For many Filipinos who are mindful of their health and the ethical concerns surrounding “factory” farming by some of the big integrators such as San Miguel and Magnolia, organic chickens grown in a small-scale environment with tender loving care and lots of space are now a natural choice.
That said, raising organic chicken is not just a matter of health and ethical concerns.
As written about in our other posts, as well as our chicken farming guides, chickens grown in an environment where they are allowed as much room as possible to express their natural behaviors, move about, and forage on the grass, bugs, and grubs tend to develop more muscles over fat.
And, they are generally more delicious, flavourful, and also more nutritious.
Countless studies have shown that chickens grown in this manner contain 30% or more of the essential nutrients that make us all healthy.
The Lifestyle Aspect of Organic Chicken Farming
Besides the chickens themselves, there is also the “life aspect” of organic chicken farming in the Philippines and around the world.
Organic chicken farming in a quiet and peaceful place can be quite satisfying – particularly for someone who is no longer in the rat race of chasing quick dollars with factory farming.
That is not to say that organic chicken is less profitable, but it certainly is suited well for someone who puts the quality of their products over profits, and who might have ethical concerns about factory farming.
Organic Chicken Farming Venture in the Philippines
In the Philippines, there are various breeds of chickens that you can raise in an organic environment. However, before you start choosing the right chicken breeds for your farm, it is important to have clear objectives on why you want to venture into organic chicken farming in the Philippines.
These goals will serve as your guiding light in the often challenging venture, and help keep you on course, so to speak.
Some of the things to consider when starting an organic chicken farm in the Philippines include the following:
- Are you planning to raise your organic chickens for meat production?
- Are you planning to raise your organic chickens for egg production?
- Are you interested in a small-scale or a large-scale organic poultry farming venture?
- Are you looking for a more intensive commercial-minded organic chicken venture or simply a small-scale subsistence organic poultry farming venture in your backyard to supplement your protein needs?
Based on your preferred objectives for venturing into organic chicken farming, you will be able to choose suitable chicken breeds to raise that will help you meet the objectives, be they commercial layers, native Philippines chickens or hybrid breeds.
With the introduction of new native breeds such as Zampen, now Filipino farmers can also experiment with improved native chicken breeds that can mature faster and produce more eggs while still thriving in a foraging environment where you don’t have to give them formulated chicken feed.
For organic chicken farming in the Philippines, you will do well with the native chicken breeds such as Darag but you the hybrid breeds can also do well in a free range or organic chicken raising system.
This will make more sense compared to the other commercial or exotic chicken breeds that are better suited for barns or cages. Remember that not all chickens are natural foragers, and neither will all of them thrive in a free range or pastured feeding environment.
Organic Chicken Farming Means Sustainability
Raising organic chickens in your backyard also means pursuing a sustainable way of living.
The chickens raised in an organic system can eat all the food waste and scraps from your cooking including vegetable peels and stalks, as well as grains. They can also help clean out the pasture in your backyard by eating bugs, grubs, snails, and so on.
In an organic farming system, it is a relationship of give-and-take with your chickens
While you give them the grains, shelter, and pastured areas, the chickens in return lay healthy organic eggs for your consumption as well as for sale. The chickens also leave behind manure that will nourish the pasture and which you can also use in your vegetable gardens.
Final Tips for Organic Chicken Farming in the Philippines
To finish the article with, here are some tips on carrying out organic chicken farming in the Philippines:
- Just like commercial chicken breeds, organic chickens like routine so you need to take them out and put them in their shelter at set times so as to reduce extra stress on them
- Feed the chickens in small portions, but frequently
- Make sure you keep their shelter or barn clean at all times, scrape off the manure daily, and replace the litter every few weeks or when it is too contaminated
- Supply the chickens with clean and fresh water on a daily basis, as chickens will never forgive you if you deny them water for an extended period of time, the productivity will simply taper off and it will be difficult to recover from that
- In case of any illnesses, ensure that the chickens are looked after immediately
- If you are only raising your organic birds for egg production, then there would be no reason for you to keep a cock
- However, for breeding purposes, keep at least one cock per ten hens, and take care not to cross breed if you want to maintain standardization in your organic poultry farm
For more tips on how to farm chicken in the Philippines, check our ebooks.