What You Need to Know Before Raising Kampung Chickens

Chicken farming remains a very promising business opportunity, because many restaurants need fresh kampung chicken, Indonesia's free-range native chicken. If you are interested in getting into the kampung chicken business, here is what you need to know before you start.

There are many varieties of kampung chicken. Choose the one with the most potential for farming, and make sure it suits the weather where you live.

Each region also has its own dominant variety that most local farmers raise. Do a small survey to find out which kampung chickens are most widely raised in your area.

Choose quality stock

Pick quality stock. If you have a friend who has raised kampung chickens for a long time, it makes sense to source quality birds from them. If you don't have those connections, look for kampung chicken day-old chicks (DOC) from a well-known, trusted farm.

Choose DOC from quality parent stock, because the chicks will share their parents' quality. Besides buying DOC, you can also choose quality breeding hens with a proven record of producing good eggs.

Healthy DOC hatch on time, have bright, clear eyes, stand firm and move nimbly, and have no physical defects.

Drinking water

One thing to watch closely when starting a kampung chicken farm is the drinking water. Check regularly that there is enough water and that it is in good condition. In the rainy season, check the water in the coop often, because water quality tends to drop when the rains arrive.

If the water in the coop mixes with rainwater, bacteria and germs can get into the chickens' bodies. So make sure the water you provide is clean, colorless and odorless.

Chicken feed

The next thing to watch is feeding. Feed absorbs moisture easily, which can encourage mold and other microorganisms to grow. Check that the feed is still in good condition. Feed that has gone bad smells rancid, changes color and becomes infested with parasites.

Watch out for disease

Although kampung chickens have stronger immune systems than other breeds, you still need to watch out for the many diseases that can strike them, such as influenza, diarrhea and others.

In the dry season, diseases can spread through the air, while in the rainy season they can spread through drinking water. To prevent this, give your chickens vitamins to keep their immunity steady.