About the Author

Christine Heinrichs

I write from my home on California’s Central Coast. I keep a backyard flock of a dozen hens, eight large fowl of various breeds and four bantams. My book, How to Raise Chickens, was first published in 2007, just as the local food movement was starting to focus attention on the industrial food system. Backyard chickens became the mascot of local food. The third edition of How to Raise Chickens was published in January 2019. The Backyard Field Guide to Chickens was published in 2016. Look for them in Tractor Supply stores and online. I have a B.S. in Journalism from the University of Oregon and belongs to several professional journalism and poultry organizations.
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Articles by Christine Heinrichs

Six Sustainable Hens
September 14, 2021 · · Chickens 101

American Plymouth Rocks, Asiatic Cochins, English Cornish, Mediterranean Leghorns, Continental Polish, and the Games are still leaders in small flocks, exhibition, and the hearts of all who keep them.

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The Historical Impact of Standard Breeds
September 14, 2021 · · Chickens 101

Standard breeds carry their strength, hardiness, and beauty from the past into the future. The first breeds to be recognized back in the American Poultry Association’s first Standard in 1874 came through the devastation of the Civil War to provide food, income, and inspiration to a struggling nation.

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Feathers Hard and Soft
September 13, 2021 · · Feed & Health

Feathers are an indication of overall health and condition. They are the visible indicators of other problems: poor diet, parasite infestation, behavioral problems such as aggression.

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APA Confers Certificate on McMurray Hatchery Flocks
August 4, 2021 · · Chickens 101

Chicken keepers can purchase chicks from flocks certified as meeting American Poultry Association Standards from Murray McMurray Hatchery in 2022.

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USPS Honors Heritage Breeds
May 13, 2021 · · Poultry 101

The next time you mail a letter, you can support heritage breeds by stamping it with one of the Heritage Breed Stamps on sale at the post office and through the website starting May 17th.

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Chickens in Chinese Medicine
February 20, 2021 · · Eggs & Meat

Silkies have been venerated in Chinese traditional medicine for more than 1,000 years. Scientific researchers are looking for a basis for their nutritional value.

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Small is the Next Big Thing
February 10, 2021 · · Eggs & Meat

The coronavirus pandemic showed how important small flocks are to production as well as breed conservation. Small flocks, like vegetable gardens, give their keepers a measure of self-sufficiency. You’ll always have eggs!

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Poultry Art is Historic and Enduring
August 26, 2020 · · Poultry 101

The American Poultry Association and the American Bantam Association illustrate their Standards with artworks rather than photos. The APA Standard still uses some of Schilling’s black and white illustrations in the most recent (44th ) edition of the APA Standard.

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Organizations Lead Young People Toward Poultry
June 16, 2020 · · Poultry 101

Kids are attracted to chickens from the first time Mom reads them the story of the Little Red Hen. They fall in love with fluffy feathers. Poultry organizations can help them build those attractions into solid life paths.

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Crèvecœur Chicken: Conserving a Historic Breed
May 18, 2020 · · Chickens 101

After success with the Buckeye, Jeannette Beranger of The Livestock Conservancy is now working with the Crèvecœur chicken.

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