COUPLE INVESTED IN AN URBAN CHICKEN FARM TO FOSTER FOOD SECURITY AND SUSTAINABILITY

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT URBAN FARMING what usually comes to mind is growing vegetables, fruits, and all sorts of edible plants which could be used for personal consumption. A couple decided to take a different approach and invested in chickens instead.

- PATRICIA BIANCA S. TACULAO

Christopher and Hapi Domingo are household-based urban chicken farmers who manage Hapi Chickens Urban Farm in Dagupan.

“We have a small flock of chickens as we venture in a self-sustainable chicken meat and egg production initially for our household consumption. Our coop covers about 40 square meters of our yard,” Christopher said.

They began raising chickens back in February 2019 with just seven heads of month-old chicks. Prior to that, the couple already had a strong inclination to growing their own food as they have been growing seasonal vegetables such as okra, tomatoes, ampalaya, and eggplant in front of their house for the past few years.

Presently, the couple is also growing a few fruit-bearing trees such as atis, papaya, langka, chico, and mulberry along with several oyster mushroom fruiting bags, and a few vegetables-all for their own consumption.

The couple's son helping in their chicken raising venture. (Inset) Hapi Domingo posing with a chicken. They keep a separate flock for their personal meat consumption.

“When our chickens started laying, we found out that raising chickens is more productive than our aquaponics. When we expanded our chicken coop, we decided that our aquaponics setup had to go,” Christopher said.