What are the absolute BEST books for educating yourself on all this?

I read everything I could get my hands on, but Storey's guide to raising chickens is a good one. Check your local library, you might be surprised as to what they have. My library had 3 specific to chickens and a couple general livestock or poultry books. You could even go into the buy sell trade section here and see if anyone has one to sell cheap or give you for the price of shipping. Also Amazon.com generally has many books on the subject used and reasonable, sometimes.

 

I have Storey's Guide, and I find that it is more oriented toward larger flocks (25 chickens vs. 4) and not very oriented toward free range, true backyard flocks. I checked several books out of my local library before deciding to buy Storey's. It seemed the most meaty as a home reference book. Some of the books were very fluffy.

Another (new) book is recommended by this thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=89229
I haven't read this book, but am interested based on the review.

I am also getting a fair bit out of my subscription to Backyard Poultry Magazine. Gail Damerow, who wrote the Storey's guide is a regular contributor.

 

I find Storey's to be very encompassing. Use it all the time.

 

storey and chickens in your backyard

and yes check the library first!

 

As you say you love to read, I am not sure if you are interested just in informational / how-to / reference books?

The Storey's guide was a good overall book to get started. THIS FORUM is completely invaluable. The books below sound like they are more stories, mixed, perhaps with some useful information.

Home to Roost , which was recommended in the thread I mentioned, is supposed to be something like a John McPhee. After reading more about Home to Roost via reviews on Amazon, I then decided to buy a used copy of Hen and the Art of Chicken Maintenance instead off abebooks.com. The latter book was recommended by one of the reviewers of Home to Roost.

Also in the genre of narratives, is That Quail Robert, a copy of which was in my family as I was growing up. I just reread it over Thanksgiving, and found it that much more interesting now that I am keeping chickens.

Edit punctuation.

 

I absolutely love the books of Gail Damerow. Also, I am always looking forward to my "Backyard Chickens" magazine subscription.