Chicken farming has become a thriving business in the Republic of China over the past 30 years. Though indigenous strains have always provided both meat and eggs for local consumption, the economic value in former times was low.
Since the introduction of prolific egg-layers from foreign countries 25 years ago, chicken farms have been set up systematically. When broilers and breeders were also brought in, chicken farming progressed even more rapidly.
To ensure the prosperity of chicken farmers, the government of the Republic of China allows imports of breeders duty-free, and of chicken feed at a low tax rate. In addition, agricultural institutions offer technical assistance, and invite foreign specialists to conduct seminars and field work. In this way, the most up-to-date technical know-how on farming and sales management have been introduced. Good organization and sanitary conditions have been made possible by the installation of modern equipment such as egg graders and sorting and packing machines.
At present, the total investment in chicken farming in the Republic of China has reached US$1.4 billion, and the number of chickens, 34 million. As living standards have been improved, consumption of chickens has risen to 1 million a week, and eggs to 100 a person per year. Both figures are more than four times those of 20 years ago.
One of Taiwan's most outstanding chicken farmers is Huang Kun-hu of Houpi village in Tainan County. Now the owner of 17 chicken farms and 500,000 birds, Huang has been dubbed "the king of chicken farmers" by villagers.
Realizing that chicken meat and eggs are important sources of protein, Huang started many years ago to gather materials and to subscribe to magazines on the subject published in the U.S. and Japan. As he conducted his research, his interest in chicken farming rose steadily. After graduating in 1960 from the department of law of the National Taiwan University, Huang decided to join with his brothers to start a family enterprise chicken farm.
They bought 300 laying hens in 1962, and built chicken coops according to instructions contained in a magazine. They took care of all the chores, including preparation of chicken feed, inoculations and medical treatment themselves. Soon, Huang's chicken farm began to prosper.
The brothers had to overcome many obstacles. The first major setback was in 1966, when an earthquake destroyed all the chicken coops. This was followed by an attack of "Newcastle Disease," which killed 1,000 chickens, or 60 percent of the stock. But Huang has never been discouraged in his commitment to systematic and scientific management.
As the business grew, he appointed a director and several administrators to take charge of the day-to-day running of each farm including the bookkeeping. Broilers and breeders were added to the laying stock.
Broilers are categorized into three types according to their size. Usually, it takes about 65 days for a chicken to reach a weight of five pounds. Layers start to produce eggs, when they are five months old. On the average, 100 chickens will produce 75 eggs a day, and the best rate that one can hope for is 90 percent. When the rate falls to less than 60 percent, the whole batch is sold off at low cost. Breeders are generally sold after 65 to 70 weeks.
Huang pays particular attention to making the chicken coops comfortable. Ventilation, temperature, humidity and light are properly controlled. Automatic devices have been installed to provide water and feed. As chickens are disease-prone, germs are kept away from the coops. The coops must be washed and sterilized after each stock is removed.
On the farm for breeders, about 90 percent of the stock is made up of hens. Huang has installed computer-controlled incubators which can hatch 100,000 eggs a time. The incubator's temperature is set automatically at 100°Ｆ, and eggs are rotated so they receive heat evenly. After 21 days, the eggs are removed from the incubator and placed in a large box where the chickens are hatched. The day-old chicks are given five inoculations and have antibiotics put in their feed for the first four weeks after hatching.
Huang has helped farmers in Houpi village to raise chickens as a profitable sideline by teaching them the necessary investment and management techniques. As a result, more than 30 chicken farms, most of them housing 10,000 to 20,000 birds, have sprung up in the area.
The government of the Republic of China is planning to make available low-interest loans to chicken farmers, establish a standard price for chickens, and assist large-scale chicken farmers to export their products in the future.
[Picture Caption]
Left: The fat and healthy broilers of Huang Kun-hu. Right: Huang and his wife.
1. The farm for broilers. 2 & 4. The newly hatched chicks. 3. Coops for egg-layers.
1. Automatic devices have been installed at newly built chicken coops to provide water and feed. 2. An official inspecting the chickens. 3. Chicks are given five inoculations for the first four weeks after hatching. 4. The computer-controlled incubators can hatch 100,000 eggs at a time.
The newly hatched chicks.
The newly hatched chicks.
Automatic devices have been installed at newly built chicken coops to provide water and feed.
An official inspecting the chickens.
Chicks are given five inoculations for the first four weeks after hatching.
The computer-controlled incubators can hatch 100,000 eggs at a time.
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