2020 was supposed to be the year of plenty, at least we hoped it would be. However, like the previous decade, our economic woes are like a bottomless pit, so we are forever trying to figure out ways to survive. My latest brain wave for economic survival, here in Zimbabwe, is raising chickens for home consumption.
We had been battling back and forth concerning whether we should go for it for months, mainly because I worried about the lack of experience for raising any type of bird. But then the lockdown began, and I realised not only did I have the time now, but my children are also home and can be a great source of help. Finally, I’m also tired of buying high priced meat, and complaining about it. It’s time to find solutions, stop waiting for someone else to save me and just do it.
So on the 8th of April we bought 50 Sasso chicks and a bag of feed. I chose sasso chicken instead of the more recognisable broiler because:
- They are a cross between the broiler and the village chicken. The meat is therefore firmer and with a richer flavour (this is from personal experience from cooking and eating them)
- They can be free ranged after 4 weeks, which means less feed is needed
- The females begin to lay eggs after 21 weeks, so one can save on eggs as well
We demarcated a section of our veranda with a table and bricks, put hay on the ground and 4 feeders and drinkers. The children were terrified to hold them at first, as the reality of looking after the chicks sunk in. The temperature is dropping quite a bit in the evening and the chicks huddled and suffocated each other because of the cold. Unfortunately, 2 of them got injured, and one died the next day. Yeah, stuff got real pretty quick!
We have now positioned a heater in the coop to keep the chicks warm throughout the night, and I’m still coming to terms with the increase in electricity charges. Hopefully though, this will pale to how much I’ll be able to save when I don’t have to buy meat from the shops.
Joyce Mutangara is a wife, mother, pastor, legal adviser and strengths coach. She loves to give inspiring personal interaction, through authentic discussion, and exploration of talents that motivate people to achieve optimum performance through intentionally deploying their strengths.
