SMALL SCALE POULTRY FARMING
LAYERS
They are birds that basically focus on the production of eggs, so if you're going into Layers production in poultry farming just know you are going be focusing more on egg production. It can either be fertilized eggs or non-fertilize eggs. If you're going into hatchery and incubation of eggs to the chicks, then you will have to consider fertilization, and this is where you introduce a cock to the layers (Female birds).
But in this post we will rather be focusing more on the aspect of producing the non-fertile eggs that are consumable and produced frequently by the birds at maturity usually between 5 to 6 months of age the birds start laying egg, one thing about layers is that they need proper care and attention, you have to monitor their feeding, medications, and everything about them including periodic changes in the body system especially that occurs during maturity when they are about to start laying, layers are hot-cake in the market as a good layer can lay up to 7 or 8months minimum of 1 egg daily (under a standard condition and proper monitoring) most big farms make it big in egg production both for consumption and hatching.
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| How to start small scale Poultry Farm business |
Well monitored and supervised 20,000 birds lay one egg per day you can imagine how much you will be making every day from your poultry business. Most eateries, restaurants, refreshment spots and hotels buy egg at a very large quantity, so you can be so sure of making your sale without stress. There is always a ready market for the sales of egg across the country and you can consider selling them internationally. Industries like paint and emulsion make use of egg as raw material. Another advantage of layers is that it can be sold as meat after they might have laid so many eggs and they become too old to lay (after you might have realized your investment and profits) you can still sell them out as meat (chicken) and bring in new stock of Layers to continue the egg production system of layers in your poultry farming the higher the number of your bird, the better result you can get out of the business (Layers production in poultry) now let talk about:
BROILERS
These are the meat producers; their gene and strain has been monitored and cross to be a hybrid and fast growing birds so they grow very fast and convert feeds to meat faster. So this means if you are in hurry and you want to breed for a short time make your money and start all over
Broilers are sold based on their size but they make better profit when process through abattoir into meat and exported to other countries, broilers are very fragile and they need much attention and care if you must succeed in this great investment you have to handle them with care, watch their feeds and feeding, neatness is very essential in their house, and most important due to the rate at which they grow fast within a short while, their feeds must be available in the feeding trough always "Al-Libitum" meaning (feeds are always in the feeder for them to eat), proper medication must be put in place to check the incidences of diseases outbreak and curb death, infected birds should be isolated in order to safeguard the other birds.
If you make such a huge progress in the 1st year of production you can equally increase the number of birds for the following production year and you will see how much profit you can make in the business. So now we've discuss on:
LAYERS AND BROILERS
Altogether, it is left for you to choose base on your preference which one will be better for you. Factors to consider in making the right choice:
1. Time availability and how busy are you? And how much are you ready to sacrifice for the business? How many years are you going to spend in poultry farming business? If you have a good amount of money and time then i suggest Layers production but if you don't have much time but you have money you can consider Broilers.
2. Labor force: are you going to employ people? Or you are willing to run the farm system on your own or family labour? Base on the system of farming you adopt you can determine this by yourself and as well, you can consider your level of production if it’s a multi-million-naira farm then you can be sure you've to employ service of other people and thus Layers is a good choice.
NOTE: Start with small scale Poultry Farm business and analyse it, how it works for you, but if you have good money for the investment, and time you can as well run a large scale Broilers and Layer Poultry farm.