Kampung Chicken Project

During the last couple of months, I have had several requests for village chicken or ayam kampung.  I have a small number by comparison to the poultry producers so I was not able to cater to the requests.  The chickens that I have are also producing a good number of eggs so over the Ramadan and Syawal period, I decided to leave the chicken eggs and see how many will hatch as well as learning more about the natural cycle of the chickens.  Hence, Project Ayam Kampung was born with the goal to produce ayam kampung and telor ayam kampung.

During this period over 100 eggs were produced and we left them for the hens to hatch them.  It takes about 3-4 weeks of incubation before they are hatched.  We have identified which eggs are being "hatched" and their mother hens.

Many have suggested that I should buy more chicks to add to the population.  However, being rather careful with introduction of new chicks or chickens of which I have no idea as to their health and not wanting to introduce the risk of illness to my stock, I prefer to stick to letting my hens produce the next generation.

The eggs have begun to hatch and we are starting to collect the new eggs now to provide a better picture of how many eggs will be hatch from the primary batch.  Apart from letting the chickens scrounge for food, they are also feed crushed corn, broken rice and also grated coconut,  I have noticed that weekly feeding of the grated coconut has increased the egg production.  I guess there is some truth behind the advise given by some old-timers that feeding the chickens with grated coconut can increase the egg production.  Someday, I will have to delve into the whys.

It is very satisfying and calming to watch the mother hen herd its chicks as they scrounge the ground for insects and new grass for food.   Another reason why I opt for natural farming, I want to reduce the introduction of harmful chemicals to our system.  With the egss hatching, it is also good timing as we are in the period of maintenance of the farm so the weeding and tilling of the ground is underway.  This uncovers many food source for them and with the soil already loosened, it makes it easy for them to scratch the ground and for me, it also serves a secondary purpose of breaking the soil.  They also add more natural fertilizer to my soil.  There are so many things to consider at the farm, balancing the growth cycle of the various produce, timing of tasks to maximize the benefits and inter-dependency of activities.  I have to keep track of all this and everything is a project that requires tasks and timelines - another useful usage of the legacy of my corporate days.

The progress of this chicks are being monitored.  With many new chicks, I frequently scan the sky during the day for the eagles that have made this area their hunting ground.  Alhamdulillah, so far the chicks have remained safe,

The next step is the trick of balancing eggs for sale versus producing chickens.  I love the eggs and there is a definite difference in looks and taste.  The egg yolk is a golden yellow and has less egg white compared to the regular store-bought chicken eggs.  SubhanAllah, I now eat farm-produced chicken eggs.  With the chiller at the farm, the eggs are stored there but it usually is stored for more than 3-4 days before being consumed.  After all, what is the purpose of producing fresh produce if it is stored for long periods?

My dad is not one who gushes over things so when he who says it is the best chicken egg that he has tasted, it is the best compliment that I have received.  I try to send a few each week and feel very happy that I can provide this for them, a small gesture to all the love, caring and support that they have showered me over my life.