Anantapur: Backyard poultries make women financially strong

Kalyandurg (Anantapur): Domestic backyard poultries are strengthening the rural economy and are coming to the rescue of rural households in times of uncertainties.

Country fowl varieties like Girija, Vana Raja, Kaveri, Grama Priya and Grama Lakshmi are being reared by women in rural mandal, due to the initiative of Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) animal husbandry scientist Harshini.

These chicken varieties are strong and disease resistant and are raised in the backyards of houses in an off the farm environment. These chickens grow well and weigh 650-750 gram in 42 days after their birth.

Each hen lays 170 to 190 eggs per years when compared to farm hens which lays 60-70 eggs per year.

Fromm birth up to six weeks, the chicks should be vaccinated. In its infancy stages of 14-28 days fodder should be fed to the chicks. Once it grows into adult stage, the hens eat multiple insects and kitchen waste in every home. They eat natural food from soils and domestic kitchen wastes and emerge healthy and strong and overcome all sicknesses and viruses. One cock for every 10-20 hens should be raised for producing eggs.

KVK coordinator Radha Kumari says each fowl is sold at Rs 300 and egg for Rs 5 each. The KVK offers services like hatching of eggs with incubators and presenting them in chick form. For incubation of one egg the KVK charges Rs 20.

Ramya, raising 50 chicks in her backyard in rural Kalyandurg, says ever since she took up chicks rearing two years ago, she has not been dependent upon her husband for every need. “Form me, it is like ‘any time money’ (ATM). Any time I sell eggs or fowls to cater to personal or family requirements,” a beaming Ramya said, adding that the KVK too helps them in marketing or in loose spot sales.