How to raise orchard chickens? Master Yao shares his farming experience

On August 14, in a peach orchard on Kangdian Ridge in Gongyi City, under the heavy fruit, a large flock of hens was busily pecking at weeds, a sight that felt especially fresh. In the past two years, Master Yao has adapted to local conditions, using the large space and abundant weeds under the fruit trees to raise "orchard chickens." Life has become comfortable, and his mood improves day by day.

Sure enough, as soon as the two account managers from the Zhanjie Branch of Gongyi Rural Commercial Bank entered the orchard, Master Yao greeted them. "Master Yao, raising chickens on a large scale in an orchard is very creative!" "This is also thanks to your support. These past two days I've been thinking of going to the town to buy 200 half-grown chicks. In two or three months they'll start laying eggs. Come back and see then, it'll be a delightful sight!"

Master Yao's home is in Baimao Village, Zhanjie Town. A relative contracted 28 mu of land on Kangdian Ridge, planting ornamental trees and fruit trees. After the refractory factory where he worked closed down two years ago, Master Yao, already over fifty, suddenly lost his livelihood and kept worrying about what to do. Later, hearing that others made very good profits raising chickens under peach trees, he thought of the orchard his relative had contracted. He acted at once: the old couple fenced off a pen under the peach trees with wire mesh, and borrowed 20,000 yuan from Gongyi Rural Commercial Bank to buy 100 chicks. A few months later the hens began laying eggs, and each jin of eggs sold for 10 yuan.

"My chickens eat half feed and half grass. After eating grass, their feathers look better, the meat tastes good, and it also saves on feed costs." Master Yao said that visitors who come to pick fruit and stroll around hold "orchard chickens" and their eggs in high regard, and they are always in short supply. Having tasted the sweet rewards, Master Yao is even more motivated. At the beginning of this year, he bought more than 300 chicks at once.

Master Yao also has a little trick for raising chickens: raising chickens and geese together. He joked: "Don't underestimate these geese. With them around, weasels wouldn't dare come to 'pay New Year's calls' on the chickens."

"Raising chickens in the orchard raises the chickens' standard of living, and the fruit trees are 'fatter' off too." Master Yao explained that chicken manure is excellent organic fertilizer, which can improve the soil, build up soil fertility, and promote the growth of fruit trees. This year, he also discovered that fruit trees in the orchard where chickens are raised suffer much less pest damage, so pesticides can be reduced or even eliminated, and the fruit has become green food.

Talking about his future plans, Master Yao's eyes lit up: "Next year I plan to raise about 500 more chickens under the apple trees on five or six mu of land down the slope. I hope you can continue to support me." "Master Yao, you have set an example and a model for orchard growers. Rest assured, we will strongly support you." As they left, the account managers gave Master Yao a reassuring promise.