CAYMAN BRAC CALLING
About the article
This is a digitised version of an article from The Cayman Compass's print archive. Occasionally, the digitisation process introduces transcription errors, or other problems.
See the article in its original context from August 1968.
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"Kesons," a family business run by Captain K.P. Tibbetts M.L.A. and his sons, Parker and Nathaniel is situated behind the family home at the Bight, from where they supply broiler chickens and eggs. The poultry farm has been in existence for eight years but it is only since the past two years that it has developed into a commercial venture. At first it was very much a matter of trial and error," said Capt Keith, "Most of our knowledge has been gleaned from manuals which were written for breeders in the States.
We therefore, have to adapt their directions and advice to suit our local conditions of temperature and humidity. Even now, the children and I find that we learn something new about the business each day." Captain Keith imports his hatching eggs from Florida, and they are immediately put into the incubator at the farm. The incubator is kept at a constant temperature to within halt a degree. After three weeks (calculated as near as possible) the trays are taken out of the incubator and transferred to the brooding house. For the first five to six weeks the chicks are fed with "grower" feed. The food given to them is medicated and, this and the fact that there are no chicken diseases endemic on the island means that the chickens do not need to be vaccinated. "We use a high quality feed." said Capt Keith, " and the chickens are fully satisfied Thus we have no problems with cannibalism, which is always a danger, or with caccidious, which is the developing of an immunity to infection" When the chickens are about six weeks old the tiny ones are fed with "broiler finisher" which fattens them until they are butchered at nine to ten weeks old. After butchering the chickens are plucked, cleaned and chilled. "Our broiling chickens are a special crossbreed called 'Kimber 44's" the Captain went on. "They are high quality chickens and a very small percentage of the eggs fail to hatch. This time, for example we put in 797 eggs and hatched 562 chicks." Besides the broiling chickens, the farm also produces 340 eggs a day. The laying hens are also 'Kimbers' but another strain bred especially for this purpose. When collected, the eggs are deposited in an egg-washing machine which gently swirls them to and fro and when dry are packed into baxes.
Even two year old Ian, plays his part in the family business and is fast developing into an expert eggpacker. The eggs are sold throughout Cayman Brac and are also exported in large numbers to Grand Cayman. Between "Kesons" and "Mijalls" Poultry farm of Bodden Town, there is close cooperation and pooling of ideas and experiences which both concerns hope will aid the streamlining and efficient expansion of poultry farming in the Cayman Islands.
'SEPRE' ARRIVES AT CREEK
On Sunday 28th July the MV SEPRE (formerly Spree) owned and captained by Capt Ertis Ebanks of West Bay arrived at Creek, Cayman Brac, on an excursion trip from Grand Cayman, Accompanying Capt. Ertis and his assistant navigator Walter Ebanks, were 14 passengers.
Since this was the Sepre's first long voyage there were teething troubles with the new engines and so the outward journey took 22 hrs. The return journey, however, was completed on schedule and was reported to have been "lovely" Capt. Ertis intends to make excursion trips to the Brac "whenever possible." CAYMAN BRAC'S FIRST MEDICAL STUDENT, HOME ON HOLIDAY. Back amongst "the green, green, grass of home", from a country famed for its greenness is Miss Margaret, (Molly) Brown, who is spending two weeks with her aunt and uncle, Capt. and Mrs. K.P Tibbetts of the Bight, Cayman Brac.
Molly is a medical student at the Royal College of Surgeons and Physicians in Dublin, in the Republic of Ireland. After gaining her Senior Cambridge certificate at St Andrew's High School in Kingston, Molly taught for some time at the West End and Spot Bay Schools on the Brac, but her overriding ambition was to study medicine.
Dr. Robson an Irishman, then in practice on Cayman Brac suggested she apply to the Dublin College and with encouragement from Mr. Cumber she did this and is now in the 4th year of her studies.
The Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland is closely associated with the same bodies in Edingburgh and London, but whereas these latter two only provide postgraduate courses the Irish college is the leading medical school for undergraduates in that country. About 600 students from 37 different countries attend the College. Despite the hard work and constant study Molly is thoroughly enjoying her taste of Irish life. She has travelled extensively throughout "the Emerald Isle," visiting all the celebrated beauty spots and she has even managed to kiss the Blarney Stone - leaning over backwards in the proper fashion. Molly confesses her favourite spot in Ireland are the Achill Islands. She has also toured England, Scotland
