Poultry Project Report from St. Albert’s

Here is the 13 August 2019 report sent to BHA from Dr. Julia Musariri, medical superintendent at St. Albert’s Mission Hospital, updating us on the hospital’s poultry project.

Photo of St. Albert's chicken run during its construction and before the roof was added.

I hope to find you well.

We are sincerely grateful for having helped us to have this project. We have strenuously worked to put up the shelter for our layers. (Photo right: Chicken run under construction at St. Albert’s Mission Hospital.)

The completed chicken run.

The shelter was completed and the farmer has delivered the 1000 healthy near layers. They have settled in well. On the second day after arrival, eight of them laid their first eggs, and on the third day 12 of them laid their first egg. We are happy and the farmer is happy too.

Chicken run with birds and nesting boxes.

We were able to make 16 boxes, each with 6 nests. There are fifty automatic drinking “cups.” The chickens seem happy with a lot of space. The hay is good. Before the chickens arrived, the environment was disinfected with chemicals against bacteria and viruses over and over three times. We are going to put a bio-security fence so that curious people can be far enough from the hens and only those who tend them can access them after passing through a foot bath with a disinfectant.

We have also taken a man to be on duty at night to check for unwanted intruders who might spoil the cake in one way or another.

Electrification was done. They have hours of feed and hours off feed. Regulation of this is not difficult since electricity comes for a short period at night. They should not be too fat because it limits their production.

We have put a temporary source of water until we can put up a 5000L tank.

The two workers currently taking care of them are very keen and happy, a happiness that is shared by the hens because they are constantly cackling merrily.

I will update you on progress.

Dr Julia Musariri
Medical Superintendant
St Albert’s Mission Hospital