Dong Tao people get rich thanks to unique and strange chicken breeds

Raising Dong Tao chickens not only brings in a good income but is also a way to preserve a rare breed of chicken in Vietnam.

Dong Tao chicken has long been known as a rare breed of chicken used for festivals or as a tribute to the King. However, only in recent years, when it has become more and more known to the people, has this breed of chicken begun to be widely consumed in the market, bringing high income to local people.

As Tet approaches, chicken farms in Dong Tao commune, Khoai Chau district, Hung Yen province are busier than ever with visitors from both inside and outside the province coming to visit and buy goods. On this occasion, the most beautiful roosters are bought as gifts. Many customers are willing to spend millions, even tens of millions, to buy beautiful roosters in the mating period with big, strong, rough legs.

Mr. Pham Quoc Lap (Yen My district, Hung Yen province) said that every year he goes to Dong Tao to buy some beautiful chickens as Tet gifts. Choosing a unique and rare gift, for many customers, price is no longer too important.

“I chose Dong Tao chicken because it is a special breed, very suitable for Tet. This breed of chicken is bigger and tastier than other breeds… I don’t care about the price, expensive or cheap as long as it is delicious and makes a good gift” - Mr. Pham Quoc Lap.

Mr. Luu Chi Sau - owner of a chicken farm said, while other types of meat chickens often fluctuate or lose price, Dong Tao meat chickens remain stable at 300,000-400,000 VND/kg. Dong Tao chickens are expensive because in addition to their beautiful appearance and delicious meat, partly because the natural birth rate of this chicken breed is low, on average every 2 to 3 months a hen lays about 9 to 10 eggs and the hatching rate is only 40 to 50%. Therefore, eggs and chicks are also sold at very high prices. Currently, a Dong Tao chicken egg costs 50,000 VND, a newly hatched chick costs 100,000 VND, and chickens from 20 days to 1 month old are also sold for 250-300,000 VND/chicken.

Mr. Le Ke Ket and the rooster worth 5 million VND

Mr. Sau revealed that there was a time when a Dong Tao chicken egg was sold for up to 200,000 VND but there were not enough to sell.

Mr. Le Ket, who has been involved with Dong Tao chickens for more than 30 years, said that his chicken farm is currently raising nearly 100 breeding chickens. After many ups and downs in the profession, every year, especially during Tet, his family earns hundreds of millions of dong from raising Dong Tao chickens: “In the past, we did not make a profit because people did not buy chicks and raised them as a hobby. Now, we raise them to make a profit. This type of chicken has been popular for the past 5 years. Last year, I sold 1 chicken for 7 million, 5 chickens for 27 million. Thanks to this type of chicken, the family's economy is quite good.”

Newly hatched chicks cost 100,000 VND/chick

Raising Dong Tao chickens brings high economic efficiency, so more and more households in the commune and neighboring areas are expanding their scale.

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Chien, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Dong Tao Commune, Khoai Chau District, nearly 100% of households in the commune raise Dong Tao chickens, of which 60-70% raise them for business purposes and over 200 households are raising a large number of several hundred chickens.

In recent years, when Dong Tao chicken has become famous in the market and has value, many households have become well-off with incomes of up to 300 million/year, and medium-sized farming households also have an average income of 5-7 million/month.

Mr. Chien said that in order to continue to maintain the "collective brand of Dong Tao chicken", the locality has just established the "Dong Tao Chicken Breeding Association" to maintain and preserve the value of this precious chicken breed. "Currently, neighboring communes, even outside the province, also raise Dong Tao chickens, but the locality still maintains the tradition and preserves the genetic breed. Recently, the commune has successfully built the "collective brand of Dong Tao chicken". We are directing the "Dong Tao Chicken Breeding Association" to maintain and preserve the true value of the chicken, maintaining the collective brand of Dong Tao chicken" - Mr. Chien said.

Unlike temporary trends, the Dong Tao chicken breed has a long history and is increasingly asserting its brand in the market. Expanding Dong Tao chicken farming not only brings a good income to many people but is also a way to preserve Vietnam's rare chicken breed./.

According to vov