Poultry is the general term for anything concerning domestic birds and they can be reared on a large scale or small scale depending on the amount of money you have, but for the sake of this article i will be writing on rearing of chicken for those that want to do it on a small scale.
Since the new number of meat and egg consumers increase every day, the number of poultry farmers increase accordingly. There are 3 major breeds of chicken used depending on the part of the market you want to focus on, you may decide to buy broilers for meat production, cockerel also for meat production and layers for egg production.
You can rear chicken through these two methods;
• Deep liter system:
this is mostly used to rear broilers and cockerels an you can start this at your backyard. It shouldn't cost more than#60,000 to #70,000 to set up a poultry shed that will be fenced with wire mesh.
• Battery cages:
this is mostly used to rear layers because there is a small slot at the bottom of battery cages through which the eggs layed roll and stay at a place where they can be easily picked.
Equipments needed
• Drinker
• Cages (for layers)
• Heat system (200 watt bulb)
• Egg tray
• Wood shavings or crushed corn cubs
Note: do not use saw dust, because the chickens may inhale it and die, it can also absorbent moisture and accumulated bacteria which is very harmful to the chickens.
How to start a up
(Format for building poultry house)
You may decide to buy a carton of day old chicks in the market or buy it in reliable poultry farms, this should cost more than #750. Broilers of two weeks old are sold at #600 per bird and a mature layer is sold at #1500 depending on where you live.
You may also decide to buy 2 weeks old chicken at #150 or #200 depending on where you live. For the deep liter system, you need to pour the wood shavings or crushed corn cubs on the floor of the poultry house, it makes the chicken droppings very easy to pack and dispose. Serve the chicken feed in clean feeders and their water in clean drinkers then put the chickens in the poultry house. You should also fix heat bulbs (200 watt) so as to supply heat to the chickens.
Making profits
The broilers mature between 8 to 10 weeks and they are the most purchased breed of chicken because of it's high meat production, during festive period broilers cost as much as #5000.
Layer's lay one egg per day, some lay up to 4 times per week. Depending on the number of birds you have, you should be able to collect 10 to 20 crates per week.
Market your produce to traders in the market, you can also rent a shop and sell at wholesale.
How to produce chicken feed
Chicken feed is very essential in livestock management, though many people feed their chickens with millets, ripe pawpaw, crushed maize and many other cereals but there is nothing like chicken feed, it is specially formulated to aid growth, meat production, egg production and gives the poultry birds diesease resistant qualities.
Terms related to chicken feed production
• Fish meal: this can be gotten by drying or smoking fresh fish, then later grounded into powder.
• Protein meal: this is gotten by grinding or crushing soya beans, you can also use crushed groundnut or normal beans.
• Bone meal: this is gotten by collecting and drying bones then later burning it and crushing it into powder.
• Corn meal: this is gotten by crushing or grinding grains of corn into powder or desired texture.
• Mineral salt: this is the normal table salt and they are always required in little quantities.
• Vitamin supplement: it exists in different types, you can find it in vetinary shops or places where drugs for livestocks are sold. They are always required in little quantities.
Ingredients required to produce layers feed
• Corn meal - 6.5kg
• Protein meal - 2kg
• Fish meal - 500g
• Palm oil - 400g
• Bone meal - 500g
• Mineral salt - 50g
• Vitamin supplement - 50g
Ingredients required to produce Broilers feed
• Corn meal - 5.5kg
• Protein meal - 3.4kg
• Fish meal - 500g
• Calcium powder (Caco3) or bone meal - 230g
• Vitamin supplement - 340g
Note: feed for little chicks can also prepared with the same ingredients used to make layer's feed, but all the ingredients need to be grinded into little bits, so as to ease swallowing of feed.
Equipments
• A clean bowl
• Turning stick (optional)
• Sacks or nylon for packaging
Preparation
• Step 1: measure the ingredients into the bowl
• Step 2: stir it vigorously with a turning stick, you can also use you hand
• Step 3: store in a dry sack or clean nylon
Conclusion
You may decide to pack the poultry feed and pack it in white nylon for sale.
Since the new number of meat and egg consumers increase every day, the number of poultry farmers increase accordingly. There are 3 major breeds of chicken used depending on the part of the market you want to focus on, you may decide to buy broilers for meat production, cockerel also for meat production and layers for egg production.
You can rear chicken through these two methods;
• Deep liter system:
this is mostly used to rear broilers and cockerels an you can start this at your backyard. It shouldn't cost more than#60,000 to #70,000 to set up a poultry shed that will be fenced with wire mesh.
• Battery cages:
this is mostly used to rear layers because there is a small slot at the bottom of battery cages through which the eggs layed roll and stay at a place where they can be easily picked.
Equipments needed
• Drinker
• Cages (for layers)
• Heat system (200 watt bulb)
• Egg tray
• Wood shavings or crushed corn cubs
Note: do not use saw dust, because the chickens may inhale it and die, it can also absorbent moisture and accumulated bacteria which is very harmful to the chickens.
How to start a up
(Format for building poultry house)
You may decide to buy a carton of day old chicks in the market or buy it in reliable poultry farms, this should cost more than #750. Broilers of two weeks old are sold at #600 per bird and a mature layer is sold at #1500 depending on where you live.
You may also decide to buy 2 weeks old chicken at #150 or #200 depending on where you live. For the deep liter system, you need to pour the wood shavings or crushed corn cubs on the floor of the poultry house, it makes the chicken droppings very easy to pack and dispose. Serve the chicken feed in clean feeders and their water in clean drinkers then put the chickens in the poultry house. You should also fix heat bulbs (200 watt) so as to supply heat to the chickens.
Making profits
The broilers mature between 8 to 10 weeks and they are the most purchased breed of chicken because of it's high meat production, during festive period broilers cost as much as #5000.
Layer's lay one egg per day, some lay up to 4 times per week. Depending on the number of birds you have, you should be able to collect 10 to 20 crates per week.
Market your produce to traders in the market, you can also rent a shop and sell at wholesale.
How to produce chicken feed
Chicken feed is very essential in livestock management, though many people feed their chickens with millets, ripe pawpaw, crushed maize and many other cereals but there is nothing like chicken feed, it is specially formulated to aid growth, meat production, egg production and gives the poultry birds diesease resistant qualities.
Terms related to chicken feed production
• Fish meal: this can be gotten by drying or smoking fresh fish, then later grounded into powder.
• Protein meal: this is gotten by grinding or crushing soya beans, you can also use crushed groundnut or normal beans.
• Bone meal: this is gotten by collecting and drying bones then later burning it and crushing it into powder.
• Corn meal: this is gotten by crushing or grinding grains of corn into powder or desired texture.
• Mineral salt: this is the normal table salt and they are always required in little quantities.
• Vitamin supplement: it exists in different types, you can find it in vetinary shops or places where drugs for livestocks are sold. They are always required in little quantities.
Ingredients required to produce layers feed
• Corn meal - 6.5kg
• Protein meal - 2kg
• Fish meal - 500g
• Palm oil - 400g
• Bone meal - 500g
• Mineral salt - 50g
• Vitamin supplement - 50g
Ingredients required to produce Broilers feed
• Corn meal - 5.5kg
• Protein meal - 3.4kg
• Fish meal - 500g
• Calcium powder (Caco3) or bone meal - 230g
• Vitamin supplement - 340g
Note: feed for little chicks can also prepared with the same ingredients used to make layer's feed, but all the ingredients need to be grinded into little bits, so as to ease swallowing of feed.
Equipments
• A clean bowl
• Turning stick (optional)
• Sacks or nylon for packaging
Preparation
• Step 1: measure the ingredients into the bowl
• Step 2: stir it vigorously with a turning stick, you can also use you hand
• Step 3: store in a dry sack or clean nylon
Conclusion
You may decide to pack the poultry feed and pack it in white nylon for sale.
