On 11/23/2018 at 11:00 AM, one baht said:

Good morning , Speedo 1968,

We paid 36baht each for the ducklings, and after a bit of research we realise now we can do a lot better ,

 

Hidden costs and traps were exposed 

such as fuel for transport 3500 thb ,and being told sorry cant pick up today,   so we had to keep them on hold, that lasted 2 weeks ! added food cost of 3 to 4000 thb, and toilet waste while the birds were being transported to Nong Khai , 40kgs ?of waste we were told for 300 birds, and were told not to feed them from midday on the day he picked them up, which wasn't until 8.30pm ,  they only had water,  so i can safely say the birds had had no food for at least 9hrs when they left our place.

 

Now, we were blind to the re-weighing of the birds in Nong Khai, and l have explained to Duang next time l must be told everything  as i have to understand what we are getting into ,  The fuel cost was also deducted at 3 thb per kilo of duck ,thb 2700 on top of the transport 3500thb so total fuel cost us

thb 6,200, our birds averaged appr 3kgs  ,( he was also taking 150 birds from another small farm near us)   I was under the impression the fellow transporting the birds was buying them, because he had negotiated the price with Duang , but that wasn't to be the case , and we didn't want to risk having to wait another 2 weeks , never mind  my own fault for going ahead with something i didn't fully understand .

 

 We didn't feed them pellets Duang bought 25kg bags of, what i call pollard , and and bags of a medium bran mixture , and bags of a courser bran that looked to me like it contained a lot of rice husk ,these are the 3 we mixed together along with cracked rice , we have some napier grass that they liked to attack ,and they liked banana trees that l split in half down the middle,

 

lt's was a good game , we will win the next one !

Hi one baht, many thanks for the info.

If I understand you were 'contract' growing, or was it that you had bought day olds elsewhere but could not find a market for them ?

Contract farming can often be a main contractor who then sub contracts to as many farms as they can irrespective of the size.    Even sub sub contracting etc. is common.

Don't really understand what 'toilet waste' is, I guess you mean weight loss of total birds between farm and factory, on the figures you gave its 133gms per duck.    Weight loss can be high in the dry season such as we are in now.    Some factories have a water spray system whilst ducks are awaiting slaughter.

Previously you gave an average weight of 3 - 4kg ( farm weight ) but now say average weight was 3kg, it is unlikely that you would have lost another 300gms on top of the 'toilet waste' during transport.

For feeding you must really look closely at the costs.    Pollard feed is only meant as a supplement and should not make up more than 10% of total feed, the balance should be high grade pelleted feed.   It is often used in backyard farming but not on a commercial basis.     I have not heard or seen it being used as any part of a commercial flocks diet.    Ducks shovel feed, not very well, other than in water.    The shape of the beak allows a lot of spillage and therefore wastage.   They do not like wet feed / mash as it sticks in the beak, to clean this they must visit the watering points more often and again there is high feed wastage as well as energy costs in its ( the ducks ) extra movement.   Both wet and dry mash can block the nostrils and affect the eyes.     Ducks do do well or crumbles when young and pellets as they grow, the size of which is normally larger than that for chicken.    In Australia there is at least one feed company that sells a 'complete' growers mash for ducks made specifically for commercial ducks.

I would strongly suggest that you move over to a commercially produced feed and look at the whole feed issue ( types of feed, feed systems, drinking systems, feeding times etc. ) to both improve grow out and considerably reduce labour requirements: and "No" I am not talking about high tech systems.

Yes, the duckling price seems rather high, it would certainly pay to shop around.

In general profit margins for the grower are not high, the advantage is that it can sometimes offer a regular income.    That said, contractors and the end user can be very fickle, they can suddenly say that they will not provide dayolds or buy from you.    One company here had over 3,500 contract growers, they suddenly decided to stop dealing with most of them.   This is often the fault of the contractor being greedy rather than the grower not producing a good bird.

You may find more helpful and relevant information from other growers if you posted in the Farming Forum.  People there should be able to give you the lowdown on the disease situation / vaccinations.  On this point I would mention that govt. vets seldom if ever like to acknowledge the incidence of certain duck / poultry diseases. 

I did make a post to send to you giving more general advice on one of your previous posts but perhaps you would prefer me to try and answer / advise on more specific things ?

Would appreciate it if you have time to answer some of my earlier questions regarding feeding equipment, farm layout, housing so that I can home in on areas where you should be able to make savings.   

Hello again one baht

Sorry to be a pain with questions.

You mentioned that you have been told the ducks you had were Muscovy not Pekin, could you please send a photo ?    There are a number of variations on the Muscovy including crosses with Pekin, including so called 'mule' ducks.

On 21 November you mentioned that you 'mixed feed', do you mean that you feed mash or pelleted feed ?

When you sold the birds at 9 weeks the weight ranges were 3 - 4kg ( very acceptable ), if you have different weights for the males and females ( if you were able to recognize ) that would be great ?   It would help me understand  what you bought as day olds e.g. Muscovy, Mules, Muscovy / Pekin cross, male female mix or all females etc.

As you did so well with having lost only 5 birds it seems that your not making a profit is down to other things such as bird type or management.     The latter takes good observation skills which you have already shown.

Regarding vaccination programs, will reply in a few days.   Do you have a fixed date for buying more dayolds ?

Any such information would also help in understanding why you made a loss when you sold the birds.

Hello one baht

Thanks for your detailed and informative reply.

Will reply in the next couple of days.

Just to clarify my own experience within Thailand ( rest of Asia / Pacific ).   For 6 years I visited Thailand monthly or bi-monthly as a consultant / technical adviser, spent 10 years as a consultant with a major duck producer in Thailand.    Now retired it gives me pleasure in helping others in the farming industry if I can.

I have a number of comments regarding the information you gave and would greatly appreciate a few photos if possible to clarify some of the information you gave.    You can always message me if you do not wish to post here.

Photo of drinker being used during brooding, also if another drinker being used inside the house for older birds ( not the trough drinker ), tube feeder ( the one with a 'dome'' on top ), the brooding area ( bamboo structure in relation to rest of equipment at brooding time, is it an open shed, i.e.no side walls ( or with plastic curtain ), compound in relation to shed and grassed area ?

This information will help me be more specific in my replies.

Regards

Speedo1968

On 11/5/2018 at 11:25 AM, one baht said:

Thanks for the advice  Speedo 1968.

We appreciate your experienced input , we  have used  4 metre  , 150mm pvc pipes

with about a 70mm strip cut out to form the water troughs , they are very easy to keep clean,with one end cap glued and the other end just pushed on  and easily removed to drain and clean,  an artificial pond we made by placing a 4metre square canvas over some concrete posts that we had lying around to form the wall of the pond , the depth is about 250mm  during the day we leave the gates open to the grassed areas ,so they are free to come and go from their compound , we use rice hulls on the floor of the shed to keep it clean , and we change the pond water every 3 to 4 days . hopefully we are doing things satisfactorily . They keep us busy. l told Duang l need a break before the next lot, !

 

Intended to follow up on your reply, time flies !

On the point about drinkers.   If I am reading correct you are using a 115cm pipe with a 7cm cutout, is this correct ?    Excuse my maths if this is not correct.

The drinkers are inside the house, possibly on some form of 'drinker island' ( generally slightly below the main floor area for commercial birds ).   If the space to access the water is only 7cm wide how do you clean under the lip of the drinker ?     Also, for the older bird they would have to turn their heads sideways to reach the water.   It would be difficult for them to clear their beaks of feed, clear their nostrils and wash their eyes during their time inside the house.    For the younger bird, once off the mini-drinkers ( founts ) this is not a problem and, they are unlikely to drown however, if the smaller bird gets in to the drinker it may be difficult for them to get out.    Normally the pvc pipe is cut lengthwise and at cleaning time the pipe cleaned then simply tipped to get rid of the dirty water, twice a day.  It's good that you have a bathing area outside.

Rice shells are the best but can be an ammonia problem in the wet season.    There have been times when rice shells were not available or unable to dispose of.     Ensure they are kept dry and clean when in storage,    Ducks eat a lot and poo a lot too, very different to chicken.

Could I ask what kind of feeders you are using once the birds are off feed trays ?

Could I ask if you had any specific problems during brooding, can be a major problem time, more so than with chickens ?

If you have any questions you would like to ask please do not hesitate, it's good for my brain now that I have retired.

5 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

You can go at least 30 days before your extension of stay expires.

I regularly do it about 3 weeks in advance at Khon Kaen office.

 

This sounds unusual.

I never experienced such. Always walked out with the new stamp same day.

 

Many thanks KhunBENQ.

Have always had good experience at KK office, for 90 day normally in and out quickly, recognised by some of the staff and, the 'new approach' they now seem to have it can be 5 - 10 minutes if not busy.

Just the once with the address, no idea why, perhaps there was a 'blitz' on checking details.

Some very friendly staff there.

Always make copies ready for the next visa office visit as soon as I get the new stamp.

Have looked at previous postings but cannot find answer.

Already have "extension of stay based on retirement"  for some years.   My local office is Khon Kaen.

How many days before before expiry date can one apply for new visa ?    I know cannot do later.

I remember once I had to return again about a week later "after they have confirmed address".

17 hours ago, one baht said:

Thank you for your reply Toknarok ,

We are situated in Chaiyaphum , Thanks for bringing location to our attention .

We appreciate the suggestions you have put forward and will definitely look into 

those possibilities in the future,  We have in the last 2 days been able sell all the ducks,

Although we lost a small amount of money in the deal, I

t was our first attempt at duck farming

but we have learned , And Duang is sure we can make a profit next time ! ?

Thanks again for taking the time to reply .

 

 

 

 

Yes, some good advice from Toknarok.

As you will have probably learnt ducks are not chickens.

My work has been in farming since the 1960's in many countries, specialising with ducks and chickens since the 1980's; in Asia / Pacific and Thailand from 1990's.

Be careful during the Winter, it's vital for ducks to maintain good feather condition to keep warm as well as maintain good general health.    The water needs to be deep enough so that they can bathe easily and to allow for them to dip their heads under the water.   The eyes of ducks are the key area for their immune system.     Likewise ducks need to keep their nostrils clean so ensure feed quality is good ( beware of toxins and antibiotic residues which can be lethal .   If in a purpose built house ( with 300 I assume they are ) trough drinkers are best.  You will find that the area around drinkers is part of their communal activity.  Without saying the water needs to be CLEAN.   Maintain a good vaccination program.

Good luck with your next flock.

On 10/14/2018 at 9:00 AM, OneMoreFarang said:

And be aware that you can have WhatsApp only active on one device at a time.

 

Recently I bought a new smart phone and I installed WhatsApp. My idea was to be able to use it on the new and on the old phone. But that did not work. After I installed it on the new phone I wouldn't receive any messages on the old phone anymore. And there are no message telling me that would happen.

 

With other applications like LINE it is possible to have it on more than one device and send and receive messages on multiple devices - including PC.

 

For someone who want's to keep it simple Skype is probably a good idea. It comes preinstalled with all Windows 10 installations.

Thanks for the info OneMoreFarang.   I only use a cheap mobile phone as my laptop serves all other needs and, my need for 'social chats' is very limited.    I was hoping that I could use my laptop and my daughters their mobile phones.   Have asked them to install LINE to see if it works.

On 10/11/2018 at 11:27 AM, Snow Leopard said:

Speedo I would use Viber. You can download it directly for Widows. The person you are trying to reach in the UK can install it on their phone the same as WhatsApp. It works exactly the same way. I hope that helps. I think Viber also has better quality than WhatsApp. 

 

https://www.viber.com/download/

Thanks Snow Leopard for the suggestion.

At the moment I don't have a Smart phone and have no real use for one, my contacts being few and I travel little myself.

Will keep your suggestion about Viber in mind.

On 10/11/2018 at 11:14 AM, Fab5BKK said:

Hi Speedo,

 

WhatsApp is "mobile device" oriented, meaning you need a tablet, a smartphone to run WhatsApp.

 

Once done, you'll be able "to mirror" your WhatsApp activities on your desktop (through the WhatsApp Desktop app or the Web).

 

https://www.whatsapp.com/features/

 

Hope it'll help

 

WHATSAPP ON WEB AND DESKTOP

 

Keep the Conversation Going

With WhatsApp on the web and desktop, you can seamlessly sync all of your chats to your computer so that you can chat on whatever device is most convenient for you. Download the desktop app or visit web.whatsapp.com to get started.

 

Thanks Fab5BKK for your detailed reply.    Some useful info if I have to go for a Smart phone.

I understand from your comments that I would need to buy a Smart phone, something that I do not really want to do.    My fingers are very sensitive, meaning I touch lightly ( have worked with animals most of my life ), so my touch pressure is too light, when I try to press harder I press too hard.     I touch type on a laptop keyboard, if that makes any sense to you.

I only have only a few people to be to be in contact with since I retired a few years ago ( most of my life in different countries ) and really don't have a use for a Smart phone.

Have used similar apps to send reports before email was available, and email since it was first available. Skyped for some years but I understand that my daughters are "on the move" and need something small they can carry in their pocket.

Will keep your links and comments in mind.

I am an oldie and not techie so please keep it simple.

Trying to connect for chat and eventually video to UK.

I closed my FB account years ago over my own concerns about privacy, seems I did the right thing following the recent news.

So far no success with laptop to phone or vice versa, I understand some of the reasons.

Finally managed to down load What'sApp to my laptop ( I don't have / need Smart phone ).

I had turned off App ( ticking to be notified if message is sent ) then received a text from UK and a notification on screen.

Cannot find where the message has been saved, if at all,

Cannot even find where I can send a message from.

Sometime ago I did receive a message and did reply, now no.

Any clues what I am doing wrong ?

Should I uninstall App, it took ages before to install and seemed to me to be complicated as i use BlueStacks ?

Ants especially the very small ones in fields etc can cause almost instant itching.  The so called 'fire' ant can give intense burning and later itching.

If you have dogs or livestock around the house / yard these too can pass on skin problems.

Eight months ago I had a friendly dog scratch on one foot that did not even break the skin or bleed, I failed to clean or treat it, I suffered acute bacterial infection within 24 hours and 2 months unable to walk due to infection of the Achilles tendon.    As I am allergic to antibiotics I could not treat the infection hence the long recovery period.

There is a green traditional herbal tincture that you can possibly use, it may feel hot at first but stops itching ( especially mossie bites ), it also acts as a natural antibiotic.    Will try to find name.

You can take the man out of the pack but you cannot take the pack out of the man.

Many thanks to all who have responded.

Have used the swimming pool before on top of The Mall, good to be able to get in to a real swimming mode.

I am sure will be able to visit some interesting places.

22 hours ago, HAKAPALITA said:

And you call that living.?. i hope you still young so things get better.. we as Students cooked Bacon with an Electric Iron, no oven back then.

72 if that means am i still young.    Hippie trails from Uk to Asia etc twice in the early 1970's, roadside or wherever sleeping.  Stayed by a river for nearly 2 months in Malaysia in 1971 on a tiny sand beach in a tent etc etc, water and electric no charge.    Lived back of beyond in South America for 6 years also in 1970s, dug own well for water etc.    I wasn't a student just a traveler.

Drunken snails as an Hors d'oeuvre ?

Wear a mask if you travel by local bus or minibus - don't be shy.

Try High C one tab if you feel possible symptoms.

Yes, this year seems bad, weather again very strange.

I use alternative therapies etc to help avoid / treat cold symptoms.

Live in small 2 bed, lounge, kitchen, bathroom house outside small village area of a market town.

Gardens all around.   Local area seems to have a micro climate, cold desert winds from China in the winter.

PEA is supplier, unit cost inc tax is 3.6 baht.

Winter bills 200 baht, summer 600 baht.   2 AC's, use only if high humidity.

Neighbours bill 50 - 200 baht inc. one AC; in winter their bill can be below 50 baht so no charge.

Main line water bill about 60 baht, buy treated drinking water refilling 5 litre bottles at 1 baht litre.

Staying in Ubon for a few days.

Traveling by bus from south of Khon Kaen to stay in Ubon Ratchathani city.

Do not have own transport.
Any ideas for easy to get to places for day trips using local bus services, samlor, legs ?

Ideally for a bright 11 year old boy, museums, historical, dinosaurs etc.

On 9/28/2018 at 9:38 AM, onlycw said:

BIG C sells 500 gr hulled peanuts for 44 THB. Eat half of those in a day and the problem will be over. Ask me, how I know ???? 

 

Plan B, get Psyllium husks and take them with cold milk or let them turn the milk into pudding and eat that with fruit.

I can buy a 1kg bag of same peanut for 64baht from my local store, ( not BigC ).

Don't forget these nuts, for a 100g serving have, 49g ( 76% ) of daily requirement but also have 7g saturated fat ( 34% of daily requirement ).     If you are eating 250g per day that's over 120% of daily fat requirement.   Your protein intake is 70% of RDA.  Peanuts, as with other nuts, are said to have a satiation factor !? do they, can you put the bag down easily ?

Peanuts are not easily digestable, they must be chewed to almost a paste in the mouth.    Ideally they should be consumed in the morning so that the digestive system is not overloaded at night.  They can cause excess gas if not chewed properly.   If eaten in the evening they can cause a rise in body temperature when trying to sleep.

Any form of nut should be a part of ones daily diet whether it is to increase protein intake or provide added fibre.

I am a vegan for the past 40 years and a vegetarian before that, it is difficult to find "good" sources of protein, especially if you want to try and find truly organic foods.     

The original poster could look at detoxing at home, the constipation could be caused by numerous factors including medication, diet, exercise etc.

On 9/27/2018 at 6:39 PM, watcharacters said:

A different approach?

 

I wasn't aware of services such as this until a  expat told me he did this for three solid days.

 

Tried to get me to consider it but I like my poop too much..

 

 

 

Why don't you try doing yourself at home ?    More private and much much cheaper.

If you think you need to detox ask the questions why, what is causing the discomfort; reasons can be diet, medication, lack of exercise.    Using senna or turmeric may also help if gas is a problem.

Toxins in the body from any source can cause tiredness, pain in different parts of the body e.g. arms, legs, headaches, irritability.

Not sure if anyone has mentioned it so far but, geckos can carry salmonella.

The country needs corn so why not reduce the sugar cane areas ?     Oh, I forgot, sugar brings money in to the ...... ?

Cassava and sugar cane, should be planted as rotational crops so why do I still see cassava followed by cassava ?

What happens when the Commerce Ministry advises, ( for whatever reason 'aum' ), the farmers to plant a particular crop and, the crop fails or the market changes; does the farmer get compensation ?

I wonder if yellow cassava could be grown here, ( it grows in a range of climates not just tropical , e.g. I grew it in South America in a sub-tropical climate, and have a local use ( not export due to its perishability ), its delicious and nutritious ?

I've found nematodes in tap water many times and algae in the very large bottles ( 15 litre ? ) that stand on a dispenser.

I have my own 5 litre bottles and have a very reliable source for filtered water, 1 baht per litre, delivered.

I never use machines and would never buy large bottles, have seen enough evidence of people getting very ill after drinking from the large bottles.