Chicken Boy: My Life With Hens

Arthur Parkinson's memoir, "Chicken Boy," is a captivating and beautifully illustrated account of his life in nature, sharing the rewards and delights of keeping chickens. It chronicles his journey from a young boy called "Chicken Boy" to a renowned hen-keeper, offering practical tips and insights into hen-keeping and gardening.

Format: Hardback
Length: 240 pages
Publication date: 06 April 2023
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

A captivating and beautifully illustrated memoir of a life in nature, Chicken Boy is a testament to the mutual rewards and delights of keeping chickens. Written by the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Flower Yard, the book tells the story of Arthur Parkinson's lifelong fascination with chickens.

From his early encounters with a chicken as a toddler, where they were equal in size and height, Parkinson developed a deep love for these feathered creatures. The hen he met had tiny eyelashes, a strawberry-jam face, and a voice of purring clucks, exuding a happy spirit of inquisitiveness. From that moment on, Parkinson's life was forever intertwined with the company of chickens.

Growing up in an ex-mining town in Nottinghamshire, Parkinson was often referred to as "Chicken Boy" by his peers. However, he found solace and fulfillment in keeping hens, which became his sanctuary, a tonic for both mental and physical health. Caring for living things brought him a sense of connection with his family and the natural world.

In Chicken Boy, Parkinson shares his journey from his local allotments and his nan's back garden to Chatsworth, where he formed an unlikely friendship with the late Duchess of Devonshire, a famous hen-keeper. The book vividly portrays the love and satisfaction that can be found in caring for living things, offering practical hen-keeping tips, gardening advice, and introductions to common, rare, and pure breeds of chickens.

Illustrated with Arthur's own characterful watercolors and photographs of his "girls," Chicken Boy is a one-of-a-kind memoir of a life in nature. It serves as a reminder of the beauty and wonder that can be found in the simplest of things and the joy that comes from nurturing and caring for the world around us.

Weight: 572g
Dimension: 222 x 140 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780241573655