(Keeping) Chickens in the Time of Corona

 

 

This is Red Baron, the rooster. The name has everything to do with his color and nothing to do with the World War 1 fighter pilot. This rooster is actually our second pet chicken. The first was also a Baron, Fat Baron to be exact. Because well, he was really fat for a chicken. That one we named after Baron Vladimir Harkonnen of Frank Herbert’s 1965 science fiction novel, Dune.

Red Baron is one of the Kabir* chickens roaming the area. When we arrived here, we were practically nonexistent to him. He was mostly out and about with the other Kabir and Paraoakan (Parawakan)** chickens, turkeys and ducks. Now minutes after daybreak, you can see him on the  steps leading to the house, eagerly waiting for their morning treats of chopped fruit and veggie peelings.

 

 

In this time of forced isolation, it’s crucial to have a safe social circle. I thinks pets can be included in that. Especially for adults who live alone, single parents with onlies and children who have no siblings, having a pet to care for and follow them around can keep loneliness at bay. Aside from its obvious socio-emotional benefits, keeping a pet can also be very educational.

 

In our home, we have Red Baron and friends. Frankie learns a lot from them- their habits, food preferences and the natural cycle of chicken to egg or egg to chicken, whichever works. So,

- if you do not like cats or dogs, PLUS

- you have a bit of space around your house, AND

- you have a high-quality headset with a noise-canceling microphone in case  you work from home, THEN

consider keeping feathered friends as pets. In this post, I will give you 3 reasons why chickens make awesome pets.

 

1. Chickens are easy to care for, by pet standards. 

They are low maintenance. As long as you provide them with the basic- food, water, and shelter then you’re good to go. They won’t leave like cats are wont to do when they perceive neglect. They also don’t whine or are remotely needy as is the normal for dogs. What they do though is cluck (hens) or crow (roosters) and yes, follow you around.

 

2. Chickens give eggs and are a good source of fertilizer.

If you make sure that your chickens get nutritious feed, clean drinking water, right amount of natural light, and a good housing then you’re sure to be on the receiving end of some good eggs. This fertilizer thing on the other hand can be a tad tricky since putting chicken manure directly on plants will guarantee their demise. You have to cure it for more than a month a half or until it is dark and crumbly and almost soil-like before you can use it to enrich your plants.

 

3. Chickens are cheap.

In Cagayan de Oro, a Kabir chick costs around 70 cents (35 Php) to a dollar (49 Php). You can get the Parawakan for much less than that. Then you would need a coop if you don’t have a large area, a water container and a dish for the feed. Chicken feed costs around 60 cents (30Php) per kilo in agri supply shops.This should last you a little more than a month if you supplement it with chopped veggie and fruit peelings. 

If you look closely at the image below, you’d see some yummy stuff going on in there- string beans and red bell peppers, potatoes and carrot peel for Red Baron and friends. Chow that would be decimated in 5 seconds tops.

 

 

Chickens will always be chickens, in the time of corona or not. They will always require little upkeep, will always give as good as they get and can always be yours or your child's at almost no expense.  

So what do you think? Ready to cluck and crow with the best of them?

 

 *Kabir are a breed of large chickens that originated from the Middle East. Kabir means “large” in Arabic.

**Paraoakan is the native chicken from Palawan, which originally came from Malaysia. They have long necks and legs.

Source: my dad- someone who has raised and bred chickens for 56 years

 

Credit where credit is due. The title of this post was inspired by the novel of Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Love in the Time of Cholera.