Ha Lau commune raises Tien Yen chickens, a local specialty – about 100,000 chickens per year.
Tien Yen chickens, also known as hill chickens or bearded chickens, are a domestic breed that grazes freely in the garden or under the forest canopy. That’s why its meat has a distinctive flavor.
Tran Van Hoan, a Tay ethnic resident of Ha Lau commune, recalled that in 2014 he began to raise 1,000 chickens. Now his family sells about 5,000 chickens a year.
Having earned high profits, Hoan shared his experience with other villagers, hoping to make the Tien Yen chicken brand famous and tap the export market.
Hoan has shared with others his husbandry techniques and tips on preventing chicken diseases and raising capital. Many, following Hoan's model, have escaped poverty and become rich.
Hoan recalled when he started his business, his family were struggling financially.
“Now I have built a house and bought a car. Raising Tien Yen chickens gives us an annual profit of 6,000 to 8,000 USD,” said Hoan.
In 2014, 70% of the households in Ha Lau commune were poor or near-poor. Since people got involved in chicken farming, the poverty rate has dropped to 14.5%. Ha Lau has changed. There are now more high-rise buildings and paved roads.
Tang Hinh Vinh, a Dao ethnic resident, has set up a farm that raises 5,000 chickens a year, since 2016. This has improved his living conditions and allow him to afford his children's school fees.
Tien Yen chickens should be fed bran for the first 2 months and then switched to a diet of corn and rice. Hens are sold after 6 months and roosters after 8 months.
Ha Lau villagers never worry about finding customers because buyers come right to them, Vinh says, adding that it only takes a week or two to sell the whole flock.
“I sell both retail and wholesale. Tien Yen chicken is an established brand name, so we don’t have to worry about selling them. Even households newly engaged in the business can sell lots of chickens,” said Vinh.
At first there were only a few households raising chickens on a small scale. Now Ha Lau commune is famous for raising Tien Yen chickens. Commune authorities have connected farmers with businesses and banks to give them a stable source of capital. Chicken raisers are also given support on veterinary and quarantine issues.
Nguyen Thanh Tung, acting Chairman of Ha Lau commune, said the local government supports farmers in production, farm management, and sales with the goal of expanding the scale of Tien Yen chickens.
“The Ha Lau commune People's Committee has promulgated resolutions and plans of action to villages and households, and coordinated with social organizations to persuade people to participate in the model,” said Tung.
80 farmer households are now running chicken farms. Each household raises 500 to 5,000 chickens per year. The commune sells Tien Yen chickens to wholesale markets in Quang Ninh province and Lang Son city.