Friday, May 01, 2009

Chickens Feed The Fishes

Two days ago, I get a quite frantic call from a veterinarian who's worried about his present Sunshines on the range.

I thought he got the wrong number, as he knew Doc Rey's contact.

Nope, he clicked on the right contact..he wanted to speak with me as he was embarassed to ask Doc Rey. Thought balloon right away...."he must have done something he knew wasn't right" hahahhha.

Ok, what age? What range did you use (because he just harvested)? I wanted to make sure.

I preempted the answer already in my mind, following my just blown thought balloon...YUP, he used THE SAME ranging area. The very area he just harvested from.

"Don't you remember about how to break cycle of the bacteria? That some need chickens as hosts for them to survive and spread????" You need to let brooders and ranging areas rest. To break that cycle.

No vaccines, no antibiotics are being used.

Now he can sound a little more frantic, as he already let out his can of worms.....calm down...chop up some chilis, ginger, garlic and add them in the drinking water.

That was 2days ago and I asked him to advise me. He didn't, so I called.....The sunshines are happy now, and transferred to another area.

Conversation led to other things. His family was asking why will he want to take care of chickens, well he said initially : nice to look at seeing running all around, food on the farm's tables. Later on, people were buying from them. He takes care of about 1000-1500 a month.

After pencil pushing and co-relating their expenses chicken raising and fishpond expenses...hey the chickens fed the fishes! He was now laughingly telling me that no one now questions the chickens in the farm.

Hope that after we do the Visayas loop, we be able to visit him in Tarlac. Our media friends might find interesting the veterinarian venturing into sustainable farming...going against practices, BUT knowing that there are points in the exact science that can't be thrown away and will always be the foundation of farming.

He is equally excited about the visit and the marketing that it will do to his town.

Where's my natural farming tandem? This might be the best venue to kick off our pages :)

BTW, when I told Doc Rey about his vet friend being shy to call him, he said "tell him just think the Sunshines have colic"...diba kabag yun? lol

12 comments:

  1. "Don't you remember about how to break cycle of the bacteria? That some need chickens as hosts for them to survive and spread????" You need to let brooders and ranging areas rest. To break that cycle.
    Gaano po katagal ang pag-rest ng area? 2 weeks? 1 month?

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  2. For me, to let the land relax also....the best gauge is when the grass has grown and looks fresh for a new batch to range. For brooders, about 2-3 weeks...and have it under the sun.

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  3. hello sandy, share ko lang. Our guru dante and tibaw santander in tugbok los amigos says he planted mani-mani not only to protect the dike from erosion but food for the chicken and the fish. In andry's farm we spray weekly our cocktail of microorganism - IMO2,FPJ,FAA and LABS! That is also part of the feeds and water protocol. Microorganism is inside and outside. Keeps the odor away, flies away, the barangay captain away too. wala na summon!

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  4. magkano na po ba price per chick ngayon? Salamat

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  5. @ Farmama, we are adjusting to the range of about PHP45 in April.

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  6. salamat po. Ito po ba ay presyo ng broiler o layer. interesado po ako sa dalawa. salamat ulit

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  7. Maam josephine,
    pwede po ba malaman ang mga recipe ng mga to: cocktail of microorganism - IMO2,FPJ,FAA and LABS!

    salamat po!

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  8. @ Farmama, as of now that is the planned April price for the dual purpose planned.

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  9. salamat po ulit. Tawag na lang po ako to place my order.

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  10. @ Farmama, effective April 5, PHP45 and dual purpose namin :)

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