More than a hundred chickens and ducks have died as hot weather affects some poultry farms in General Santos City and Zamboanga City.

The heat index in General Santos City had reached 40 degrees Celsius.

A poultry farm in Barangay Sinawal lost around 150 chickens in March alone. There were days that more than 10 chickens, mostly between seven to 15 days old, died.

"Dili gyud nila kaya ang kainit, mamatay gyud sila. Pati kami kung maabtan mi og kainit gyud sa sulod dili gyud mi kaagwanta, munaog man gyud mi,” Julius Ayano, a poultry raiser, said.

Personnel of the farm have intensified monitoring to prevent more chicken from dying.

"Halimbawa ting-init, ginapababa namo ang mga trapal then ang tubig gina-monitor namo. Oras-oras gyud gina-monitor,” Samuel Montecillo, another poultry raiser, said.

In Tugbungan, Zamboanga City, around 3,000 ducks of a poultry farm were also affected by the intense heat. These ducks are source of “balut” or boiled fertilized duck egg.

According to the farm’s caretaker, more efforts are being exerted in taking care of the ducks, especially that three ducks have already died in March.

To prevent further losses, the caretaker ensures that water is always available at the pens to keep the ducks hydrated. The ducks are also being monitored consistently and duck pens are being cleaned every day.

“Naiinitan talaga sila, lagyan lang talaga ng tubig. Hindi pwedeng mawalan ng tubig dahil nanghihina sila pag wala tubig. May namamatay talaga,” the caretaker, Jayme Elloreg, said.

(With reports from Kriss Dapitan, GMA Regional TV One Mindanao)