Nine years ago, I started an experiment on how to improve the free-range native chicken in my farm in Kidapawan City, capital of North Cotabato.
As a farm boy, I had long known that while native free-range chicken are tastier with firm meat and long muscle strands, they are slow growers, smaller and poor egg layers.
The breeding experiment started when an Oregon, USA-based farmer friend, Jim Clem, sent me two dozen American heritage chicken which included Rhode Island Reds, New Hampshire, Plymouth Barred Rock and Black Australorps.
When they matured, I found out that they were all females so I had to look for roosters to breed with them.
It was at about that time when a Muslim friend from Pikit town, Musim Mamintal and his son, Jazim, gave me several Pauwakan roosters.
The Pauwakans, also known as Jolo or Basilan, belong to the Asil family and are believed to have been brought in from East Asia in the 14th Century.
When I bred the Pauwakan roosters with the American heritage hens, I produced cockerels and pullets witj outstanding body conformation.
The average egg yield also increased which encouraged me to perpetuate the breeding until I was able to produce a new strain which I called Manok Pinoy.
Today, I am breeding more towards the black line although I still have two breeding yards of reds.
The name Manok Pinoy is now registered with the Intellectual Property Office and I consider this breed as my modest contribution to the backyard free-range chicken industry of the country.
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