Corded Or Free Ranged?

Can you tell by looking at the photo, if corded gamefowls are easier to tend to?

I know images flashed in your minds now. For me, I will say gamefowls. They are corded, no running around, they have small feeders, they have a tiny house that isn't cleaned etc.

But then, I have experienced having a lot of both birds. Before we got into free range chickens, we had gamefowls just for the sake of having. Much like living paintings to ogle at in the farm. When they are free ranging, the time and effort is almost the same as Sunshine Chicken. Except that you have higher nets to be maintained around them. But when they reach the stag age and they have to be corded...looks like it will be easier huh?

For the corded gamefowls, each of them have cords on their leg, that is pegged to the ground. They have their own teepees as shelters (very costly even if you make it yourself in concrete, nipa, wood etc). Each of them will have their own feeder and waterer. You clean up all those waterers and feederrs. Have another set being used while a set is being cleaned up. Periodically bathe each of the birds individually (not as simple as spraying them with water). Bend to scoop feeds into their individual feeders and put water.

Sounds simple..if you have a few. But when you have a lot...that is different. You need a lot of farm help! In a gamefowl farm we went to last week, the farthest my eyes went to had a teepee numbered "1845"! There were more. Imagine how many help the farm needs to feed 1900 birds individually?

Conversion

How do you convert from a gamefowl farm to natural farming?

1) Unlearn old practices :)

2) Let several areas rest and recuperate from all the chemicals it had been exposed to. Let the Sun do its work and allow it to bathe under the glorious Sun.

3) Bombard caretakers with info on natural farming, as they will have resistance in believing it after years of practice using antibiotics and chemicals.

4) Let caretakers attend a seminar, as brooding a hundred is different from brooding a thousand. More so, artificial brooding as far different than natural brooding.

5) Do with what you have and use present structures. Individual brooding pens may be enclosed as one. An elevated flooring may be used. Have several doors for easier cleaning, feeding etc. Don't destroy the concrete bases, as they may serve as vermi areas that will be rich from chicken manure.

Now if we have to add buildings, then the new structures will follow better designs.

6) The housing/brooding area may open up to the former cording areas, that will now be used as ranging areas. The teepees are natural shelters..or we may use the teepees as low walling for housing. You may also have low shelters with nipa or tarpaulin roofing with the trees as base. With all the trees around, you may tie the net around them for ranging area fences.

There will always be ways. No need to throw away things.

Gamefowl Person Questions #2

Follow up to a previous email:)


>
> Ok i agree... so its parang gamefowls din pala... i use bmeg all the
> way... regarding vaccinations... u mentioned sa blog na u vaccinate with
> b1b1 and la sota only... paano yan when i give complete vaccinations sa
> gamefowls ko and they co-exist in one farm... i vaccinate b1b1, fowl pox,
> la sota, gumburo, coryza, and NCD-killed...
WHEN YOU ARE AT THE DAY THAT YOU WILL VACCINATE THE GAMEFOWLS, THEN VACCINATE YOUR SUNSHINES FOR WHATEVER. YOU WILL HARVEST IN 60-90DAYS ANWAY, DEPENDING ON YOUR WEIGHT REQUIREMENTS, SO YOUR SUNSHINES WON'T BE GETTING ALL THE VACCINES.

>
> Ah ok, so thats your secret formula. I wish i could invest on my own feed
> mill and mix my own feeds... these commercial feed suppliers keeps our
> pockets empty.
NO SECRET FORMULA. ON THE OTHERHAND, WE JUST WENT BACK TO BASICS. FOR 100 HEADS, YOU CAN JUST ASK FARMHELP TO DO THAT.

> What other herbs and organic plants would u suggest?
ALL OF THEM. THINK HOW YOU WANT YOUR CHICKEN TO TASTE AND SMELL...THAT'S IT. THEY WILL WANT THEIR CULINARY HERBS TOO :)

> Yes all these conventional veterinary companies are polluting the minds of
> poultry practitioners to practice unnecessary antibiotic flushings and
> overkill antibiotic treatments to reach their quotas... we just have to
> outsmart them so to speak!
>
> Oops i deleted the Manny and Pachie statement - being a Chicken Thef Cum
> ... what was that all about ... please save me from being featured in
> their magz. I dont wanna be a part of it.
THE PART ABOUT MANNY AND PACHIE WAS A JOKE. NO WORRIES.

Gamefowl Person Question

This is an exchange of email this morning. When I get orders from gamefowl enthusiasts, i don't get the normal questions :)


> Sorry, i finally read the faqs on the blog... interesting but there are
> some specific questions that i would like to raise... pardon me if i'm
> being kulit

NOT MAKULIT AT ALL...AT LEAST YOUR QUESTIONS ARE DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHERS.
>
> May i know the brand of your chick booster? or anything that u would
> recommend that is not so expensive for a trial use but of good quality.
> thanks
THAT IS WHEN THE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS COME IN, AFTER READING THE BLOG. FUNNY BUT NEVER WAS I ASKED ABOUT WHAT IS THE CHEAPER ALTERNATIVE. ALWAYS WAS "WHAT IS THE BEST I CAN GIVE"?

WE PERSONALLY USE A CUSTOM MIXED CHICK BOOSTER. MORE EXPENSIVE THAN THE REGULAR COMMERCIAL FEEDS. FOR COMMERCIAL FEEDS, GO BMEG, GENERAL, PURINA
DON'T SCRIMP ON CHICK BOOSTER. JUST LIKE BABIES, HOW HEALTHY WE ARE WILL DEPEND HOW WE WERE RAISED AS KIDS :) THEY NEED TO BE STRONG AS THEY WILL RANGE ON 21DAYS ONWARDS.

BESIDES, I WON'T WANT YOUR TRIAL TO FAIL. THEY CAN BE HARVESTED IN 60-85 DAYS, AND NAMITS, SO YOU WILL FIND THAT THEY RETURN TO YOU WHAT YOU HAVE GIVEN.

>
> IN OUR CASE WE USE A PROTEIN CONCENTRATE W/O ANIMAL PROTEIN AND
> ANTIBIOTICS.
>
> Hmmm, sounds interesting... where can i buy this feed? may i know the
> brand or name of this particular feed? On your blog, u also mentioned
> about probiotics mix to feeds and water. Can u kindly share and enlighten
> me on this. Can i buy this on the market?

WE ASKED A FEED MILL COMPANY TO MIX A PROTEIN CONCENTRATE WITH VITAMINS FOR US. NO ANIMAL PROTEIN, NO ANTIBIOTICS. IT IS A PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, MEANING, WE MIX 1:1 WITH CORN FOR CARBOHYDRATES.

CHRIS MENTIONED YOU GOT OREGANOS AROUND. KEEP THE RANGING AREA ABUNDANT WITH THE HERBS.

YOU CAN ASK YOUR FEED MILL TO MIX THIS FOR YOU. OR LET'S FEED YOUR SUNSHINES WHAT IS ABUNDANT IN YOUR AREA AND SUPPLEMENT THEN AMS AND PMS WITH CARBO.

THE PROBIOTICS WE SELL FOR THE GAMEFOWLS FROM DAY1 TILL KINGDOM COME IS THE SAME PROBITIOCS WE GIVE TO THE SUNSHINES FOR THE 1ST 21DAYS. I WILL ATTACH FILE SO YOU CAN READ. PHP160 PER 120ML, DOSAGE IS 1ML PER LITER OF UNCHLORINATED WATER.

PROBIOTICS ARE IN THE MARKET, BUT HARDLY PUSHED BY THE STORES. YOU CAN GET ONE IN YOUR AREA FOR SURE. IF NEED BE, WE CAN SEND BY COURIER.

JOEY, YOU MAY HAVE TO UNLEARN YOURSELF WITH THE SUNSHINES. MEDICATE ONLY WHEN NECESSARY. NO UNEEDED ANTIBOTIC FLUSHINGS. THAT'S WHY WE WANT THEM HEALTHY FROM DAY1.
>
> WE HAVE A HATCH ON 29SEP FOR SHIPPING ON 30SEP. STILL IMPORTED
>
> Ok, sounds good... my brooders are still vacant ... i'll get that batch
>
> IMPORTED F1S, PHP5500 PER BOX OF 100 PLUS PHP750 FREIGHT, PICK UP AT
> BACOLOD AIRPORT.
>
> I find it expensive, but its worth a try ... is that a special box coz my
> gamefowl box that carries 2 adult roosters and weighs almost 5 kgs shipped
> to manila will cost me less than P500. How many crosses does your F1s
> compose?

NEXT TIME...WE WILL SEE YOU IN PITGAMES, OR SABONG STAR..DUAL CHICKEN GUY CUM CHEF! PAGING MANNY AND PACHIE :)

WE USE TRANSPORT BOXES DESIGNED FOR 100 DAYOLD CHICKS. WELL VENTILATED AND PARTITIONED. BRAND NEW BOXES AS RECYCLED CAN BE CAUSE OF DISEASES. PRINTED TO OUR SPECS, SO OUR BOXES ARE WILL IDENTIFIED. THE ARCHIVES SHOW THOSE BOXES.

YES YOU ARE RIGHT, IT MAY COST ABOUT PHP500, WE ADD ON FOR HANDLING/TRANSPORTING TO AIRPORT/MISC.
>
> Where will i send payment? Please give me details on name, bank, etc...
> I prefer to have the shipment done on PAL's 1st flight to bacolod... cause
> from the airport i will proceed to my farm.

BPI MAGALLANES EDSA
SOLRAYA ENTERPRISES
C/A# 3535-8057-24

ONCE YOU MAKE A DEPOSIT, ADVISE ME. AND I WILL NEED FULL NAME TOO OF PERSON TO PICK UP AT AIRPORT.

BOOKING HAD BEEN CONFIRMED, 1ST FLIGHT TO BACOLOD 30SEP

WE HOPE TO SEE YOU DURING AGRILINK.
>
> Thanks again for your time... hope to hear from u soon.
>
> Joey