CONCEPTION OF VILLAGE CHICKEN
THE VILLAGE CHICKEN CONCEPT IS ACTUALLY ADDING TO WHAT WE CALL GMO FOODS.
IT is becoming now as a trend among the so many people are going into keeping village chickens. The reason they are easy to keep and now they are getting closer to commercial bird standard but at a lower level.
And it is a well-known fact among such farmers that these birds take care of themselves but they are forgetting with improvement they shall need care and this would be time spent on them. Because of such belief the potential of these birds has been suppress. Improvement of such birds has impacted negatively in the real sense. Their natural immunity is and has been disturbed. Some people have gone as far as introducing out grower on village chicken with some very attractive conditions.
But the concept that they are hardy and have very little to do with diseases that affect our commercial birds has attracted many, it is important to ask if someone is to in the right. However, with some improvement taking place, it means their immune system is already being compromised. The socalled village chicken is no longer in the category of village chicken. Their potential to survive has equally been downgraded naturally.
Improvement in the village chicken means the following production parameters have to be tackled or are already talked, this is because in the adverts concerning rearing village chicken would woo or attract the would-be village chicken farmer.
And this is to improve egg production and hatching this would mean this farmer has to improve the old to modern structures to suit this breed of poultry, improved growth is to be looked into and I believe it has been done. This we are able to see feed specifically made for this type of bird. Boosting their growth can also likened to us humans. In the past our food was for survival but with the coming of colonial masters. The eating habit for a lmost every citizen changed. We started eating the white man’s food introduced to us. Our chicken started growing faster as we see them today. We have been introduced to the Whiteman eating habit that is breakfast, lunch and supper. In our time It was breakfast if you want and main meal was supper and people eat this supper and go to sleep.
With these improved bird, will equally make the farmer attend to these birds work or look after the village chicken just like commercial birds and exactly this is the direction we are going and we have gone. They shall need special attention just like commercial birds.
Now the challenge from these so-called village chickens is that they have been made very prone to Newcastle and Gumboro, the most feared diseases in commercial poultry. To all our poultry farmers engaged in rearing village chicken should be aware of birds.
There immunity has been compromised in the name of village chickens being hardy towards certain diseases. This is no longer the issue be assured my dear village chicken farmers as long as we rear them, then just know that a budget should be available for the treatment of these diseases and others. Of course, the goodness is that the whole flock of them can be kept separately that is adults this will help reduce competition for feeders and drinkers. Through this transfer of diseases would be reduced that is from the more immune birds to chicks.
The scavenging to which the actual village chicken is used has to checked and therefore, the reduction, losing energy meant for body building. Depending on the locality where such village chicken farmers are they must also make improvement to the accommodation meant for these birds. This has to be done it is part of improving village chicken. Therefore, look around what would be suitable material.
The village chicken concept is actually adding to what we call GMO foods. The bird system is been changed from its natural to what we are now calling improved bird. Genetically modified foods come in so many ways. The village chicken is being changed or transformed into a different bird because of the various manipulation taking place over the same chicken as mentioned above improved in growth, give improved food as opposed from scavenging and so on.
To maintain their village status certain things should be provided that is like perches. This helps avoid birds from crowding, these would also be as sleeping and resting places during the nights. The spaces of perches would be determined by the available space and the number of birds in the available house. The material to be used in their housing should be as close to those used in the commercial bird rearing.
So, for any one attempting to go into village chicken rearing must be prepared at least to practice good hygiene for the birds. Otherwise the menacing diseases are likely to wipe the birds. And please never keep these next to commercial birds.
THE Zambia Agri Trade Project under the Ministry of Commerce Trade and Industry (ZATP) has approved funding grants for two cooperatives in Kitwe district of Copperbelt Province.
ZATP Copperbelt Province coordinator Emmy Kaluba said two cooperatives in Kitwe namely Tulima Multipurpose Cooperative in Mufuchani agriculture camp and Tusole Women Multipurpose Cooperative in Maposa have had their grants approved for funding.
Mrs Kaluba explained that Tulima multipurpose cooperative who are specialized in fish farming will receive a grant of K227, 423.28 from the project while Tusole Women multipurpose cooperative who specialize in village chicken farming will receive K140, 000 from the project. She said that the project is currently processing the grants for the cooperatives and will in the coming few weeks call the cooperatives to receive their grants.
Additionally she called on all registered cooperatives dealing in agriculture on the Copperbelt to apply for grants through her office.
And Tusole women cooperative chairperson Judith Simwanza expressed gratitude for the grant approval by the project. Mrs Mwanza said the cooperative intends to build more chicken runs and equipments needed in the poultry houses. She explained that currently, the cooperative only has local village chicken breed but with the coming of the grant, they intend to improve on the breed of the village chickens and get better breeds like Black Astrolops which grow faster than local village breed.