Off Layers

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We have enjoyed eggs from our 39 chickens for almost a year. Each chicken lays roughly an egg a day. Basaija has feed the birds and collected the eggs. Pauline would see that they were delivered to the health center for HIV+ moms to feed their children. When patients are in the hospital, there are no meal plans. Parents have to bring their food and find a way to cook it. This is always a challenge. Many of the eggs these chicken have produced have nourished young ones with nutritional deficits during their stay in the hospital.

Since their production has dropped, we have sold them off – a good chicken dinner for some. We are grateful for their service.

Our 200 new chicks are doing well and have successfully passed the age when we lost 75% of the last group! By October they should start laying eggs.

Feathers

The chicks are growing. Their yellow fuzz is being replaced by white feathers and they are in constant motion. Cozying up to the warm charcoal pot is still a favorite activity.

The current chick count is 206. I was told that when we ordered 200, you get 8 free because they expect some losses. Basija is doing a great job keeping the chicks healthy and happy. Pauline has given 2 rounds of vaccinations.

Chick arrival

Day-old chicks arrived at the newly expanded chicken coop! 200 were snuggled into 2 flat boxes and went for the ride of their short lives. They were picked up from Kampala at 7:00 AM. The boxes of chicks sat next to Pauline and her 2 year old son, Keith, in a minivan. Unfortunately, the minivan (public transportation) knocked a kid off of his bike during the journey. I believe he is fine. They sat on the side of the road for 1 ½ hours while the police took the information. When they reached Fort Portal, they found a truck that they sat in the front seat of and waited until 6:30 for it to fill up with passengers. The whole time, Keith wanted to get his hands on the peeping chicks. When they finally reached Bundibugyo town it was so late that it was hard to find transport for the last ½ hour leg. Reaching the mission at 11:00 PM, they found that Basaija, the chicken keeper, had given up and gone home. Pauline and Keith slept in the chicken coop to keep an eye on them.

During the first few days, they need constant attention to make sure they don’t drown in their drinkers or overheat near the clay pot filled with warm charcoal. I found them this morning running around the coop and snuggling to stay toasty near the pot. The journey was a success.

New Chicks

Yesterday Michael went to Ugachick and ordered 200 newborn chicks. In three weeks we'll be allowed to pick them up. That will give Pauline time to finish preparing their home. The BundiNutrition Chicken Coop has been expanded and they are finishing up on the fence around it. Coffee husks need to spread around the floor and then the house will need to be disinfected. Then it must sit empty for a time.
The 39 chickens from last year are doing a great job of laying eggs still. By August their laying period will end and we'll need to sell them off for meat. The new batch of chicks should start to lay by October.
If we have a better mortality rate, the project will be approaching self-sustainability. The eggs will be used abundantly at the health center and the rest will be sold. The revenue will go into the chicken feed, chicken medications and salary for Basija, the chicken keeper.