I can remember very vaguely my father’s pig farm. I remembered there was a pigsty about 100 feet south of my house. Behind the sty was a pond dug to collect the pig waste, which in turn was use as fertilizer for vegetable farming. I also remembered a man, one-eye jack who use to walk his boar over the village to provide mating service for pig farmers. He was a short dark man who wore no shirt. I was too young to understand what was going on.
Apparently was father was not too lucky with pig farming. A swine fever wiped off his stock and he owed the shop keeper some money for the fodders which was taken on credit. Those days, creditability was based on trust. When you sell the pigs, you make the payment. The shop keeper gave him time to repay his debts. Of course, father repaid all his debts eventually. The same shop keeper also provided groceries services. His delivery man will bring all our ordered supplies on the back of his bicycles. I always remembered him surrounded by my dogs when he arrived.
Chicken Farming
My father and mother were very involved in chicken and pig farming. The chicken coup and pigsties dotted around my house. My father was especially interested in farming chicken on a commercial scale. In the village, I think he was the first to consider automated drinking water system for chicken farming. He also invested in the best breed of chicken for egg production. I remember he had to go to Paya Lebar airport to collect the young imported chicks.
Main Chicken Coup
Selling Chicken Eggs
As the chicken population grew, so do the egg quantity. My mum had to carry the eggs to the market very early in the morning. It’s about 20 minutes walk. She hawked her eggs along the main road outside the Chong Pang wet market. Eventually she gained regular clients. One was an Indian shop keeper who would order regularly from her. Eventually, my elder brother Bobby became her delivery man. He would deliver the eggs in a basket made of wire mesh by bicycle to Teo Lee Road, about 10 min cycling time from home. Being playful, he always detoured for adventures. Even on his way back from school, he would also indulge in his adventures. Many times, he was severely punished by father. It got to do with his passion for fish and birds. He was also to deliver eggs to his primary school teachers. One of these teachers becomes his ‘adopted sister’. Relationship grew but has since mellowed due to lack of contact.
Helping out
The role for me and my younger sister was to collect eggs, feed the chicken everyday around 4pm. In addition we were to collect and wash the water containers and replenish them with clean water for the chicken.
My Uncle's boneshaker van
My uncle, my mother second brother too got involved in this trade. He collected eggs from us and through father’s connection, collected from other Hainanese eggs farmers and became an egg supplier. He had an old van and that was the first time I experienced sitting and enjoying the car ride while following him to egg farms during my school holidays. I remembered the ride was really bumpy and really hot in the car. Nevertheless, it was thrilling then. That was probably just before primary school.
Chicken business didn't succeed
My father chicken business never really took off. With depressing egg price, and high cost of chicken feeds, he decided to wind down this business. The cages in the chicken coup slowly empty and that was the end of egg farming.
My mother continued to breed chicken till our house was acquired by the government in 1987. The chicken were breed specially for Chinese New Year. The colourful cockerels weighed up to 5 kg each, the hen weighed up to 3 kg. The meat was fleshy and tasty. Normally relatives and friends had to order in advance.
My father tried very hard in all these business ventures, but he simply cannot escape failures. Perhaps he never viewed it that way. Maybe it’s just another unsuccessful attempt. Life goes on for him.
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