Reborn as a Landlord-Chapter 920 - 470: Hatching Chickens_2

Here is the text translation:

Moreover, just like Lian Shouxin, Lian Shouli was reluctant to leave the old family residence. Lian Shouxin had only made up his mind to move when it became impossible to continue living there. For Lian Shouli, since he had no son to carry on the family lineage, his thoughts about the old residence were even more complicated.

Lian Manman could only remain silent in response to this.

Only three piglets were caught, which was certainly not enough, so the following day, Lian Shouxin hitched up the small ox cart and took Lady Zhang and Lian Manman to Zhao Family Village.

In Zhao Family Village, Zhao Laogeda’s family had also raised piglets this year. Lian Shouxin had arranged in advance, so Zhao Laogeda kept all eight piglets unsold, allowing Lian Shouxin to choose first.

Unlike Wang Shiliu’s family’s pigs, which were white with black patches, Zhao Laogeda’s piglets were all solid black-haired pigs.

"... You can ask around in our village; anyone who has bought piglets from our family always praises them... They eat well, grow fast, and with proper feeding, they can weigh at least two hundred pounds at New Year," Zhao Laogeda enthusiastically introduced his piglets while using a stick to prod the piglets lying near the sow.

Seeing that the piglets were sturdy and moved energetically, Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang were very satisfied.

The three of them each chose two piglets, leaving the two smallest ones for Zhao Laogeda’s family.

"Alright, we’ll raise these two scraps ourselves," Zhao Laogeda laughed.

The six little black piglets were weighed, totaling one hundred and three pounds and four ounces. Rounding off the small change, it was calculated as one hundred and three pounds, costing a total of fifty-one hundred and fifty Wen Money.

The next day, Lian Shouxin went to Qingyang Town’s market and bought another six piglets. These six were from two different litters, weighing a total of one hundred and eleven pounds, costing fifty-five hundred and fifty Wen Money.

With a total of fifteen piglets, Lian Shouxin hired someone to build walls, dividing a large pigpen into three smaller ones. Each pigpen had feeding troughs and water basins to prevent the fifteen piglets from crowding together, leading to some not being able to eat properly and not growing well. Raising them separately could effectively avoid this issue and also reduce the likelihood of swine fever.

After buying the piglets, Lian Manman sat calculating with an abacus. The total cost for the fifteen piglets came to thirteen taels, six qian, and five fen of silver. After raising them for a year, keeping one for their own family to butcher and eat, and selling the rest, it was estimated they could earn at least forty-four taels and two qian of silver.

The main feed for the pigs would come from the leftover slop from Lian’s Shop, which didn’t count as an expense. Deducting the cost of buying the piglets and other expenses, the net profit for raising the pigs for a year would be around thirty taels of silver, plus the meat from one pig.

Thirty taels of silver might not be much for wealthy families, but for tenant farming families, it was a significant income.

After the piglets were brought back, Da Liangzi’s wife fed them, saving Lian Shouxin and Lady Zhang from worrying too much. Lady Zhang then found an old basket, lined it with dry grass and cotton padding, and made a nest at the corner of the kang in the east room of the Upper Room. She brought in a brooding hen from outside.

"Mother, why did you bring it into the house?" Lian Manman asked Lady Zhang when she saw the drooping hen in her hands.

"The hen is brooding eggs and needs to stay warm. If it’s left outside, it won’t be able to hatch them," Lady Zhang replied, setting down the hen and carrying a basket filled with eggs to sit on the kang.

"Why not put it in the kitchen courtyard or in the shop room? Why does it have to be in this room?" Lian Manman asked.

"I wouldn’t be able to keep an eye on it in other rooms, and I wouldn’t feel at ease. Besides, this room is warmer than the others. If you didn’t mind the mess, I’d have put it in your room. Your and your sister’s room is the warmest," Lady Zhang said as she held up an egg, squinting against the sunlight to inspect it.

Hearing this, Lian Manman didn’t say anything more.

"Don’t look down on it like this; brooding hens don’t eat or drink much, so they don’t make a mess," Lady Zhang continued as she sorted through the eggs.

Lian Manman climbed onto the kang and sat beside Lady Zhang.

"Mother, what are you doing now?" Lian Manman asked.

"Sorting eggs for hatching," Lady Zhang replied, holding up two eggs and showing them to Lian Manman in the sunlight. "This one can hatch chicks; this one can’t."

Lady Zhang showed Lian Manman the subtle differences in the yolk areas of the two eggs.

Lian Manman blinked and nodded, indicating she understood. In truth, she didn’t see it clearly but understood that not every healthy-looking egg could be hatched. Only fertilized eggs could be used. While they had a rooster at home, not every egg was suitable for hatching.

Lady Zhang selected only five chicken eggs and then brought another basket onto the kang. This one was filled with goose eggs, each larger than Lian Manman’s palm.

Lian Manman held a shiny, smooth goose egg, unable to put it down.

"... Bought from Student Xiao Qi’s family. They said all of them could hatch. Let me check again," Lady Zhang said as she inspected each goose egg in the sunlight, nodding with satisfaction. She carefully placed five chicken eggs and five goose eggs into the hen’s nest, then placed the hen on top and positioned it properly.

"That’s it," Lady Zhang said, asking Lian Manman to help her. They placed a wooden divider at the corner of the kang to enclose the chicken’s nest, separating it from the rest of the space. Only then did she clap her hands and announce it was done.

During the egg incubation, the proper temperature was important, as was a quiet, secluded space to keep the hen undisturbed. This ensured a higher hatch rate for the chicks.

"Mother, how long will it take for these eggs to hatch?" Lian Manman asked Lady Zhang again.

"Normally, it takes twenty-one days, though it might be a couple of days early or late," Lady Zhang said.

"Twenty-one days... By then, my brother will probably have just finished his exams," Lian Manman calculated and said.

"That sounds about right," Lady Zhang nodded.

At midday, Wu Lang and Xiao Qi returned from the private school, and Wu Lang took out a letter from his book bag.

"It’s a letter from Grandpa."

*****......****

Sending the first update, asking for pink votes.

There will be a second update tonight. (To be continued. If you enjoy this story, welcome to visit Qidian [qidian.com] to cast recommendation tickets and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)