A total of 7,000 three-week-old chickens are being distributed this week to small farms in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Provision of the birds is the latest move by FAO to help vulnerable households whose livelihoods have been compromised by the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine.

The dual-purpose chickens – which can be raised for either meat or egg production – are going to 350 beneficiary households in the Artemivskyi rayon of Donetsk region, and in the Popasnyanskyi rayon of Luhansk region. Each family will also receive 200 kilos of specially formulated chicken feed, sufficient for three months after which the birds will be ready for slaughter. Families that choose to keep the hens for egg production can expect them to start laying about five months from now.