Kidapawan City – Starting April, I instructed the boys in the farm to adjust our chicks rearing program because of two problems which cropped up – the start of the rainy season and the appearance of many crows which prey on chicks.
Before that, we brought newly hatched chicks to improvised brooder houses in the field where they grow up until they are harvested for the meat market or for breeding purposes.
The system worked well until the rains started to fall and weakened the chicks.
The other major issue was the sudden appearance of dozens of crows which swoop down on the chicks, especially the weak ones and feast on them.
The crows also started attacking the hens’ nest beating us to the newly laid eggs thus reducing our egg production daily.
In the face of these issues, we had to make adjustments.
I have decided to raise the chicks in our improvised circular brooders for 45 to 50 days where we complete the vaccination program.
By the time we release them to the yard, they would be huge enough to discourage the crows from attacking them and sturdy to adjust to the elements.
For the laying hens, I am now designing breeding yards covered with nets to prevent crows from stealing the eggs.
These are realities in farming that we have to adjust to or else productivity will be affected.
We, farmers, can easily adjust because we know that these are realities that we face in agriculture and fisheries.
Nothing is constant in agriculture, especially farming.
Sadly, this is something that many of our development and economic planners do not understand or have not been made aware of.
Ito yong madalas na pinagtatalunan ng mga advocates in agricultural reforms and modernization at ng ating mga economic and development planners.
Ang akala nila ay parang car manufacturing ang Agriculture na kaya mo i-project ang dami ng kotse na gagawin mo basta may bastanteng bakal at gulong ka lang.
Sa Agriculture you have to contend with the unpredictable factors – climate change, pest and diseases, droughts and typhoons.
Dagdag problema pa ang burukrasiya or the bureaucracy na parang elepanteng malabo ang mata na ubod ng kupad gumalaw.
Sana magkaroon ng on-farm workshop at actual experience sa pamamalakaya ang ating economic and development planners para maintindihan nila na may mga uwak na mananalasa at kailangan natin mag-adjust.
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