7 Facts About Poultry Farming You Should Know
Poultry farming is an industry that has gained more traction in Africa over the past few years. It is the summary of the entire process involved in the rearing of birds for commercial purposes. Successful SMEs in Africa who are poultry farmers understand that the one vital factor in this industry is the realisation that they are dealing with fragile living things. This means that the birds need all the comfort living things deserve to thrive and produce the desired results intended by the poultry farmer.
In poultry farming, factors such as the availability of clean drinking water, good feed, adequate shelter, prompt medication, and good care cannot be overemphasised or ignored. From setting up some basic equipment to the brooding stage and raising the birds down to marketing your business, you must take every step in poultry farming seriously and wisely. Your diligence and dedication to your poultry business will undoubtedly yield positive results in the long run if you operate with the following facts in mind:
Provision Of Good Housing Facility For Your Birds.
Getting your poultry house design right will to a large extent, affect your success or failure in poultry farming for a long time to come. This is a very important factor, and SMEs in Africa who take this for granted will eventually have themselves to blame. Considering that Africa is a hot tropical climate, your poultry house designs ought to be well ventilated from all sides to ensure that your birds don’t get heatstroke.
Some parts of the house can be constructed with wire mesh to enable great ventilation. The additional shade should also be provided close to the poultry house, preferable tall trees above the poultry shed where possible. This will help reduce the intensity of sunlight, especially during the dry hot seasons, particularly in West African.
Temperature Control
Before you start poultry farming, in particular day old chicks, you need to pay attention to your methods of temperature control for your birds. Decide whether you are going to use electricity supply, gas heater, solar or charcoal as your primary source of heat because poor and inadequate brooding temperature is a sure recipe for high chick mortality and failure.
Most SMEs in Africa operate in regions with persistent power cuts and failure. So getting this right with your birds will go a long way in determining your success or failure with your new flock. Do not overheat or under heat your day-old chicks, or you may end up losing many of your baby chicks. Use the prevailing condition of your area carefully so that you will know the exact temperature to apply to your day-old chicks using a good thermometer.
If your birds are evenly spread out on the floor, not huddling around each other, this could be an indication of extreme cold. Conversely panting, stretching their neck flapping their little wings apart and moving away from the heat source is an indication of extreme heat. The point here is to provide adequate heat, especially during brooding of your day-old chicks. If you don’t provide them with enough warmth, you will most likely lose them.
The Availability Of Clean Water Supply.
The importance of water in poultry farming cannot be overemphasised. To give you an idea of my point, consider that water accounts for over 65 to 80 percent total intake for poultry birds, especially laying hens. The water they drink should be so fresh that it is changed at least once or twice a day. Eggs contain over 70% of the water, and this is why once your chickens start laying eggs, their water consumption increases considerably. Although it’s not advisable to keep your birds without food, it is far better for your chickens to stay without food than without water.
If your laying hens stay without water for just two hours, it can affect their egg production for several days. And when that happens, it will affect your overall profit margin. Giving your birds clean, clear water to drink always has an incredibly positive effect on their general performance. Water given to your birds should be free from compounds or substances that may affect or harm their production level. Multi-vitamins can be added to the water to aid growth and increase egg production. Vitamin C could be added during a period of extreme heat to relieve stress.
The Capacity To Feed Your Birds Up To Maturity Or Point Of Sale.
When feeding chickens always ensure that they have all the necessary nutrients, minerals and vitamins needed for optimal performance in their feed. The capacity to feed your birds here is not limited to finances; it also includes having the proper training on chicken feed formulation for every stage of their growth.
You need to intimately understand all the necessary ingredients required in the feed to make your birds stay healthy and to perform well. If you can, produce your own poultry feed but if not, make sure you buy from a reputable farm or credible feed manufacturers. When you cut corners trying to find a cheap substitute for your chicken feed, the repercussion could be very devastating. And your loss could also be huge.
Avoid Overcrowding At All Costs.
In your poultry farming venture, efforts should be made to provide your birds with ample space, good ventilation and a conducive production environment. Too many chickens crowded together is a recipe for disease and dirt and so should be avoided at all costs. Understand that in poultry farming, even though the number of birds you have on your farm counts, what matters a lot more is your careful planning and your attention to their numbers, so they don’t overcrowd.
It is vital to understand that you cannot overcrowd your birds at any stage in their development or it will be detrimental to their health, and you will end up spending money you do not need to spend. The result of poultry overcrowding can be fatal to your SME. Some of the devastating effects include poor growth rate, poor weight gain in terms of broiler farming, pecking, cannibalism, and a drop in egg production, to mention but a few.
Farm Location
One of the major determinants of profitability in poultry farming is site selection. You have to select a very good location for your poultry farm to succeed. Your location says everything about the success of your poultry. Poultry SMEs in Africa are best situated in rural settlements because in these areas the cost of land, labour and other resources are relatively cheap.
You can start your little poultry farm in your home and as long as you keep it clean and make use of noise prevention techniques. But once you decide to go commercial, it is better to look for a proper farmland to site your poultry. Your poultry farm is also best sited in regions with good transport/road network and access to water. It must also be easily accessible to you, your poultry farm manager or any employees tasked with the daily management of the affairs of your poultry business.
Poultry Breed/Hatchery
The breed of your poultry and its hatchery source goes hand in hand. Depending on the type of chicken you decide to rear, whether meat chicken such as broilers and cockerels or egg-laying type (layers,) you have to get a breed that maximises the potentials of your business and you have to get them from a very reputable hatchery with a history of good service.
The quality of the day-old chicks you get is your foundation for either raising healthy birds or unhealthy ones so you need to take this seriously. When buying day-old chicks make sure you research thoroughly. Ask a ton of questions about each hatchery you want to buy from and the breed of chicken before making a purchase. Weigh the birds before you pay for them as well. If you do this wrong, you have set yourself up for failure.
Conclusion.
In poultry farming, you should not underestimate the power of meticulous planning and proper considerations. Plot your business trajectory from the start and begin only when you have a clear picture of your business vision. Visit successful farmers that have gone ahead of you, make friends with veterinary doctors, and don’t stop asking questions. You will witness significant progress, and experience minimal loss if any.
