Restarting the Egg Farm
We are in the process of restarting a women’s cooperative egg farm. The egg farm was one of the original economic projects for Grupo Cajolá and it was highly successful for many years. A group of six women independently managed about 1800 egg-laying hens. They acquired impressive managing and planning skills and were Cajolá’s pioneers in operating a business collectively.
Planning the new Egg farm
In addition to the daily work of collecting eggs, feeding the hens, and ensuring the health of the hens, the cooperative had to set aside funds to pay for the next month’s feed, and to purchase the next group of hens (hens lay eggs productively for about 14 months). The women’s work was so successful that buyers came from Quetzaltenango to purchase the eggs!
In March 2022, the inflationary spiral that began after the pandemic overwhelmed them, and they decided to sell the hens and to take a six-month break.
However, all but one of the women found other projects or activities during that six-month break. The remaining woman has now found six other women to work with her. The will be contributing their own “capital,” and Grupo Cajolá in North America is looking for funding so they can restart the egg farm with 500 hens. The chicken houses are being divided by walls to enclose groups of 200 hens. This is less stressful for the hens so they stay healthier and more productive. Eventually the women will be caring for 1600 hens.
The new Egg Farm Team