As someone who’s obsessed with both gardening and backyard chickens, Lisa Steele’s Gardening with Chickens felt like it was written just for me. The book is packed with 170 pages of practical advice, stunning photos, and clever ideas that bridge the gap between tending plants and pampering poultry.

The standout feature? It doesn’t just regurgitate basic gardening tips. Instead, it dives deep into chicken-specific plant benefits, like herbs that boost egg production or act as natural dewormers. My flock went crazy for the ‘chicken salad bar’ project—a raised bed of kale, nasturtiums, and oregano they now raid daily (under supervision, of course).

One surprise: The book convinced me that keeping chickens out of gardens during growing season is smarter than I thought. Steele’s fencing hacks saved my tomato plants from becoming avian snacks! But her fall/spring ‘chicken tractor’ method—where birds till soil and fertilize beds—is pure genius. My winter garden prep now takes half the time.

A minor critique? Climate-specific advice could be deeper. While tips generally work in my Zone 6 garden, snowbelt or desert dwellers might need to adapt more than the book suggests.

The spiral-bound design gets chef’s-kiss praise—it stays open on muddy potting benches, and my copy’s already splattered with compost tea (a badge of honor). Whether you’re a chicken newbie or a seasoned clucker-keeper, this book will have you viewing your garden—and your flock—in thrilling new ways.