Transforming women’s lives with improved native poultry rearing
CIMMYT & RDRS Bangladesh
Jesmin Khatun leads a 20 members group in her village that adopted improved native poultry rearing techniques. Once an ordinary neighbor raising chickens, Jesmin became a leader within a year, thanks to support from Rupantar. Jesmin, a mother to a school-going teenage daughter, married Nazrul Islam in 1999. She began raising native chickens as a hobby with just a few birds, mainly for household egg consumption. However, high mortality rates prevented her from growing the flock. She lacked knowledge on disease prevention, especially during winter, when survival of the birds especially chicks was nearly impossible. The family's main income comes from agriculture. With only 10 decimals of land, they grow Amon rice followed by maize or tobacco and Boro rice. Maize and tobacco serve as cash crops, while rice is mainly for household use. Occasionally, they sell any surplus. Jesmin also co-owned a cow through a profit-sharing arrangement with a neighbor. But an injury made it unlikely the cow would produce a healthy calf. After treatment, they had to sell it at half its market value far below the cost of care. She also raises goats for additional income. In summer, her husband sells seasonal fruits like mangoes, jackfruits, and betel nuts. Often, Jesmin struggled to buy groceries or cover her daughter’s education due to a lack of steady income. The family had ongoing expenses but no monthly cash flow. The training in improved poultry techniques came as a blessing. Within months of completing it, Jesmin built a flock of 57 chickens and now earns a regular income every two months from sales.
Knowledge & skill development
The three-day training on native poultry rearing and improved management techniques was a turning point for Jesmin. She learned the importance of vaccination in reducing chicken mortality. Both she and her husband learned how to vaccinate and now assist not only their own flock but also help neighbors and group members. She also gained knowledge about daily care and proper nutrition, which she had never considered before. With project support and some personal investment, she built a cage to keep the chickens safe and warm.“My neighbors struggle to keep chickens alive in winter. When disease breaks out, the whole flock often dies. I believe these cages have kept mine healthy,” she said. Jesmin used to feed her chickens cereals and vegetables without knowing their nutritional value. Now, she understands the need for a balanced diet and maintains hygiene by serving food on clean surfaces. She also started using commercial chicken feed, which she finds costly but manages by mixing it with farm-grown maize, rice, and vegetables from her homestead garden.
Economic empowerment
Jesmin Khatun’s main goal is to sell chickens regularly to maintain a steady income. She sells them every 2 to 3 months, so she hatches new chicks each month. Eggs are reserved for hatching rather than home consumption. At three months old, the chickens are ready for sale. She sells from her doorstep to a paikar (wholesaler), with prices ranging from Tk 250 to Tk 300 depending on size and growth. Neighbors also buy chickens from her for rearing. Jesmin keeps detailed records, noting expenses, sale dates, and prices in her bookkeeping. “Right now, market prices are a bit low. People buy my chickens to rear, as they start laying eggs at three months and weigh around 600–700 grams. In the meat market, whole chickens sell for Tk 600 per kg. If I had access, I could sell there too,” she said. The income from chicken sales mainly supports household expenses. Jesmin now covers groceries, her daughter’s education, and her own medical needs. She also contributes to agricultural purchases. In emergencies, she can always sell a chicken, which gives her a sense of security and confidence. Her awareness of market trends, decision-making on sales, and how she manages her earnings show her growing financial independence through poultry rearing.
Improved social relationship & new linkage established
After the training, Jesmin Khatun and her husband learned how to vaccinate chickens from a Department of Livestock Services (DLS) officer. They built a direct connection with the officer, allowing them to seek advice over the phone whenever needed for chickens and other livestock. Vaccines and medicines at local shops often cost two to three times more than at government stores. For example, an ampule of vaccine costs BDT 25 at a government store but BDT 50 at local shops. Since the government store is located at the upazila center, far from their home, her husband buys vaccines in bulk and stores them in a neighbor’s fridge. Most of her group members now rely on Jesmin and her husband for vaccination support. A single ampule can vaccinate 100 chickens, so when they open one, they check if neighbors also need it. Recently, her husband began buying vaccines and medicines for neighbors as well. Jesmin and her husband are the first point of contact for medical needs in the area. Beyond her personal success, Jesmin is now seen as a role model in her community. As the group leader, she raises awareness and encourages others to adopt improved practices. With their support, all members of her group now vaccinate their chickens.
Trade-offs & Synergies
Jesmin Khatun shared several trade-offs and synergies from her experience in poultry rearing. One trade-off is the increased workload of keeping the house clean due to the large flock, but this is balanced by the benefit of chicken manure, which serves as a valuable fertilizer for her homestead garden. Another challenge is the constant need to monitor the chickens to protect them from predators, which limits her ability to attend social events or visit other households and adds extra stress. However, a major benefit is the increased consumption of protein from home-reared chickens without the need to buy from the market. Additionally, unrestrained chickens can damage the homestead garden and make it necessary to fence off the tobacco field to prevent crop loss. On the positive side, Jesmin meets much of her chickens’ feed needs through her own rice and maize production, as well as vegetables from the garden. Leftover household food and even cornstalks bought for goats are now repurposed as chicken feed, reducing waste and saving costs.
Challenges & Way forward
The biggest challenge Jesmin Khatun faces in poultry rearing is predator attacks, mainly from dogs, cats, mongooses, and foxes. Fox attacks are common during maize season when the plants grow tall, but mongooses cause the most frequent losses. Constant monitoring is necessary, as caging chickens all the time can hinder their growth. The investment in rearing chickens is relatively high compared to the returns. Jesmin does not factor in the cost of home-grown rice used as feed, but purchasing commercial feed is not profitable. Feed costs BDT 80 per kg, and her flock requires about 750 grams daily. Even after feeding, the chickens continue demanding food, often leading her to supplement with rice. Despite these challenges, Jesmin remains determined to find solutions. She plans to expand her flock and build another cage. Inspired by her success, she and her husband now aspire to start a cattle farm and make livestock their primary livelihood. Jesmin believes that the personal, economic, and social benefits she has gained far outweigh the obstacles. What began as a hobby has become a source of pride and a sustainable livelihood.