Despite falling pork prices, free-range chicken farming remains highly profitable.

(Baonghean.vn) - While many pig farmers are struggling due to low pork prices, many families raising free-range chickens in Anh Son are still making a profit of 30-35 thousand VND per chicken.

The family of Mr. Nguyen Van Tuan in Cam Thang village is one of the large-scale chicken farming households in Cam Son commune, Anh Son district. Visiting Mr. Tuan's chicken farm at this time, almost all the chickens in the coop have been sold, with only a few hundred remaining.

Using free-range chicken farming methods, Mr. Nguyen Van Tuan from Cam Thang village, Cam Son commune, earns a profit of 30-35 thousand VND per chicken after deducting expenses. Photo: Huyen Trang

Mr. Tuan said: Although pork prices have dropped, chicken prices remain stable, especially free-range chicken, which is still being purchased at high prices. According to Mr. Tuan, raising free-range chickens takes longer than raising industrial chickens because they grow slower, taking about 4 months to be ready for market, while industrial chickens only need 3 months. The main feed consists of rice, corn, and brewers' grains. Because the chickens are free-range, their meat is firm and delicious. They are only sold when they reach a weight of 1.7-2 kg each. He sold over 1,000 chickens in this batch, and traders bought them directly from him at a price of 85-90 thousand VND/kg. After deducting all expenses, he earned a profit of 30-35 thousand VND per chicken.

Free-range chickens produce firm, flavorful meat. Photo: Huyen Trang

In Thach Son commune, the Bui Quang Huynh family in Hamlet 1 consistently maintains a flock of over 4,000 chickens annually, including both broiler and egg-laying chickens. For Mr. Huynh, ensuring a stable market for broiler chickens requires raising them in a bio-secure manner, guaranteeing the quality and flavor of the meat. Therefore, in addition to the main feed of rice, corn, and mixed feed, the chickens are allowed to roam freely in the garden to forage for other food sources such as insects.

However, this method of raising chickens also requires strict adherence to breed selection and care throughout each stage of growth and development. In addition, cleaning the coops must be done regularly, once a week. Thanks to proper care, techniques, and adherence to hygiene, coop treatment, and disease prevention, Mr. Huynh's chickens grow quickly and rarely get sick. Besides that, Mr. Huynh has also invested in an incubator to ensure a steady supply of chicks and to sell them. Raising and selling broiler chickens and chicks brings Mr. Huynh an income of over 300 million VND per year.

Currently, hundreds of households in Anh Son district are raising free-range chickens. Photo: Huyen Trang

Recognizing that raising clean chickens is a highly profitable economic direction, hundreds of households in Anh Son district are now raising free-range chickens on a medium to large scale. The main breeds raised are native chickens, crossbred chickens, and fighting chickens, all known for their delicious meat and popularity in the market. The current stable chicken prices are creating favorable conditions for farmers to confidently continue raising and maintaining their flocks. However, the local authorities also advise farmers to carefully consider market demand and avoid drastically increasing their flocks to prevent price drops similar to those experienced with pig farming recently.

Huyen Trang