CUDDALORE: Chicken is one of the first birds mankind domesticated. For hundreds of years, these flightless birds provided us with the much-needed nutrition. Today, however, many us think twice before buying chicken. Thanks to problems like cholesterol, chicken is faring poorly in the list of our favourite foods. But there is hope!
Enter black chicken (Kadaknath), the meat of which is free from cholesterol. Popular in Kashmir and parts of Madhya Pradesh, this poultry variety is available in Cuddalore and is being reared in farms here. Interestingly, even customers from Kerala’s Thalassery, a place know for its mouth-watering biriyani, are sourcing chicken from rearers here.
R Kathamuthu (50), an experienced poultry farmer hailing from a small village called Vandipalayam on the outskirts of Cuddalore town, is rearing these unique variety in his 10,000 square feet farm for the past five years. Selling the birds at `1,000 apiece, Kathamuthu earns a good profit for his efforts.
However, farming this variety is no child’s play. The 50-year-old looks after the birds with great caution in the three coops built exclusively for them. The cool, shady farm located close to Kodangi lake, provides a nurturing environment for the developing birds.
“I have been involved in the profession of rearing chicken for the past 15 years. They were mostly native breeds. After undergoing a training programme at the Central Poultry Development Organisation (north region), Chandigarh, five years ago, I decided to rear this variety, which has a of benefits.”