The key to everything is patience. You get the chicken by hatching the egg, and not by smashing it.
-Arnold H. Glasgow
Hello, Hive friends! I wish you all the best today as you read this blog.
Every week we have a cleaning schedule on our small poultry farm. Although we do the cleaning every day, during the weekend, we transfer the chicken feces to the designated area. I always wanted the area to be clean and well-maintained.
Before we had our one-week vacation to Baguio City and Manila, I contacted the two of our graduates, who became close to my heart because of their significant efforts every time I needed them. I asked them if they'd be available on the dates of our vacation. I have heard that they were looking for a summer job to earn some money to be used for their college enrollment. They were interested in taking charge of our backyard poultry and were also willing to stay in our house.
The day before our flight, I instructed them on what to do when feeding the chickens. I already made a DIY cup that measures the exact grams of feed for the chickens. One scoop for every four chickens. Each cage can accommodate up to four chickens. If there are three chickens in a cage, they just need to decrease the amount of feed to be given. At five o'clock in the morning, they will feed them and put water in the tanks. They need to make sure that the tanks will not be emptied. They need to feed the chickens twice a day. They will have the second feeding at three o'clock in the afternoon.
If there will be scorching heat from the sun, they need to turn on the wall fan. Since the feces will attract a lot of flies, they need to put sawdust on the feces to cover them. I also instructed the two of them to put the fly bait powder in an area where flies gathered. Luckily, the fly bait powder is very effective. It kills flies, and it will not be a problem for our neighbors. I always wanted the area to be free from flies. Before, I used baygon spray just to be free of them. That is why when people visit our area, they appreciate the cleanliness and how is it possible to prevent the feces from causing bad smell.
When we came back from our vacation, I asked Elay and Michael Joseph to help me clean the water tanks, feeder, drinker, and the whole area of the poultry house. Elay washed the water tanks while Michael Joseph prepared the rugs and a bucket to be used in cleaning the feeder and drinker. Then I helped putting the sawdust in the feces since the cleaning or transfer of the feces is scheduled for Sunday. I sweep the ground to make the area look clean. I asked them to also clean the vacant cages because the delivery of the RTL chickens is near. It is supposed to be delivered, but I asked the supplier to reschedule it because the payment is not yet ready.
After cleaning the water tanks, I installed them, and Elay filled them with water. At least I can see the area being cleaned and maintained. I discussed with the two about how important the vitamins are for the chicken, especially during the rainy season. They might get sick if they lack the vitamins and minerals in their body. Elay and Michael Joseph collected the eggs, weighed, and cleaned them using vinegar. As of this time, we can collect four to five trays in a day. I'm sure when the new school year opens, it will be sold out every day.
As of the moment, we have a total of one hundred forty-seven chickens. We had a culling process the last few months, which is why I'm trying to purchase a new batch of chickens. I'm really trying my best to add chickens before the new school year starts. This small business helped us a lot with our daily needs. Running this kind of business is not easy. Especially since we are busy at work. We have learned the different processes and techniques needed to grow the business.
My wife and I are patiently waiting for the realization of our dreams. We know that someday we can taste the fruit of our labor. We might encounter a lot of difficulties, but we believe that those will just become part of the history of our progress. Let's be positive now and then.
That's all for today. Thank you for reading. Til my next blog.
All photos are mine, unless stated otherwise.
