Episode 41: Artificial Insemination
The merchant selling chicks was none other than Lee Dong-geun.
Children, enchanted by the chirping of the chicks, were peering into the box and making comments.
“Wow, they’re so cute. But they’re really tiny.”
“Want to touch one?”
“Really?”
“Of course! How could I deny a little customer? But first, wash your hands with this. They’re babies, so they’re sensitive.”
The chick trembled with pleasure as the child’s careful hand approached it.
Seeing this, the children chattered excitedly.
“They’re so fluffy and soft. How old are they?”
“About five days old, I think?”
“They’re just babies! Mister, will they lay eggs when they grow up?”
“You’ll only know that when they grow up. How could anyone tell just by looking at these little ones?”
“How big do they have to get before we know?”
“It takes about a month to find out. Look at these tiny things; how could you tell them apart?”
At Dong-geun’s evasive answer, one sharp-looking child murmured knowingly.
“That’s a lie. The ones sold here are almost dead when you buy them.”
“Tsk tsk. You’ve been deceived too many times. I’m not that unscrupulous. Look at these chicks. Don’t they look lively to you?”
Indeed, the chicks in the box looked quite healthy.
Seeing this, the children nodded and asked.
“But what if our moms don’t let us keep them?”
“Then bring them back to me. I’ll take care of them.”
“Really? Promise?”
“But bring them back healthy. If they’re sickly, I can’t save them either.”
Despite being shrewd, the children were still just children. Fooled by Dong-geun’s words, they started buying the chicks one by one, and soon, the box was half-empty.
As the crowd that had gathered dispersed, Lee Chang-jin, who had been watching quietly, slid up to ask.
“What are you doing here?”
Startled by the familiar voice, Dong-geun looked up. His surprised face soon turned into one of delight.
“Oh, isn’t it Hyung? When did you come to Seoul?”
“It’s been a while. I just arrived today. When did you start this business?”
“Well… I’ve been doing it on and off while attending academy. But isn’t today Wednesday? I thought you were coming tomorrow.”
“Oh, I must have gotten confused because of the time difference. It’s an 8-hour difference.”
Hearing this, Dong-geun knocked his head with his fist.
“Ugh, I’m such an idiot… I’m really sorry, Hyung.”
“No need to apologize. It happens. Is your business done for the day?”
“Yes, pretty much.”
“Have you eaten? Had lunch?”
“Not yet. I was planning to eat after selling the chicks, but I am a bit hungry.”
“Perfect timing. Let’s eat together. I bought enough for you too, just in case.”
Seeing the food Chang-jin brought, Dong-geun looked a bit embarrassed.
“Well, I can’t right now. I need to take the chicks somewhere safe first. They’re still young and can’t be left outside for long.”
“Really? Where do you need to go? If it’s far, we can take my car.”
“No, you’ve just come back, and I wouldn’t want to trouble you. I can manage on my own.”
“I insist. Don’t refuse.”
“Then I’ll take you up on your offer.”
Dong-geun took Chang-jin to a place about 500 meters away from Yujin Market, near the hillside by the abandoned outdoor quarry across Hongjecheon. There was an old warehouse next to the closed and abandoned quarry where the car stopped.
“This is it?”
“Yes, the owner abandoned it a long time ago.”
At that moment, an old man with a baseball cap, who seemed to be a caretaker, appeared. He was hunchbacked and leaning on a cane, looking well over fifty.
“Oh, Dong-geun is here?”
“Yes, Mr. Jeong-se, have you been well? How was the ginger patch I gave you? Did it help last night?”
“Of course. It worked wonders. The ache that used to throb all night has lessened. Where did you learn that?”
“I learned it at agricultural school. One of my classmates was the youngest son of an acupuncturist, and he taught me this remedy. If you use it morning and evening, it’s good for arthritis. Also, try applying roasted salt in a hemp cloth for a compress. If you don’t have salt, heated beach sand works too.”
“Thank you as always. But who’s that behind you?”
“Oh, this is my cousin, Lee Chang-jin. He’s a very successful businessman.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Lee Chang-jin. I’ve heard you’ve been very helpful to my cousin. Please continue to take care of him.”
“This gentleman manages the nearby hillside and quarry. He grows vegetables in a fenced plot and sometimes helps us out.”
“I haven’t really done anything. In fact, I’ve been getting help from him. He often gives me a chicken, so I’m actually benefiting more.”
Dong-geun, holding the box of chicks, asked the old man with a shy smile.
“Are Deok-gu and Bok-soon inside?”
“Yes, they’ve been waiting for you. Go on in.”
After bowing in greeting, Dong-geun headed to the warehouse. Matching his pace, Chang-jin whispered.
“You’re quite resourceful, finding a place like this. How did you win him over?”
“It’s nothing special. It’s all about building trust. After looking around for a place to keep the chicks, I found this place to be the best. I spent a month coming and going, helping out a bit. Since it’s an abandoned quarry with no revenue, the owner doesn’t mind us using it. I just give him beer and a chicken every week in return.”
Chang-jin was impressed. Spending a whole month on this showed considerable dedication.
It was evidence of thorough preparation before coming here.
Chang-jin’s assessment of Dong-geun improved, admiring his tenacity. However, as soon as they reached the warehouse and opened the door, Chang-jin couldn’t help but wrinkle his nose.
“Ugh, the smell.”
The converted warehouse was filled with the stench of chicken droppings. A section had been fenced off with cages for laying hens, alongside water dispensers and feeding troughs.
On the floor covered with fine sand and chaff, chickens clucked and bustled around. While observing the hundred or so chickens, a sudden high-pitched sound rang out.
Cluck cluck!!
Turning towards the sound, they saw a man and a woman chasing a large rooster with a comb.
“Huff huff, why is this darn chicken so fast? Chil-deuk, stop right there! If I catch you, I’ll roast you!”
“Even a grub is faster than you. Can’t you do anything right? Can’t you block it properly?”
“Alright, alright, I’m trying!”
The man and woman, wearing rubber boots, clumsily herded the chicken. But the rooster was determined. It darted through the gaps between their hands and legs like it was in a race and headed straight for the open door.
“Hey, stop it!”
“Be careful, Hyung!”
As the rooster, claws raised, charged at them, Dong-geun was taken aback. Holding a large box of chicks, he couldn’t move.
Chang-jin quickly dodged the rooster’s attack and slammed the back door shut.
With a bang, the door closed, and the charging rooster flapped wildly, changing direction.
A man, sliding like a baseball player, grabbed the rooster by the neck.
Barely subduing the flapping rooster, the man, bald-headed, shouted.
“Got you! You rascal!”
“Be gentle, or you’ll break its neck.”
“I was so scared. What if it had gotten away? Thank you so much.”
“Glad I could help.”
“Oh, but who is this gentleman?”
Finally, feeling the awkwardness, the two people glanced around.
With a polite smile, Chang-jin introduced himself.
“Oh, I’m Lee Chang-jin. I run a small company near Yeongcheon Market. I’m Dong-geun’s cousin.”
“Everyone, this is my cousin. This is Deok-gu and Bok-soon. They’re my academy friends. Deok-gu hyung is six years older than me, and Bok-soon is the same age as me.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Hwang Deok-gu. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
As soon as the bald-headed Deok-gu finished his introduction, the plump woman, resembling a full moon, bowed her head.
“Oh, I was curious about who Dong-geun kept talking about, and now I see why. You’re quite handsome. You could be a movie star.”
Blushing, Bok-soon twisted her body shyly.
Seeing her rosy cheeks and blinking eyes, Dong-geun proudly said.
“My cousin is quite handsome. He was the most popular guy in our neighborhood. He was even scouted on the streets of Myeong-dong during high school.”
“Oh, really?”
“Haha, it’s not that impressive. It was just a small magazine scouting. But why were you catching the rooster?”
At Chang-jin’s question, Deok-gu, holding the rooster’s neck, explained.
“Oh, this guy’s name is Chil-deuk. He’s the boss here. But he just runs around all day and can’t perform his duties. The eggs laid recently were all infertile. We even played mating sounds and mixed some supplements in his feed, but nothing worked. So, we decided to catch him.”
Dong-geun quickly interrupted.
“What about the eggs? You need to sell them before they spoil.”
“Calm down. I already sent them to the market. Told him to sell the eggs and bring back some oilseed cake and radish leaves. I even rented a truck this time. By the way, did you sell many chicks?”
“About 30. Still have more than half left.”
“Well, that’s quite an effort. We can sell the rest later. Help us out now. Why is there such a commotion?”
The rooster was so strong that even a grown man struggled to hold it.
After placing the chick box down, Dong-geun asked Chang-jin’s permission.
“Hyung, I think we need to start the insemination process now. It smells here, and you might find it unpleasant. Could you wait outside?”
“No, don’t mind me. I’m actually curious about how it’s done. Bok-soon, Deok-gu, is it okay if I watch?”
“Of course. But we only have one chair. I’ll quickly get another.”
Dong-geun, wearing hospital rubber gloves, returned after changing into a white work suit.
Meanwhile, Deok-gu brought a syringe.
“You’re well-prepared. But where did you get the syringe?”
“My aunt is a nurse. This is nothing.”
Dong-geun asked suspiciously.
“These aren’t used ones, right? Syringes shouldn’t be reused.”
“Don’t worry. I got new ones from the hospital.”
The rooster, feeling threatened by the syringe, kept struggling.
Dong-geun, sitting the rooster upright, held its comb and gently scolded it.
“Hey, you’re the boss, so why can’t you do your job? If you eat the most feed, you should be good at night too, right?”
After scolding for a while, Dong-geun positioned the rooster, holding it firmly between his thighs, facing its direction.
The rooster, unable to move, growled while Bok-soon, holding the collection tube, massaged the area between its pubic bone and chest lightly for 5-6 seconds. The rooster, still energetic, kept moving.
As it pecked at her wrist, Dong-geun finally lost his patience.
“Hey, Chil-deuk, stop! If you keep this up, you’ll lose your manhood. Stay still!”
Surprisingly, the rooster calmed down after Dong-geun’s shout. Bok-soon, shifting the collection tube to her right hand, pressed the rooster’s abdomen up and down, and soon, a milky white liquid flowed out. Bok-soon smiled maternally.
“It’s done. Look at the quantity. It’s quite substantial.”
“Be careful. Too much pressure can cause problems.”
The rooster, freed from the collection, flapped its wings and crowed loudly, as if in distress.
“Shut up. What are you crowing about?”
Meanwhile, Deok-gu returned with a saline solution pack. The collected semen was injected into the syringe attached to the saline pack, mixing with the clear liquid. Watching this with interest, Chang-jin asked curiously.
“Is it okay to dilute the semen for insemination like that?”
“Yes. It’s not a problem as long as it’s not overly diluted. Up to a 1:5 ratio is fine.”
Although Chang-jin came from a farming background, he had never raised chickens in large numbers, so this was a first for him.
Meanwhile, Dong-geun opened the cage with laying hens and brought a hen.
Fortunately, the hens were much calmer than the rooster.
Bok-soon cleaned the hen’s cloaca with a cotton swab soaked in saline, then took a dropper-type injector filled with semen. Just as she was about to inject it, Chang-jin raised his hand to stop her.
“Wait! Please stop for a moment.”
“Why, Hyung? What’s the matter?”
“If you use a dropper, isn’t there a risk of damaging the cloaca?”
Bok-soon asked with a puzzled look.
“That’s true, but what should we do then?”
“Do you have a catheter?”
“A catheter… What’s that?”
“It’s a thin rubber tube used at hospitals to collect urine.”
“Oh, that? I brought it just in case.”
“Great. Could you please bring it?”
Not knowing the reason, Bok-soon did as asked. Chang-jin cut about 4 cm of the catheter and attached it to the tip of the syringe.
Carefully observing the syringe’s markings, he slowly injected the liquid into the hen’s cloaca.
Realizing the reason, Bok-soon exclaimed.
“Oh, that way? That way, there’s no risk of damaging the cloaca. Why didn’t I think of that?”
“This catheter is made of hard rubber, so there’s no risk of injury. Plus, it’s more convenient as it eliminates the need to inject semen every time.”
The hen, having completed the insemination, was immediately placed back in the cage. The work was so synchronized that it was done swiftly. It took less than 30 minutes to inseminate around 30 hens.
After washing his hands, Chang-jin was served warm tea by Deok-gu, who had just returned.
- To be continued in Episode 42 -
