 It was just after our study visit to another HPI project in Kurpie region, when our group started considering purchase of an incubator. We learned during our trip that it could make our project development more effective.
We thought that the incubator would be helpful in the process of reproduction of the native breeds of poultry that we keep on our farms, because of two reasons. First of all, the farmers would be provided with good quality poultry. Secondly, it would reduce the costs of obtaining breeding poultry. It became extremely expensive to buy the chicks in the breeding stations. The breeding stations introduced a trade mark for the green leg chicken and it resulted in rapid increase of their prices. We were discussing that issue for a while and finally decided to purchase our own incubator at the end of 2006.
In the spring when the hatching period started everybody from our group was curious about its results. ??As biologist I wanted to observe the hatching, so I ordered to place an incubator in my office? ?? said Mrs. Teresa, who is a project leader. We gently put the eggs into the machine and were prepared to wait for 21 days for the process to be finished. ??Later I realized that it was the longest 21 days in my life? Teresa said. She was checking the eggs constantly and even during the nights she couldn??t help coming to the office to take a look at them.
The spring was really beautiful. Everything was blooming around and the birds were singing outside. The time designated for hatching passed very quickly, but there were still no signs for the chicks to get hatched. The eggs were sitting in the incubator as if somebody put a spell on them. Even a little, tiny movement couldn??t be notice. Teresa was getting nervous. Being the leader of the group she felt responsible
for the decision of buying the incubator. She still hoped for it to be successful, but started wondering what would happen if the chicks didn??t hatch at all. What would be the reaction of the farmers. When she was thinking about that her hair started bristling. She couldn??t find any reason for the eggs to be like stones for such a long time. The next day when she was approaching her office to check the incubator she was prepared for the worst ?? the lack of hatched chicks in the incubator. When she finally reached the office she was astonished. She saw almost 100 tiny brown balls stacked to the incubator glass. They all seemed to smile, saying ??don??t worry Teresa it just took us a bit longer with the incubator than with our natural mom?.
The first hatch was finished successfully. Teresa took a deep breath, the chicks hatched out, they weighted according to her a bit more than 3 weeks. The plan prepared by HPI farmers worked out properly and the chickens could be distributed among the farmers as POG animals. With use of incubator it will be possible to include more farmers into HPI project, which was a very good news for all of us.
 Thanks to HPI assistance, more farmers will keep indigenous breeds of poultry, which is indispensable for revitalization of these rare breeds in our region. Smooth continuation of POG will also contribute to strengthening good relationships among the farmers, which is so important for successful development of our agro tourism services.
We are very happy that HPI project with chicken and gees introduced in the boundaries of Suwalski Landscape Park is having such a big influence on our farmers. Firstly, they became really devoted to indigenous breeds preservation in our region. Secondly, thanks to HPI project they started thinking about development of their community not just individual farms.
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