For thirty-one-year-old Clement Boitshwarelo of Clents Farm, life’s pleasure is waking up to the sound of his many birds that range from doves to peacocks.
Boitshwarelo, who has almost every bird type in his home place in Mogoditshane, said his interest in birds started way back when he was a little boy, during those days he said he used to trap wild birds and rear them in cages.
His interest has grown into a well paying small business, which can have him rake in P6 000 on monthly basis.
He said during months when business is at its lowest, he makes about P1800 from the sales of his birds.
Some of his bird breeds include doves, Tswana chickens, guinea fowls, water fowls family consisting of geese, and ducks. Others are the very rare species of peacock and turkey.
Boitshwarelo said he started off with a few doves and one Tswana hen, but he now boosts of hundreds of different birds.
From the main gate, a visitor is greeted by a flock of gees and wild ducks. Within the homestead there are several cages each housing different birds, from the giant Buff Orpington chickens, which originate from Britain to the tiny English Bantam, which looks like the miniature of a normal size chicken.
It is unbelievable to hear of a chicken costing P750, but the giant Buff Orpington cockerel costs just that, much as a fully grown goat, its female counterpart sells for P500, while a day old chick of the pair cost P50.
Despite the promising business, Clement lamented the lack of land for his birds as they need more space for free ranging. He said his intention is to move out of Tsolamosese where he is currently based and look for a more spacious place outside Gaborone.
He said his other challenges are chicken diseases and heavy rains, which can kill a lot of chicks at a go.
Clement, who quit his day job in 2002 to concentrate on his farming, said he was the first youth to participate in the Gaborone Agricultural show of 2006 where he won many first prices.
He has since then participated in many national shows where one of his Buff Orpington Cockerel won the Champion Cock title more than three times in various national shows. Besides bird farming, Clement supplements his income by metal works, making carts, trailers and other metal appliances.
Despite having not asked for any government assistance, the youthful farmer hailed the president’s initiatives in helping the youth, urging the youth to stand up and employ themselves.
Clement, who urged the youth to take bird farming seriously, advised other farmers not to be demoralised by the unpopularity of the business, saying, “Let us employ ourselves with these small things.”
