Updates

The chicks at 3 weeks

The dig of the septic tank

Part way

The completed tank

Apologies for the lack of updates the past few weeks. We have been so busy with the festivities.

Currently our chicks are at 4 weeks and thus far we haven't had any casualties apart from the initial 10. We are in the midst of building our sleeping quarters as well as our sanitation unit. It is a slow process. This is due to the fact that we are strictly doing everything by ourselves without employing workers to do the 'dirty work' for us.

Our goal is to prove that we can do it, with hard work and determination.

Rest In Peace Spartans

It is somewhat a gloomy day today, although it is bright and shining outside. It has been raining heavily the last couple of days. Found 39 brave Spartans dead today, all given a proper burial. They fought hard against bad weather.

At least they made it through a week. Now it is a matter of getting replacements.

Eric has been so good even though, Le - a and her crew have gone. He did go missing the other day, but I found him in our living room sleeping on the floor.

Well, everything's on course for crunch time.

New Chicks In Again.

Well, I got up early this morning as usual and went to collect another 110 day old chicks, bringing current total chickens to 225 plus 1 Eric. It's getting to be a pretty serious affair.

Progress with the new rearing facilities are going on schedule. Another 3 to 4 weeks to be fully operational. Vallerian Tan and I are going to be very very busy. With Christmas, New Years and The Chinese Lunar New Year 2012 coming in quick succession, I'm pretty sure you all will see hunka hunka drop dead gorgeous chiselled dudes pretty soon.

Sold 50 Chickens yesterday. I received a call at about 5.40am requesting 30 chickens for some celebrations with regards to Malaysia winning the SEA Games gold medal in football (Soccer to the un-schooled). So delivered them around 8.30am. About an hour later the same guys called up and asked for another 20. What! I couldn't believe my luck! So again I sent another 20. I was hoping to be invited for the celebrations but, alas, it wasn't the case. But I am definitely happy I sold off those chickens.

Very tiring! Plus it was very hot yesterday! So it's a quiet day for me today. Right now having a freezing ice cold Nescafe. Soothing and refreshing.

Now for some rest and relaxation... till next time..

11.11.11

Just thought I'd post that special date!

10 weeks and 1 week.

My chickens will be 10 and 1 week old respectively tomorrow. Overall health is very good, the week old chicks are healthy and I haven't lost anymore. Total count is 167 chicken.

Have done a lot of research the past few days with regards to rearing chicken commercially, I've gone to the Department of Veterinary Services and Animal Industry Sabah to ask for advice and they were very helpful.

I shall be forecasting and preparing my project paper to submit to them for approval. I have currently acquired the services of one partner (Vallerian Tan), to assist me in this forthcoming project.

Wish us luck on our journey

Sold 19 and so VERY good news too.

5 Day old chicks

59 Turkens left

4 Day old chicks

Sold 19 chicks to pre-order customers. On average they weighed about 2.5 to 2.8kgs. Managed to make a good amount of cash Bought new feed and met new friends.

I did come across a lady selling fresh water fish, and she was saying to me that the prices I put out for my chicken were too cheap, she suggested I put them up to be standardized with other poultry sellers. I am inclined to do so. 玉米饲喂鸡

Yesterday a very close relative had mentioned to me about a chicken farm that he built but never used. So I took the afternoon to go and have a look at the building. I liked what I saw, I just don't like that my iPhone was out of charge so I couldn't take photographs.

Well, a few blog posts ago I was talking about going full scale commercial, and the good news is now I can proceed as planned earlier than the mentioned timeline. Yes! I am happy and my friends here are telling me to go all out.

A bit about the building. It is 120 feet in length and about 20 feet in width and roughly 15 feet high, it's above ground, just how I like it. I couldn't have asked for anything more. You could house 2000 or more chicks but I am going for 1000 to 1500 just to keep things manageable.

I'll be doing lots and lots of homework in the next few days. Also, I'll be posting here about updates in the next few days so do keep looking.

New Chicks in Today (with Videos and pics)

Received 110 day old chicks today! Very happy! Have some videos down below too.

And the 9 week chickens today!

It's tough but someone's gotta do it.

Chicken Farming

Pengeluaran daging ayam negara telah mencapai tahap saradiri sejak tahun

1981. Pada tahun 2006, aktiviti pengeluaran ayam daging tempatan

menyumbangkan lebih kurang 70% daripada keseluruhan bekalan daging

negara. Walaupun memberi pulangan yang cepat, pemeliharaan ayam daging

bukanlah satu pekerjaan yang mudah diusahakan.

Pemeliharaan ayam daging terdedah kepada banyak faktor yang boleh

mempengaruhi untung-rugi dan daya maju seseorang pengusaha. Antaranya

adalah ketidakstabilan harga pasaran, harga imput seperti makanan dan bahan

binaan, cuaca yang berubah-ubah dan penyakit. Ayam juga memerlukan

persekitaran yang selesa untuk pertumbuhan yang cekap. Pemeliharaan ayam

memerlukan perancangan yang teliti bermula dari peringkat penubuhan ladang,

pengurusan sehinggalah ke pasaran.

Kos pengeluaran ayam pedaging telah meningkat sebanyak RM2.06 sekilogram

iaitu dari RM1.61 pada tahun 1998 ke RM3.67 sekilogram pada tahun 2006.

Pada bulan Oktober 2004 harga siling ayam pedaging di ladang telah ditetapkan

pada harga RM4.00 sekilogram.

English Translation:

Production of chicken meat has reached self-sufficiency in the country since1981. In 2006, local chicken production contributes to approximately 70% of the total meat supply
in the country. Although with quick returns, the preservation of poultry meat is not an easy job.
Preservation of meat chickens are exposed to many factors that can affect the profit and loss and viability of an entrepreneur. among them is the market price volatility, such as the imputed price of food and energy building, climate change and disease. Chickens need comfortable environment for efficient growth. Rearing of chickens require careful planning from the establishment of the farm, management up to the market.
Cost of production of broilers has increased by RM2.06 per kg
ranging from RM1.61 to RM3.67 per kg in 1998 to 2006.
In October 2004 the ceiling price of broilers on the farm has been set
at RM4.00 per kg.

Source:

IBU PEJABAT PERKHIDMATAN VETERINAR, PUTRAJAYA

8 Weeks

8 Weeks have passed and it'll be 2 months come this Sunday the 23rd of October. Time really flies.

Fed the chicks normal feed today because I haven't got any corn feed left. The growth of the chicken seems to be on track for the targeted 3kgs. The chicks are very active. I think that because of this they don't put on much weight. It isn't like the full blown commercial rearing that doesn't leave any room for the chicken to move around.

Well at least I know my chickens are healthy. My brinjals (eggplants) are coming along nicely. I should say that my wife is the one who planted them. The are about 2 and a half inches in diameter and roughly 18 to 20cms in length. We are currently planning to harvest on Saturday to offload them on Sunday at the local market. They taste real good, I've had a few the last couple of days.

Well that's it for now.

Another Clean out!

Cleaned the chicken poop again this morning, a gunny sack full (about 25kgs). I've got some people ordering to buy the poop for fertilizer. Well whatever makes them happy.

Weighed the largest chicks available, 2 in total, on average about 2.2kgs each. Not bad for chicks almost reaching 8 weeks! My normal free range chicks weigh about 600gms. The difference is so huge!

I expect them to reach around 3kgs in another 6 weeks. In the meantime, it's just feed, feed, feed and more feeding.

Good news.

I went to town today to purchase some supplies and chicken feed. While in town I thought I'd go to a couple of restaurants to inquire whether or not they wanted chickens. I managed to get orders from one restaurant, 5 heads per week! Wow.. I am so stoked! Although I have to sit down and discuss further with the owner.

New day-old-chicks arriving on Wednesday this week. So I am really considering 200 chicks at the moment. At least I'll be able to have a consistent supply of chicken should orders increase. I have made up my mind to start a full scale operation somewhere in March 2011. Now all I have to do is find a suitable place to farm the chicken. Somewhere not to close to any residential areas.

I'll still do my backyard chicken farming, this one is for family and friends. With so many celebrations and parties coming soon, I would love to be able to 'handout' some chickens. Purely for marketing purposes.

So here's to another new journey!

Cleaning out the Poop (STOOL)

Chicken Poop (Bueks)

Seven Week Old Chicks

This morning after breakfast I went and cleaned out the chicken coop. I tell you the stench was so unbearable. Managed to get 2 gunny sacks full! (About 40Kgs). At least we have fertilizer for our plants and what not. Plus it'll get my mother in-law off my back regarding the stench.

Also, an updated photo of the 7 week old chicks. They eat like nobody's business. I am getting pretty worried at the rate they're going. 50KGS of feed and corn in 3 days! I've tried to cut down but they look so adorable running to the door as I approach. I gotta be more disciplined.

Well, I'll keep you updated.

7 Weeks

It's been 7 weeks since I started and boy has it been hectic. Now the chicks are quite big, about 1kg plus, almost 2kgs. Another 7 weeks to go until I sell the last batch. By week 12 I am expecting to sell off some because I have received pre-orders for a party in the beginning of November. Our supplier has promised another batch of chicks coming in next week. We are still contemplating whether or not to go for 100 or 200 chicks.

The last 7 weeks have been good to us. We've lost 3 chicks to natural causes and not disease. I have been feeding them corn (crushed) from 5 weeks plus up til now. I did have some hiccups with regards to them eating so little but I managed to overcome that by mixing 1 part chicken feed to 5 parts corn. It obviously made a difference because they were back to their old self again. I think I made a judgement error by switching broiler feed with corn abruptly, instead of weaning them to it.

The weather has been good so our water source has been clean and not muddy (Gravity fed water). A good suggestion is to always ensure your chicks receive fresh clean water. I have been pondering on watering nipples for my future projects (plus my wife is nagging because we have to refill the 5 liter water feeders ( I call them upright bombs... don't ask) three times a day. Also, it would make everything much easier.

I have made many new friends over the past few weeks, all of whom are also chicken keepers. A lot of ideas and new information on chicken health and diseases. I am fortunate to not have lost many chicks. My mother in-law seems to think I should go bigger and expand this small project. But I think I will wait another 3 to 4 months before taking the plunge. It's a big investment even for 100 chicks. I have to make sure I have the time to manage the chicks before I can even consider doing it. We have our rubber trees and vegetables to think about too.

Never in my wildest dreams I would have thought that one day I would end up being a 'Petani Moden' (Modern Farmer in Malay), but I am glad I did. Oh yes, I am glad I got chicken stricken too...