This title traces global 8000 year chicken history. It includes 61 comprehensive breed profiles. The story of the chicken traces the interactions of cultures around the globe. From Southeast Asia 8,000 years ago, chicken spread to ancient China and Japan, the Middle East, Europe during the rise and fall of the Roman Empire, and, from there, the world. Today, chicken fuel our poultry meat and egg industry. They also inspire the time-honored tradition of poultry exhibition and, increasingly, can be found in the backyards of people who yearn for a simpler time. "The Field Guide to Chickens" provides a wealth of information on sixty-one chicken breeds. From utilitarian egg layers to exotic show birds, from tiny bantams to large fowl, Pam Percy enlightens readers on the wonderful world of poultry. Essential for tyro fowl fans, as well as longtime chicken breeders, this handy pocket-sized field guide includes a glossary, resources, and chapters describing the chicken's history, behavior, eggs and chicks, and "everything but the cluck." Indispensable and easy-to-use, this guide gives readers an "egg up" on the wonderful world of chicken.