Raising Chickens in a Developing Country
Many children in the Democratic Republic of Congo are only able to eat starches due to a lack of resources available to them. This can be problematic considering the abundance of research that supports the need for animal protein to their developing brains and physical health. This lack of essential protein is a serious problem that impacts children all over the world but especially in the Congo. Research shows that adding one egg a day to a child’s diet will benefit them during the most crucial stages of their development.
To combat this issue at Bolingo Village, we built our own chicken coop and began raising our own fresh chickens! Our one-of-a-kind farm staff oversees the daily care of our winged friends, utilizing access to our veterinarian who can come visit our livestock at any time to answer questions or concerns. Our farm team gathers fresh eggs daily and delivers them each morning to our foster moms to feed the kiddos in their home. We routinely gather data and information in an organized fashion that helps our farm staff perfect the art of raising chickens.
Like any new venture we’ve tackled in Congo, we’ve realized that it’s not quite as simple to raise chickens there as one might think. There are many factors that come into play that can affect a chicken’s safety, health, and ability to consistently lay eggs. Luckily, we’ve learned a few tips and tricks that can benefit not only the chickens but the rest of our farm as well. Here’s what we’ve learned so far:
Think before you build! It was imperative that we thought through the design of our chicken coup to ensure that the chickens stay safe from any potential predators.
Due to the harsh heat in Congo, we’ve found it’s necessary to put ice in their water troughs. This will help to keep the chickens drinking their water throughout the day, allowing them to stay hydrated and continuously lay eggs for our kiddos.
To strengthen eggshells and reduce potential breakage, we’ve been adding ground-up eggshells back into the chicken’s diet, giving them a boost of calcium (for free!)
Don’t waste the manure! When used as a fertilizer, chicken manure provides essential nutrients that enhance crop production.
Periodically, we’ll check to see which chickens are still laying by feeling the inside of their ovum (where the eggs come out.) This helps us to know which chickens we can use for meat, saving us money AND ensuring nothing goes to waste.