From six (6) chickens in 2019, a farmer from Tanudan, Kalinga multiplied them to almost 15 times resulting in a total count of 88 heads.

Mrs. Marjorie Ang-ang is one of the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) Program beneficiaries of the Department of Agriculture under the Integrated Fruit Trees, Swine, and Poultry Production Project amounting to Php 52,100.00 for FY 2019. 

She received six free-range chicken, 10 calamansi budded seedlings, four Galvanized Iron (GI) sheets, 40 banana suckers, layer feeds, fertilizer, knapsack sprayer, shovel, grab hoe, rake, crowbar, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe, and plastic drum from August to September 2019.

Results

After three (3) months of raising the chickens, Mrs. Ang-ang shared that she started to harvest eggs in January 2020 (Table 1).

Table 1. Marjorie Ang-ang’s Egg Production

*Note: eggs incubated in January hatched in February.

As of May 2020, she gathered a total of 443 eggs; 138 were set aside for incubation, 88 hatched, and the remaining 305 eggs were consumed by her family. This helped them lessen their food expenses. 

“To be selected as one of the beneficiaries of the SAAD program is a blessing for my family. The chicken alone helps provide eggs for our family and has save us from buying eggs,” said Mrs. Ang-ang. 

Because of her bountiful harvest, Mrs. Ang-ang decides to start an egg and chicken production business. With the knowledge she acquired on the SAAD’s Free-Range Chicken Production Training in November 2019, she is confident that she will succeed in her endeavor.

“Madami nga pong nagtatanong kung binebenta ko sila, pero sabi ko paramihin ko muna para kahit papaano may karagdagang pagkukunan ng gastusin lalo na po pasukan na sa Agosto,” [There are a lot of queries if I am selling the chicken but I responded that I need to multiply these first to produce more chickens so we have additional income especially that we will incur expenses for the incoming school year this August.] Ang-ang said.

“Hindi nililimliman ng ibang sasso ang kanilang mga itlog kaya nililipat namin sa pangitlugan ng mga native na manok. Sa paglipat ng mga itlog, kailangan dahan-dahan para di ma-alog at mabiyak ang mga itlog sa pamamagitan ng paggamit ng tela,” [The sasso chicken does not brood, thus we let the native chicken brood it. In transferring the eggs, however, we use cloth and much care to avoid egg cracks.] Ang-ang shared.

Mrs. Ang-ang plans to sell chicken meat and eggs to serve her neighbors in the next months. 

Recommendations for Project Sustainability

Mrs. Ang-ang shared that unlike native chicken, free-range chickens are more susceptible and prone to diseases. So, she advised other SAAD beneficiaries to have proper management on their poultry to sustain the project.

The SAAD Agricultural Technician (AT) Simon Beligan and Area Coordinator (AC) Ayra Mangatam also recommended that each beneficiary should construct another poultry house to cater to the growing number of chickens.

Aside from that, Mrs. Ang-ang also shared that the banana suckers she received are on the vegetative stage and the calamansi started to bear fruit. ###

Writer: Merry Ann D. Wandas, SAAD Kalinga, Information Officer

Jennifer A. Valcobero, SAAD NPMO PR and Communications Officer