Getting the flock out of here - a diary of a crazy chicken man

[Sweetpea3829]

So sorry, Oz. Prayers.

 

[scottcaddy]

thanks wisher

it really is sad. the people that are losing most have nothing.

Our life in the Philippines is relatively simple to the one we left behind when we moved there 5 years ago but even that is out of the comprehension of many Pinoys.

Our chickens have better housing than many people. Seriously better.

Many of the dead and displaces live in shanty towns squatting on river beds and other easements. Our daughter came from that lifestyle. My heart is heavy.

I still remember my time in Thailand in the early 70's, the way alot of people there lived was a BIG shock to this mid-west farm boy!
And to add, Yes Oz, your chicken house is way better then most of the housing I seen in the country side
Scott

 

[katbriar]

Thank you for making us so aware of a place we've never seen. Even enough to be pained by their hardships.

I will be thinking of them in the days ahead.

 

[OffGridMAMA]

Reason #2790 why you impress us my friend: as much as you love the chooks, it always comes back to the people. Your love is evident and contagious. Our heart hurts too

 

[ozexpat]

Fortunately for us, our family is part of the "haves" in the Philippines. We are not connected politically and thus arent part of the corupt mega rich but my wife's family does fairly well.

I have really learnt to live on a different standard over there. Sure we have a gardener, maid and 2 nannies but we dont live luxuriously and certainly not waistfully.

Last night I was volleying text messages with Analou - Bernie's wife running through the inventory of supplies. We discussed feed and i developed the order for this week. We talked about moving onto the other side of the fence as soon as possible instead of taking a respite as the last storm did a number on it. I gave instruction on the tree selection for the lumberjack to cut and mill as we will need over 1500 linear feet of 2x3 dimensional coco lumber to complete the job.

Finally we discussed gas usage on the weed whacker. I can buy a young pregnant goat for what I pay in unleaded gas each month. (I could actually also pay for another worker's salary who could cut the grass by hand and do a lot more) So Bernie is off to buy a goat on Tuesday morning at the market in a village down the road. His budget is around 30 dollars.

I am looking out for a yearling water bufallo as well to replace the one my father in law traded. I want to get a younger one that we can train to be a milker when she is old enough to calf.

Finally I am contemplating getting back into pigs, I was thinking of giving a trio of sows about 1000 sq feet among the hardwood trees to forage and root around in rather that house them in concrete pens. The price of rice bran is about 30% cheaper than 4 years ago when we had sows. I mix the rice bran with 20% copra meal. I will end up paying around 12 dollars per hundred pounds of feed. A weaner piglett sells for $35.

Here is a quick return on investment

Feed cost per 100 kilo Price Ratio Ammt PhP Ammt $
Opa Rice Bran -1300 0.75 (975.0) ($23.21)
Copra Meal -600 0.25 (150.0) ($3.57)
Blended (1125.0) ($26.79)
price per kg (11.3) ($0.27)

Avg daily needs of sow kg 2.2 (24.8) ($0.59)
Average yearly consumption kg 803 (9033.8) ($215.09)
Medications and vaccinations -1500 1 (1500.0) ($35.71)
Water and Power -2000 1 (2000.0) ($47.62)
Butakal Fee (traveling stud boar) -1500 2 (3000.0) ($71.43)
Net Expense (15558.5) ($370.44)
Pigletts 1500 20 30000.0 $714.29
Potential Profit per sow in Pesos 14441.5 $343.85

 

[scottcaddy]

Fortunately for us, our family is part of the "haves" in the Philippines. We are not connected politically and thus arent part of the corupt mega rich but my wife's family does fairly well.

I have really learnt to live on a different standard over there. Sure we have a gardener, maid and 2 nannies but we dont live luxuriously and certainly not waistfully.

Last night I was volleying text messages with Analou - Bernie's wife running through the inventory of supplies. We discussed feed and i developed the order for this week. We talked about moving onto the other side of the fence as soon as possible instead of taking a respite as the last storm did a number on it. I gave instruction on the tree selection for the lumberjack to cut and mill as we will need over 1500 linear feet of 2x3 dimensional coco lumber to complete the job.

Finally we discussed gas usage on the weed whacker. I can buy a young pregnant goat for what I pay in unleaded gas each month. (I could actually also pay for another worker's salary who could cut the grass by hand and do a lot more) So Bernie is off to buy a goat on Tuesday morning at the market in a village down the road. His budget is around 30 dollars.

I am looking out for a yearling water bufallo as well to replace the one my father in law traded. I want to get a younger one that we can train to be a milker when she is old enough to calf.

Finally I am contemplating getting back into pigs, I was thinking of giving a trio of sows about 1000 sq feet among the hardwood trees to forage and root around in rather that house them in concrete pens. The price of rice bran is about 30% cheaper than 4 years ago when we had sows. I mix the rice bran with 20% copra meal. I will end up paying around 12 dollars per hundred pounds of feed. A weaner piglett sells for $35.

Here is a quick return on investment

Feed cost per 100 kilo Price Ratio Ammt PhP Ammt $
Opa Rice Bran -1300 0.75 (975.0) ($23.21)
Copra Meal -600 0.25 (150.0) ($3.57)
Blended (1125.0) ($26.79)
price per kg (11.3) ($0.27)

Avg daily needs of sow kg 2.2 (24.8) ($0.59)
Average yearly consumption kg 803 (9033.8) ($215.09)
Medications and vaccinations -1500 1 (1500.0) ($35.71)
Water and Power -2000 1 (2000.0) ($47.62)
Butakal Fee (traveling stud boar) -1500 2 (3000.0) ($71.43)
Net Expense (15558.5) ($370.44)
Pigletts 1500 20 30000.0 $714.29
Potential Profit per sow in Pesos 14441.5 $343.85

I was wondering about never seeing or hearing about the Water Bufallo? I have found that pigs need a REAL GOOD fence, if not inside a building. They are like a horse or chicken, 'that grass is Greener' on the other side of this fence, and will do their best to get to it. Good luck Oz!!

Scott

 

[Ashburnham]

Quote:
And good luck with the goat eating weeds! Mine prefer to eat my trees , unless very securely fenced in! xxxx M

 

[ozexpat]

I was wondering about never seeing or hearing about the Water Bufallo? I have found that pigs need a REAL GOOD fence, if not inside a building. They are like a horse or chicken, 'that grass is Greener' on the other side of this fence, and will do their best to get to it. Good luck Oz!!

Scott

The new WB will be called Mozza - in honor of the Buffalo Mozzarella she will produce. Bernie is on the lookout. Between now and Christmas is a good time to buy as markets tend to dip. I am hoping to pick one up for USD250-300.

I have all the stuff for electric fencing but Mrs Oz won't let me use it on the perimeter in case the locals think its mains power and retaliate. A few kids have died over the years when fools have hooked 220V up to the wire on top of their fence. It will be ideal though for bacon makers though. I figure its a way to let them get vitamins and minerals on the cheap. I have to work out the farrowing side of it. The welder will get some use over Christmas. I was not happy with the prior harrowing pen.

The good news is that weaners sell for PhP2500 (aprox $63) now which increases the margin by around PhP20000 to $760 per sow. A 220lb gilt is $210.

If I go forward with it I will start with 3 sows.

Bernie will get a bonus equal to one piglet's profit at 20 per sow raised to weaner age and 50% of all piglets at weaner age over 20 per sow each year, Ideally a sow can farrow 2.5 times per year. If we produce 10 piglets per gestation his bonus will be $130 the first year and $1000 the second year from 3 sows. 11 per gestation adds another $120 in the 1st year and $500 in the second year. It's a great incentive to make sure he stays on top of the husbandry.

Now if I could only find some local goats crossed to a LaManch

 

[ozexpat]

Quote: Our goats get a leash and a new coconut tree each day. It's the only way to stop them destroying the 40+ young non-coconut fruit trees. Like all Filipinos, they hate getting rained on so as we scramble to get the clothes off the line, Bernie scrambles to stop the goats from melting in the warm tropical rain. I am actually going to look at grazing them in narrow strips between the trees with the electric fence once I get around to it.

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote: Try electrical tape It looks different from electric fence. If you want to do the parimeter....

My cousins use big tractor tires to fasten their goats to for grazing. easy to move just lift one end and roll it to the next spot. then you can plunk their water bucket in the middle.... keeps them from knocking it over.

BTW OZ with your background you might consider bring some Pop in a can for your goats.... Goats can be Artificially insemniated.... Sheep cant but goats can. Just a thought.

deb