Mr. Suresh Chandra Nautiyal is a resident of the hilly terrains of Matli, a beautiful place in Dunda block of District Uttarkashi in Uttarakhand State.
In the year 2021-22, Mr. Nautiyal was selected as a backyard poultry farmer under the scheme “National Livestock Mission- Mother Poultry Unit”. He was provided with ninety-month-old kuroiler chicks (MOCs) in 2 batches of 45 MOCs each few months apart through the Mother Poultry Unit, which was also established by Animal Husbandry Department, Uttarkashi under the scheme.
Before the distribution of month old kuroiler chicks to Mr. Nautiyal through Mother Poultry Unit, a training was imparted to him regarding ‘poultry farming in hilly areas’ so that the hardships which are encountered initially could be mitigated by the poultry farmer on his own and also the training provides an insight into the nitty- gritty of poultry rearing.
As per Mr. Nautiyal, initially few chick mortalities took place due to inclement weather. The adult male kuroiler and female kuroiler birds reached a weight of about 2.5- 3 Kgs and 1.5-2.5 Kgs respectively.
He fed the kuroilers homemade feed and also allowed them to feed in open ground where they could pick up and eat grasses and insects. Feeding in open cuts the extra expenses incurred on the poultry feed and also provides a source of physical and recreational activities for the backyard poultry.
The male kuroiler birds were sold for meat purpose @ Rs 1000/ bird and the spent female kuroiler fetched him Rs 500-600/ bird. The female kuroilers produced around 25 eggs/day and were sold @ Rs 15/egg. Mr. Suresh Nautiyal found a market for his eggs and meat in the adjoining villages and did not have to worry much about finding the market for his products.
Mr. Nautiyal made a net profit of Rs @ 20000 by rearing 90 kuroiler birds. Poultry farming definitely has potential in bringing monetary profits to the natives of Uttarkashi.
After receiving 90-month-old kuroiler birds from ‘Mother Poultry Unit’ established by IPDP, Gyansu (Animal Husbandry Department, Uttarkashi) and rearing them on his own, Mr. Nautiyal gained experience in poultry farming which could help him extend his farm and adopt poultry farming as his main occupation in future.
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