Man rears Kali Masi chicken breed in Pulwama

PULWAMA — A man from south Kashmir’s Pulwama district has started a unique poultry farm where he is rearing and selling the world’s most expensive chicken.

Aadil Abbas Mir (aged 34 years) son of Mohammad Abbas Mir, a resident of New Colony Arihal in Pulwama district of south Kashmir, started this farm two years ago and six youth of the locality are working on his farm presently.

Asif Ahmad Badroo, who is among those employed on the farm, said that he was dealing with poultry for the last several years but along with that, he was rearing some desi-chicken as well.

“With the passage of time, there has been a huge demand for desi chicken that attracted us to start a full-fledged farm,” he said. “I had land along National Highway-444. I started this farm on this land and people from different areas are now coming here to purchase desi chicken.”

He said that they bring small as well as big chicks too. “Some people are purchasing chicks for rearing them at home. However, usually, it takes around six months for a chick to become a hen and after that hen gives eggs,” Aasif said. “The egg laying bird is being sold for Rs 1200 per piece and the same bird gives eggs for around three years.”

Aasif said he, along with workers, is raising the world’s most expensive chicken breed, ‘Kadaknath’ or Kali Masi besides other breeds. “Presently, six youths are working here and we all are earning our livelihood easily without any government support,” he said.

He said that people who are taking care of themselves prefer to eat these desi birds as they are rich in proteins and fat-free. “These birds grow up on grass mostly while the boilers are full of fats as they are being raised in just one month,” he said.

“We are selling each egg at Rs 12 per piece. Same eggs are being sold at Rs 25 in departmental stores as their size is big as compared to local eggs,” he added.

He said that unemployed youth should not focus on only government jobs, rather they must start their own units in any sector and they can earn for themselves as well and provide jobs to others.