Gasp! She's a Time Traveler Using Modern Tech to Improve Ancient Life-Chapter 254 - 253: White-Feathered Chicken, Auspicious Omen?
This time, coming back to Lin Family Manor from Xiaoxi Town, Lin Wanwan even brought a large cage filled with fluffy, light yellow chicks.
Hua Nong and the others waiting at home saw this and laughed, "Madam, are these for the children to raise again?"
Lin Wanwan casually replied, "It’s not just for the school. You can divide these chicks, raise a few at home, and then distribute some to the clansmen to raise."
"Yes, I’ll do it right away."
Hua Nong and Hong Yan went forward together, taking Kun Lun to the backyard to divide the chicks.
The white feather chicken is a broiler chicken from a three-way crossbreed, characterized by its quick growth and high egg production, reaching maturity in thirty-eight days and ready for market in forty-two days. The chicken used in fast-food chains like KFC and McDonald’s is from this breed.
Only a fast-growing broiler like the white feather chicken can satisfy the huge demand for chicken worldwide.
Like everything monopolized by capital, the existence of Huaxia’s elites is to break the monopoly and achieve freedom. The ones Lin Wanwan purchased are domestically bred. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞
The Kang Beier duck takes four months to start laying eggs, while the white feather chicken takes just over a month.
Of course, the egg production is still not as impressive as the Kang Beier duck, but white feather chickens are not primarily for egg-laying, though they do lay more eggs than regular domestic chickens.
In Great Tang, this is undoubtedly a powerhouse in meat production; native chickens simply cannot compete with it.
When Lin Wanwan explained the characteristics of this chicken to the clansmen, no one believed her, though they didn’t say it, their expressions said everything.
Lin Wanwan was helpless and let it be. Fortunately, even if they didn’t believe her, they supported her raising chickens.
But when she mentioned feeding the chickens special food she personally made, they were incredulous and disapproving.
Chickens, of all animals, eating such special food? They’re not like BMWs or oxen.
It’s acceptable to feed BMWs and oxen delicately, but chickens?
Though they didn’t agree in their hearts, no one verbally opposed Lin Wanwan.
Not to mention, Lin Wanwan is now the face of the Lin family. Even if she weren’t the Village Lady, everyone would support her given the changes she’s brought to the clan.
The "special chicken feed" Lin Wanwan spoke of was, of course, modern chicken feed.
There are many claims that modern chicken feed contains hormones, but properly manufactured chicken feed doesn’t have any hormones. Adding hormones is not only illegal but also cost-increasing without benefiting the chicken’s growth rate.
The quick market readiness of the white feather chicken isn’t due to hormone-laden feed, but that its breed characteristics make it grow fast through crossbreeding.
Of course, chickens and ducks raised at Lin Family Manor couldn’t just eat feed. There’s a huge beachfront with plenty of natural bugs, shrimp, and shellfish daily, allowing for semi-free-range raising.
Because the clansmen didn’t quite trust Lin Wanwan’s words, Lin Wanwan changed her strategy. She decided to start with the children!
After the afternoon music class, Lin Wanwan brought a large cage of white feather chicks to the school, allowing children aged eight and above to take a chick home to raise.
Then she took some time to explain the characteristics of the white feather chickens and the care needed. Although Lin Wanwan herself lacked specific practical experience, she had rich theoretical knowledge from time-tested and scientifically-proven precious experiences.
When the children heard that the chickens would have snowy white feathers when they grew up, they were all shocked.
As for growing quickly and laying more eggs than regular chickens, the children had no concept of that.
They just knew these chicks would become snow-white chickens!
Lin Tiezhu’s excited shout of "Wow! Auspicious sign!" reminded Lin Wanwan.
This is an era that believes in auspicious signs!
In feudal societies throughout history, albinism (except in humans) was believed to be auspicious.
History records offering albino deer, snakes, roe deer, foxes, and other so-called "auspicious signs" to the Emperor!
Notable examples include Hu Zongxian of the Ming Dynasty offering an albino deer to Emperor Jiajing to secure his position, and in the sixteenth year of Qianlong, Mongolia offered an albino roe deer to Qianlong as a sign of loyalty.
In short, rare white animals were considered auspicious in ancient times.
The white feather chicken is an entirely new breed, unseen by the natives of Great Tang!
Previously, she only emphasized the fast-growing and high egg-laying characteristics of white feather chickens to the clansmen, never mentioning the snowy feathers when mature.
Offering auspicious signs to the Emperor always goes through the County Magistrate, with local officials pandering every year by offering tributes to the Emperor.
"I’m doing Xiao Chong a favor again!" Lin Wanwan touched her chin, pondering what benefits she could exchange from Xiao Chong.
Well, let him paint a realistic portrait of her. She could hang it in modern times and claim her ancestors were nobility and resembled her!
Thinking of this, Lin Wanwan laughed and instructed the children to keep it secret for now. Once they’ve grown, they can show their parents.
Children naturally looked up to Lin Wanwan. As the director providing them with food and clothing, Lin Wanwan had all the children’s trust.
Even the granddaughters from Xiao Qingyu’s paternal family revered Lin Wanwan’s words.
She said these chickens would have white feathers, and not a single child doubted it. Unlike the clansmen whose common sense was fixed, this is the joy of teaching.
As these children grow, Lin Wanwan will naturally become the Clan Leader of Lin Family Manor, with no one surpassing her esteem among the new generation of Lin clan members.
After distributing chickens and chicken feed to over thirty children aged eight and above, Lin Wanwan dismissed the school.
The next class is a labor lesson, supervised by Teacher Zhong, who also serves as the labor class teacher. As long as the children don’t go to the sea or deep into the mountains, he wouldn’t interfere.
Little Qingyu ran to Lin Wanwan’s side, hugging her waist, and looked up coyly saying, "Mom, I also want to raise a chick!"
Lin Wanwan smiled, touching her little head affectionately, "Alright, Little Qingyu, pick your favorite one, and I’ll have Uncle Mengbo make a beautiful bamboo coop for you, so you can raise it in the front yard. How about that?"
"Yay, yay!" Little Qingyu clapped happily, pulling Lin Wanwan along, "Mom, let’s go pick a chick now!"
Little Qingyu had a particular fondness for small animals. Animals knew who was kind to them and were also very close to Little Qingyu.
The relatively intelligent baby elephant and small horse even occasionally got into jealous quarrels. The Haidong greenbird gifted by Xiao Yixun was supposed to recognize only the mute girl as its master, but now it also obeyed Little Qingyu’s commands.
In Lin Wanwan’s household, the mute girl Ajing (originally named A Qing, but changed to Ajing under the suggestion of the Lin Clan Leader to avoid name conflict with Little Qingyu) and Little Qingyu were the best at training animals.
Ajing hardly communicated with people, as if the animal world was her ideal world.
