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

[ozexpat]

A friend posted this on Facebook... It's a comedian doing 12 days of Pinoy Christmas

 

video!! lol

I can't even download an avatar lol.

I am off to buy cinder blocks this morning. I will add to the photos and check out the link

 

[maryhysong]

thanks Joanne

Christmas day is the 2nd anniversary of this thread and the beginning of the crazy adventure

we have done so much

You and Mrs Oz are amazing; you have persevered and succeeded beyond wildest dreams and against great obstacles and set backs. I salute you! Here's to many more years to come!

 

[drumstick diva]

x 2 BRAVO Oz

 

[ozexpat]

I did get to kabankalan but I was pressed for time as the construction guys were on their last few blocks.

I just went to the outskirts. picked up the cinder blocks and some jalousie frames to replace a couple that corroded.

I had no signal so no pics till Christmas night. sorry.

this the season to be rusty - tra la la la la, la la la la

the salt winds are browning every thing green and corroding anything metal.

 

[ozexpat]

Apart from my run to kabankalan, its a quietly busy day.
Monday is feed mixing day. 450kg of ingredients get
converted into150kg poultry feed and 300kg of pig feed.
It's day 7 for the 10 piglet batch. They will get their parvo
vaccine and be weighed. We introduced early wean feed to
them and they are playing with the feed. in a day they will
start eating it.
The three little pigs were all 2kg along with their siblings
that did not survive the events of the other night. With no
competition for milk they are the same size as their
cousins already.
Mama pigs are doing well. Sow #2 gets upset at the sight
of me as I am giving her daily injections of iron and b
vitamins but she looks good. From a general inspection,
she is back to normal.
I will definitely cull her. I can't risk another delivery like the
last one and she is not paying her way.
I have one 60kg pig that I am giving to Mrs Oz' family for
Christmas in the form of lechon - pig roasted on a spit. I
have to transport her Christmas morning to Bacolod.
Dodong is building a post/rail/pailing fence around one of
the vegetable gardens.
Yesterday Dodong sold the coconut branches that fell last
week. I asked him if its the first time he has ever had a job
where money falls from the sky. its great to see the
initiative as the previous 2 gardeners just burnt them.
Our kids are having fun when they are not in trouble. They
get away with murder with nannies so they are a bit shell
shocked by structure. they love the monkey bars and have
had a few falls but none from the top. the ground is very
soft so hopefully no greenstick fractures this week.
The goats are loving having the kids around as they get fed
lots of treats.

 

[ozexpat]

almost had a double post lol

we did the weigh in for the week olds.

expected average weight is 2.6kg our fatties are 2.89kg

and all 10 are cute as heck

 

[ozexpat]

You and Mrs Oz are amazing; you have persevered and succeeded beyond wildest dreams and against great obstacles and set backs. I salute you! Here's to many more years to come!

x 2     BRAVO  Oz

the support from bycers has basically kept me going.

 

[vehve]

Nice to hear things are on track again. You better start thinking of offering Dodong a raise soon, he sounds like he's wort his weight in gold.

Looking forward to more pics, you guys all have a lovely Christmas.

 

[ozexpat]

Vehve thanks for the advice

I pay Dodong well as it is and three times minimum required. I also give him opportunity to make extra money from my resources.

I am his first employer to ever give health insurance and social security

I will also pay for private school tuition for his kids. all four of them.

I am building them a concrete house with a ceiling, glass windows with screens and security bars that they can live in for the rest of their lives. something that they could never afford the rent on in the past or probably ever in the future.

he is smart enough to know the opportunity he has.

 

[ozexpat]

labor laws for domestic workers

minimum salary 1500 php per month (approx USD 35)
bed space (many sleep in the kitchen on a mat)
food (most people get dried fish and low grade rice and leftovers - sometimes left over from the boss' plate)
8 hours off in a day (does not have to be continuous)
24 hrs straight off per week (can be accrued)
1 week vacation
13th month pay at Christmas ( a bonus) after employment for one year
health insurance and social security after 6 months

our gardener and maid work 8.5-9 hours per day not 16
their salary is 3 times minimum
they get food when we are here and rice, vegetables that they are growing as part is their job, eggs, chicken and duck.
they get either Nov 1st or New Year off and all other major holidays are split. all are paid.
social security and health insurance from day one and we pay both employee and employer contributions
school uniforms, supplies for kids. tuition to private school (approx $25 per month at minimum and up to $100)
clothing for workers and family
a weeks pay per part of quarter worked as Christmas bonus
40% off all copra sales (php 30-45k per year)
All money from vegetables and coconut byproducts