It may be true that most poultry found on small homesteads or in backyards especially are viewed as pets, but they are inarguably pets with benefits--namely eggs. In Epic Eggs, homesteader and writer Jennifer Sartell looks at the eggs of the most common types of poultry you'd find in your backyard: chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, guineas, and quail. Don't jump to conclusions! This isn't an egg cookbook or a guide to raising poultry. Jennifer delves into the eggs themselves and explains reproductive systems, egg anatomy, and how and why different colors are distributed to egg shells. Jennifer will show you a variety breeds of birds, and what sizes, shapes, and even colors of egg they produce; from white to blue, brown, chocolate, olive, and speckled, plus heritage breeds and how to breed for specific colors. Illustrated with fantastic color photography of eggs and their birds, Epic Eggs goes on to address how to optimize living conditions and diet for the healthiest and most-flavorful eggs, the process of grading and storing eggs, and the eternal washing debate. There's also discussion of nutrition, baking, cooking, preserving, pickling, and dehydrating. The book ends with advice for homesteaders looking to create business plans and a section on troubleshooting.

Author Biography

Jennifer Sartell and her husband, Zach, manage their 14-acre Iron Oak Farm, where they raise Angora and dairy goats, heritage Black Spanish turkeys, ducks, geese, bees, and, of course, chickens. Jennifer graduated from Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. Her writing, illustrations, and photography have been published in numerous books and magazines, both in print and online, and she is a regular contributor to Ogden Publications' Community Chickens blog spot.