Do you know that poultry farming is one of the most lucrative ventures that you can make thousands of Naira weekly? Especially when it is setup and managed efficiently? Here are the few highlights of demands by major companies on the produce of poultry farming;
- Tantalizers
- Mr Biggs
- Crunchies
- Mr Biggs
- Hotels
- Fast food
- Restaurants etc…
This increasing demands for meat and eggs has truly proven that Poultry farming in Nigeria is not only lucrative but on the brightest spot of money-making business.
It is needs no further emphasizes to state that the poultry farming is for all and sundry irrespective of age, status and qualifications to earn consistent and steady money and equally provide employment opportunities for teeming youths out there.
It is a shocking fact to reveal that despite the increasing level of provision for chickens and eggs, the supply is not in equal proportion to the demands which makes some neighboring countries to be part of our supply chain in Nigeria.
That is a clear indication that it is the type of farming business that doesn’t bow to the universal law of season and time except humans stop existing.
If you really want to make money in within few month, the wisest decision is to invest in ’’POULTRY FARMING”.
Poultry farming in Nigeria is very profitable, and has the potential to generate high returns within a short time frame, due to the fact that chickens mature very quickly.
So let’s get down to the pragmatic moves and steps you can take to start this with little or huge capital.
For better understanding of techniques and mode of operation in poultry business, below are the branches of poultry business;
Branches of Poultry business
Choice of the type of poultry business you would want to start. There are basically four different branches of poultry business commonly available you can choose to go into, they include:
Broilers breeding
You can go into this branch for meat production. The day old chicks grow in less than two months
Breeding of layers: This is for egg production, chickens lay eggs for an average of two years and five months before becoming weak. They can be sold off at this stage.
READ: HOW TO START A PIZZA DELIVERY BUSINESS IN NIGERIA
Production of poultry feeds
This is another area you can do business, since the market is readily available.
Those in the business of raising day old chicks must buy feeds, all you have to do is to produce the best feeds and make contacts with poultry farmers.
Production of poultry equipment
This is a huge market on its own. Poultry equipment are so many, you can choose to produce some of them, they include:
- Feeders: the device for supplying feeds to the birds
- Waterers: The device used for supplying water to the birds
- Nests: The place chickens lay eggs.
- Cages: Boxes made specially for keeping birds
- Coops: a place where the birds are housed.
- Incubators: Device to keep eggs warm until they are
- Perches: Place of rest for birds
- Brooders or heaters A heated structure for raising young fowl.
- Waste/disposal system
Now you have an idea of the various aspects of poultry framing business, let us go into the nitty-gritty of how to start poultry farming and succeed in Nigeria.
HOW TO START
Are you planning to start your own poultry farm? If so, then you should enter the business well prepared by considering all of its aspects.
Right from setting up some basic equipment to raising the birds and marketing your business, you have to take every step wisely.
As stated above, Poultry farming is of different types. However, the principles and practices underlying are the same.
Below are some of the basic steps in setting up a poultry farming;
Decide On The Breed
Before you kickstart your poultry farming business, it is pertinent to have a clear picture of what type of poultry breeds to farm (most importantly, poultry breeds that lay a lot of eggs).
In Nigeria today, aside from locally grown chickens, there are three major breeds that are common among poultry farmers.
- Broilers: Young males and Females raised for meat. They grow from a hatch weight of 40 g to a weight of approximately 1.5 to 2 kg within 6 weeks only.
- Layers: Hens used for commercial egg production and then killed for meat. Layer chickens are raised from one day old. They start laying eggs at the age of 18-19 weeks and continue until they are 72-78 weeks of age.
- Cockerels: Just like the broilers, cockerels are also for meat production and have a special market demand but then, its growth is very slow, unlike the broilers that grow very fast. Cockerels can survive in many environments.
Acquire A Land:
Where your poultry farm is situated is very important for your business. To start poultry, you need a land. The size of the poultry farmland should be determined by the number of birds you want to rear.
If you have enough land at your backyard and can’t afford to acquire a new site, it is always better to start small.
You can start with what you have but make it a priority to get a better farm as soon as you can afford it.
When you acquire the land, you fence it to prevent thieves and unwanted persons from entering into your farm and stealing your birds.
NOTE: The site must be easily accessible from main roads so as to ease the transportation of farm products when they are ready for sale.
Provision of A Well Constructs Housing
A well constructs housing is the next important factor after getting a farm site.
A proper poultry housing is necessary for the protection and survival of your poultry birds. The Housing system you choose totally depends on the poultry breeds and farming method.
Housing design varies in accordance with various types of poultry raising methods.
READ ALSO: HOW TO START A TILES BUSINESS IN NIGERIA
The housing to be built should be spacious enough to permit free movement and running of the birds. shelters must be raised adequately to prevent the risk of flooding.
It should be spacious enough to permit free movement and running of the birds. In addition, the shelter must be adequately ventilated and protected from sunlight for healthy living of the birds.
You can hire my service to consult for the design and building of your poultry houses. Remember a poultry house design and building is not what you do carelessly.
Feeding and Medication Of The Poultry Birds
For commercial poultry production, good quality, highly nutritious food is a must.
Quality and neat feeds keep the bird healthy always and very productive. The feed must be kept clean and dry always, as contaminated feed can infect poultry.
Fresh quality and nutritious food Is the key to success in poultry farming business. Your birds must not lack waters.
Lack of adequate water supply can impede their growth. Adequate medication and vaccination can prevent many poultry diseases.
As a commercial poultry farmer, you need to have a veterinary doctor that can come run a check on your birds when the need arises.
There are various routine medications and vaccinations that help towards the healthiness of your birds to keep them safe from viruses and bacterial infections, peradventure they catch an infectious disease.
Marketing and Sales of the Poultry Birds
Poultry farming is a profitable business and the desire of every poultry farmer is to make good sales after every harvest. So, you need to pay attention to the marketing and sales aspect of your business.
Do not be caught up in the operational aspect of your business so much that you ignore the sales aspect.
Nevertheless, the following ideas can help you in the marketing and sales of your chicken; taking your business online, selling to hotels and restaurants, advertising your products, employing marketers, home delivery, etc.
Determine whom your buyers would be. Who are you planning to sell to. Market research helps you find out the best way to sell your products and make more profits.
Many poultry farmers target the festive period like Christmas, Easter, New year, and so on. For example, you can stock broilers at October-end if you want to target Christmas and have them ready for sale by the 3rd week of December.
Your target market will determine when to harvest or sell. If you select layer hen farming for egg production you will have a year-round market, as layers need over 52 weeks for the completion of the laying cycle.
COST
Many new businesses require a large capital outlay, which is not within reach of most business owners.
A typical startup business also takes a long time to produce a return on your investment. By contrast, a small-scale poultry business has a relatively low start-up cost and rapid returns.
You can begin with as little as N50,000 (which basically to covers the cost of buying the day-old chicks and feeding them) and get a 100% return on your capital investment within six months.
And because chicks take only 21 days to hatch, you can start generating an income just three weeks after starting. No other business can provide such a quick turnaround.
The bigger your project, the larger the investment required.
- Small scale – You will need around ₦70, 000 to begin rearing chicken on small scale (around 50 birds) and keeping them in cages at your residence backyard.
- Medium scale – You need about ₦500, 000 – ₦5 million to start a mid-scale poultry farm, which needs housing and other materials over land spreading 1-2 plots.
- Large scale – Around ₦10 million is needed for this type of intensive project. This will involve many birds ranging to many hundreds, a high degree of planning, use of equipment, professionalism and the use of advanced poultry farming techniques.
CONCLUSION
Commercial poultry farming in Nigeria has created and still creating a profitable business opportunity for Entrepreneurs and can provide a great employment source for job seekers.
Most entrepreneurs prefer to produce day-old chicks and sell them to growers, as this option is easier and less risky. The choice, however, is up to you.
As a business owner, you need to get your business finances right from the onset and at the heart of these viable business opportunities in poultry farming are platforms, such as our online invoicing software that helps you keep proper track of your business revenues and expenses with ease.
