Making a Fortune Raising Chickens: Zhu Chuanyin Leads Villagers onto a Path of Increased Income
Zhu Chuanyin is an entrepreneurial farming expert in Baimao Town. After years of drifting away from home, he chose to return to his hometown to raise free-range chickens. Despite setbacks from SARS and avian influenza, he did not give up. Today, he has 50 mu of mountain land for raising free-range chickens, nearly 10,000 free-range chickens in stock, an annual total slaughter volume of 100,000, annual sales of over 1 million yuan, and has helped and supported more than 30 farming households.
Zhu Chuanyin is an entrepreneurial farming expert in Baimao Town. Over 15 years, he has gone from a layman in the farming industry to a seasoned expert, from having no market for his products to demand exceeding supply, from working alone to driving surrounding farmers forward... Every step of progress embodies 15 years of his dedication, sweat and perseverance. He is a farmer who, through his own practical actions, teaches everyone to "do things with heart and live with gratitude."
Painstaking Management, Entrepreneurial Success
Zhu Chuanyin is from Zhuci Group, Zhupu Village, Baimao Town. Slim in build and of medium height, he exudes capability and drive. In 1991, having just graduated from junior high school at only 16, Zhu Chuanyin went to Zhangzhou City, Fujian Province, to work at a ceramic tile factory. In 1999, he learned that his hometown could support farming, so he resolutely returned home, bought a farming book at a bookstore, and began his arduous entrepreneurial journey.
"In the early days of starting my business, I had no venue and no capital. I relied on reading books to learn some farming knowledge, and could only take one step at a time, striving to make each step solid," said Zhu Chuanyin. To try various types of farming, he once grew greenhouse vegetables and raised goats, rabbits, pigeons and golden pheasants. Ultimately, he chose to raise free-range chickens.
However, the early days of farming did not go smoothly. Just as he was figuring things out, he encountered SARS in 2003, followed by avian influenza in 2004. "Those two years dealt a heavy blow to farmers. The chickens couldn't be sold, and they were infected with disease, dying in batches," Zhu Chuanyin recalled.
Entrepreneurship is not achieved overnight; the key is to persevere with heart. "In business, I never look at how much money there is, only at the ratio of daily sales to expenses. If it's positive growth, then I'm still making progress, and that gives me confidence." With this optimistic entrepreneurial mindset and daily perseverance, Zhu Chuanyin devoted himself entirely to raising chickens. Day after day, year after year, he grew from raising 300 free-range chickens in 1999 to raising more than 10,000 adult chickens annually.
Today, he has 50 mu of mountain land and nearly 10,000 free-range chickens. He has not only set up a free-range chicken specialty store in the county town, but also established stable partnerships with merchants in Wuhan, Hefei and other places. His annual total slaughter volume is around 100,000, with annual sales reaching over 1 million yuan.
Selfless Help, Prosperity Together
Because his farm is located at the foot of Yangjiaojian Mountain, Zhu Chuanyin from the start sold green, pollution-free free-range chickens and eggs under the name "Baimao Yangjiaojian Free-Range Chicken," and registered Yangjiaojian Ecological Agriculture Co., Ltd. In recent years, Yangjiaojian free-range chickens have become well known. He always focuses on product quality; even when the market runs out of stock, he will never pass off other eggs as his own.
Yangjiaojian is located in a remote area. His father and two uncles were honest and kind-hearted; his father's two brothers never married or had children. The eldest uncle is 65, the second uncle is 57, and he also has a 42-year-old brother who has not yet married. Zhu Chuanyin cares for all of them. For over a decade, a family of eight has relied on the chicken farming business, following a family management model of distribution according to need and contribution according to ability. Their life has been thriving, truly achieving "one person starts a business, the whole family gets employed."
In 2012, Zhu Chuanyin established the Yuexi Zhulinwan Free-Range Chicken Farming Cooperative and registered the "Yangjiaojian" trademark, putting his business officially on track. Zhu Chuanyin said: "I had no mentor; I relied entirely on self-study. Every failure accumulated experience. Over 15 years, I have gained my farming experience through trial and error."
"I've been learning chicken farming techniques from Zhu Chuanyin for over a year. One thing he often says is 'In anything you do, first be a good person. This is the most basic principle of doing business,' which deeply inspired me," said Liu Jianyan, a young man from Gufang who followed Zhu Chuanyin to learn chicken farming. Today, using his own entrepreneurial experience, he has driven more than 30 farming households within the county and surrounding areas, ranging from several thousand chickens to several hundred, achieving the goal of driving one, supporting one, and making one successful.
Poverty Alleviation and Dedication to Public Welfare
In his spare time, Zhu Chuanyin is active online under the screen name "I Sell Chickens, Wife" (Wo Mai Ji Lao Po), actively promoting his hometown and dedicating himself to public welfare.
It is understood that he not only takes good care of several uncles in his family, but also supported Zhu Jiuhe, a widowed elderly person in his village over 70 years old, until the end of their life. He raised several thousand yuan in donations online and offline for a kidney failure patient in his village, earning unanimous praise from local residents. In 2001, he led villagers to visit the Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences and meet with professors, then returned home to plant southern early-maturing pears, which now yield 5,000 jin per mu with returns exceeding 10,000 yuan per mu, helping a poor family get onto the path to prosperity.
In 2012, Zhu Chuanyin joined the Yuexi Volunteer Alliance, traversing the country lanes and alleys of villages in his spare time from business, caring about the well-being of disadvantaged groups. "Although each donation isn't much, it represents love. Sometimes, the power of love from society can let a struggling family see hope," said Zhu Chuanyin.
For many years, Zhu Chuanyin has remained committed to the farming industry while dedicating himself to public welfare. "I always feel that burning incense far away is not as good as doing good deeds nearby. Doing more meaningful things for society and using my modest strength to help those around me in need makes me feel very fulfilled," said Zhu Chuanyin.