It began as a hobby, with a single deshi (native) chick. When that hen produced more birds, she built a small farm. Success came after she watched a YouTube video of a woman entrepreneur rearing native chickens. Through determination and hard work she gradually built a large deshi chicken farm, which now earns Putul at least a lakh taka a month. With money from selling chickens she has built the house she dreamed of. Her husband and parents-in-law share in her success and have always supported her.

Putul Akter is the wife of Monir Hossain Chowdhury, an expatriate in Malaysia, of Baliakandi in Binodpur union of Shariatpur Sadar upazila. Four years ago she bought a deshi chick from her mother's home as a hobby. When it grew up and began laying, she hatched chicks from its eggs. When foxes began taking the chicks, her father-in-law Moral Chowdhury built a small house for rearing them.

One day a YouTube video came up in which an honours student had become self-reliant by rearing native chickens. It set Putul thinking, and she resolved to build a native chicken farm too. Seeing her determination and courage, her husband Monir Hossain Chowdhury encouraged her and built a large farm to fulfil his wife's wish.

She never looked back. Some chicks died along the way, but after taking advice from a man she carried on with full energy. Her farm now has at least 1,000 chickens. By selling chicks, eggs and grown birds, she earns at least a lakh taka a month, with which she is also helping her husband build an attractive house.

Putul Akter said her farm has 350 parent hens, with one cock for every nine hens. She collects an average of 160 eggs a day. Each week 400 eggs are set for hatching, and the rest are sold for eating and as hatching eggs. The farm has two modern automatic machines for hatching, with which she hatches 350 chicks a week and sells them in her own and neighbouring districts. Day-old chicks sell for Tk 60 and 21-day-old chicks for Tk 100. Eggs sell for Tk 80 a hali (four).

Following her example, many have shown interest in rearing deshi chickens and some have started on a small scale. Her family and neighbours are pleased she has become self-reliant through such hard work. "I always wanted to be self-reliant. Starting small, I have become the owner of a big farm. From the start my husband stood by me and inspired me. My parents-in-law all look after the farm. I believe every woman can become self-reliant if she wants to," Putul Akter said.

Her father-in-law Moral Chowdhury said: "When my daughter-in-law wanted to start a farm, we did not say no. She has slowly grown the farm and become self-reliant. We always look after the farm too. We want to make it even bigger."

Neighbour Taslima Akter said: "Following Putul apa, I have also started a deshi chicken farm, and it has many birds. I want to expand it. If the livestock office gave some incentive, it would be better for me."

District Livestock Officer Dr Abu Bakar Siddique said: "Starting with one chicken, Putul Akter now owns a large farm. She earns a lakh taka a month selling eggs, chicks and grown birds, and has built a house with that money. We are always beside her. The Department of Livestock Services will also give training and support to others who want to start farms like Putul Akter."

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.