Environments (available from December, 2012)

For more information about the student guides, please email info@poultrycrc.com.au

Commercial Meat Chicken Management Books

The Poultry CRC has produced a new series of books on Commercial Meat Chicken Management. These books, which focus on bird health,  are suitable for a variety of training programs, one of which is the recently endorsed Certificate III in Poultry Production, but are also an interesting read for anyone wanting to learn more about broiler production in Australia. The books, which are being printed and distributed by PrintWest are available as a set of six (6) and titles are listed below:

• Book 1 – Principles of Health and Welfare
• Book 2 – Disease Prevention & Treatment
• Book 3 – Types of Disease
• Book 4 – Farm Operations
• Book 5 - Economics of Disease Control
• Book 6 – Bird Welfare

This set may be ordered directly from printWest via the below form.

The form can be either emailed (or faxed) to printWest and payment can be made by cheque, money order or Credit Card (Visa or Mastercard). The indicated postage has been calculated at a rate per set of 6 books. Any additional sets will require a recalculation of freight. Please contact PrintWest directly for the correct price.

(Note: Goods will be delivered by courier. A business address must be provided where a person can sign the consignment note within business hours. For individuals please advise an address of a business known to you where you can collect the goods).

Click here to access the printWest order form (.pdf 122KB)

For more information contact printWest
Phone: (02) 6391 5662
Fax: (02) 6391 5752
Email: printwest@tafensw.edu.au
Web: http://www.wit.tafensw.edu.au/the-institute/printwest

Commercial Layer Management

The Health and Welfare series has a corresponding set of texts that have been written for the Layer series.

Commercial Layer Management (Books 1 to 6) may also be ordered from printWest, as for the Meat Chicken series above.

Click here to access the printWest order form (.pdf 121KB).

These books are structured along the same lines as the Commercial Meat Chicken series, but have been tailored to cover the different aspects of the layer industry. Book titles are:

• Book 1 – Principles of Health and Welfare
• Book 2 – Disease Prevention & Treatment
• Book 3 – Types of Disease
• Book 4 – Farm Operations
• Book 5 - Economics of Disease Control
• Book 6 – Bird Welfare

The Story of Eggs – takes you onto Australian egg farms where you can discover how eggs are produced, processed and packaged. It is suitable for school-age children and the general public.

Nicholls, C. (2005) The Workboot Series: The Story of Eggs. Kondinin Group. ISBN 1-876068-41-8 (Hardback).

• Buy The Story of Eggs at the Kondinin Group website or call 1800 677 761 (Retail price: AU$24.50 | Member price: AU$17.45).

The Story of Chicken –  takes children onto Australian meat chicken farms where they will discover how meat chickens are raised, chicken meat is processed and packaged, and how a wide range of chicken products are made available for them to enjoy every day.  It is suitable for school-age children and the general public.

Nicholls, C., Paterson, J. (2008) The Workboot Series: The Story of Chicken. Kondinin Group. ISBN 9781876068523 (Hardback).

• Buy The Story of Chicken at the Kondinin Group website or call 1800 677 761 (Retail price: AU$24.50 | Member price: AU$17.45).
• All orders of The Story of Chicken include a Hatchery to Home DVD (ACMF) free (while stocks last).
• View the The Producer chapter from The Story of Chicken here (PDF:2.9MB).

Getting started in free range poultry –  includes both meat and egg production, breeds, rearing, health, housing and nutrition (176 full colour A4 pages).

Title: Poultry AgGuide – Getting started in free range poultry ISBN 978 0 7313 0623 7 Published: 2010 Price: AU$36.00 (inc GST)

purchase online at the NSW DPI Bookshop

Table of contents:

• The market for free range production
• Pitfalls for new entrants
• An introduction to production systems and standards for free range eggs
• An introduction to production systems and standards for meat birds
• Choosing a breed
• Sourcing stock
• Managing the flock
• Feeding and nutrition
• Housing for free range poultry
• Protecting the flock from predators
• Pastures for poultry
• Free range health management
• Biosecurity for free range production
• Regulations: state and local government
• A business plan for free range poultry
• EggInvest: an aid to planning and budgeting
• An example of free range standards – eggs
• Free range eggs. Standards Compared.
• Chicken suppliers
• References

Also includes nine case studies including both egg and meat bird enterprises. This publication was produced by Continuing Education, Tocal College in collaboration with, and funding support from, the Poultry CRC.

Poultry Agskills – a basic guide to some of the skills and practices of poultry production. The book contains step-by-step instructions, diagrams, and full-colour pictures. Some of the skills included are: breed, rear or buy poultry, provide housing, collect and handle eggs, feed poultry and maintain poultry health.

Published in 2008, Poultry Agskills is 76 A4 colour pages. Visit the NSW DPI website to order a copy (AUD27.00)

Table of contents:

• Introduction
• Animal welfare
• General safety precautions
• Choose poultry
• Choose a breed
• Breed chickens using a hen
• Mechanically incubate chickens
• Buy and rear chickens
• Identify stock
• Purchase point of lay pullets
• Provide housing
• Manage broody hens
• Collect and handle eggs
• Feed poultry
• Maintain poultry health
• Prevent and treat external parasites
• Prevent and treat internal parasites and diseases
• Prevent the spread of disease
• Catch, check and dispose of spent birds
• Glossary of terms
• References and industry contacts
• What is a safe work method statement?
• Check your skills

Building the Poultry Penthouse – a guide to building a poultry penthouse (housing 12-25 hens), including a materials list and step-by-step construction method. Published by Tocal College, part of the NSW Department of Primary Industries.

The Poultry Penthouse was designed and popularised by Gerry Bolla, Poultry Officer with NSW DPI at Gosford for many years. When Gerry retired from the Department there was a need to update the plans to keep them current. Barry Rees, a recently-retired TAFE carpentry teacher, came to the rescue and constructed a Poultry ‘Penthouse’ especially for the Tocal Field Days. During construction he added his own innovations and modifications to the design.

The specifications in this book are Barry’s interpretation of Gerry’s original design. The ‘Penthouse’ will comfortably house 12-15 hens full time. If birds are let out daily to free-range, the ‘Penthouse’ can hold up to 25 birds, sleeping on the slatted floor at night. The ‘Penthouse’ will need to be securely closed at night to keep out foxes. The book includes a materials list and step-by-step construction method.

Published in 2007, Building the Poultry Penthouse has 16 A4 pages. Visit the NSW DPI website to order a copy (AUD12.00)

Keeping Chickens – An Australian Guide is a comprehensive guide to keeping chickens in the backyard. The book provides information on choosing which breed is best for you, information on how to construct or purchase poultry housing, how to care for your chickens and a section on how to successfully breed chickens.

Published in 2007 by Penguin Group, Keeping Chickens – An Australian Guide (ISBN 9780143006381) is a comprehensive 138 page book interspersed with useful diagrams.

Visit CSIRO Publishing to purchase a copy (AU$29.95).

Table of contents:

• Why keep chickens?
• Common question answered
• Steps to keeping chickens
• Know your chickens
• The right chickens for me
• Housing your chickens
• Breeding chickens
• Chickens for show
• Resources and suppliers
• Glossary
• Acknowledgements
• Index