Chapter 43 – The First Egg Sold
The following weeks were filled with discipline. Salimo would wake up early, clean the chicken coop, change the water, and prepare the feed. He mixed the laying hen feed with cracked corn, bran, and fresh greens. This way, the hens received complete nutrients to maintain regular egg laying and produce high-quality, fertile eggs.
Soon the first eggs began to appear. Salimo knew he couldn't treat them as ordinary eggs: they were incubation eggs. He carefully stored them in cardboard trays, always in a cool place, and noted the dates. His mentor, Ernesto, had been clear:
"Eggs for incubation cannot be stored for more than 7 days after being laid. If you store them longer, the hatching rate drops significantly."“
Salimo maintained his meticulous approach. Every day he checked the nests and organized the eggs in the order they were laid. The goal was to gather a full tray of 68 eggs before the week was up.
When he finally succeeded, he ran to Hamza. His friend received the tray as one receives a promise. He placed the eggs in the incubator, adjusted the temperature and humidity, and said:
"Now we wait. In 21 days, we'll see if the work has borne fruit."“
Salimo returned to the yard with a smile. The sales weren't yet filling his pockets, but they filled his heart. It was the beginning of a productive cycle, built with discipline and patience.
Practical lesson for the young reader: fertile eggs are only valuable if they are collected daily and incubated for up to 7 days after laying. Organization makes the difference between success and failure.
You Can: Those who respect nature's timing always harvest at the right moment.
