The chicken poultry project started on Friday, 23^rd March 2012. In our quest to operate the poultry, we came face to face with many challenges; from the availability of chicks in the poultry up to the feed.

It has been a rocky and assiduous road to travel. Notwithstanding, we were able to get 95 chicks in the poultry house. When we got the chicks, one died upon arrival. The feed situation became a problem for the period of weeks. During this search of the original feed we had to rally on grind wheat and dry bony fish. In order to make the feed fit, we had to beat the fish in the mortar so that it became a complete dust then we mixed the wheat and the fish dust together and feed the chicks.

For the water, we had to mix the water with a tetracycline. Since there were no drinkers, we rally on a wide iron pan, this pan is still being use for water. However, to improve the condition of the poultry house, we are in the vanguard to create more drinkers. We want the chickens to have fresh water constantly as the use of the wide iron pan cannot provide fresh water.

In April, we finally got the chance to order the locally made feed for the chicks. An agent of BRAC Liberia; Samuel came to visit the project, during his visit, I was able to negotiate with him for the feed. We than put in for 10 bags of feed at the cost of 35 united states dollars per bag. He promised to deliver the feed on time. Unfortunately, the promised date did not materialize as the supplier never got to Monrovia in time. However, on April 16, I received a call from him. He told me that our feed was available. I immediately took off and met him for the delivery. On this very day, I also came with antibiotic and vita flash for the chicks to improve their health and to fight against diseases.

The 95 chicks were sold on retail basis. We paid 10 United States Dollars for a pair of chick. The chicks were four weeks old upon arrival. From the date of arrival up to present, we have lost 6 of our chicks to death. In the midst of the six chicks that died, three died directly from Chicken related diseases. While the other three died accidentally: two died from drowning in the water bucket we had in the poultry, while the other one died accidentally when a plank door fell on it. The plank door was used around the little colombo rectangle space we made to keep them. We have now gotten rid of all the things in the poultry. As of now, we have 89 chickens that are healthy; the poultry project is great; but very difficult to deal with.

We were also opportune on one Sunday, when one of our German UNMIL friends, introduced us to a lady named Dorcas. She gave us a lot of advices on the day to day activities of poultry managements. She offered to give us some level of training. The training will basically be on how to care for the chicks and production of the chicks feeds. She also told us to feed the chicks with moringa leaves, she advice that we should put a cement floor on the outdoor enclosure. She also said that we should use 1”x8”x14’ planks to better stretch the wire around the outdoor enclosure. She said, instead of having the place with dust; it should be cemented and litter be placed on the floor. Fortunately for us, the 89 chickens are fine and that we can hope a better future for our poultry. The chickens are fast growing as I speak at the current moment.