Hens, like children, are bossy, demanding, endlessly curious and easily gratified. They are comical to watch, make great friends to your children and lay eggs. I love having hens. Currently, I keep fourteen hens, divided into two flocks that live in two coops with fenced yards. Nearby is my kitchen garden. During the summer they look longingly through the wire mesh at the vegetables but are not allowed in; chickens take dust baths, peck tomatoes, and make a chaotic mess of the garden. But, when the growing season is over they are welcome in the garden to eat pests, aerate the soil and leave fertilizer (and have a good time scratching in the dirt.) 

In this Web site you'll find useful information on getting started with hens. I've sorted through the many Web sites out there and found the best ones for you to peruse. But, even with Web info available, a few good books are what you need to get started. You'll also find some fun stuff as well as my favorite children's' books that feature chickens. I also have a live Hen Cam where you look in on my hens (ever watch a hen lay an egg?) Of course, if you have hens, you'll have eggs, so I've written The Farmstead Egg Cookbook, which is filled with recipes to help you use those wonderful eggs up.