What you need to begin poultry farming

  

Date Posted: 3/25/2019 2:29:34 AM

Posted By: Githiari  Membership Level: Silver  Total Points: 927

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Poultry farming is one of the best farming activities someone may think of , especially when a good track and trace process is implemented upon the back birds. Poultry farming involves not only chicken but also ducks, turkey, geese commonly reared in a confined structure.poultry farming is special and typical on its way in that doesn't require huge tracks of land. You just to serve them about two times a day and use extra time to continue with other life enhancing activities. Back on your mind when you think of beginning poultry farming, there must be questions you in normally do have including but not limited to how, why, when, where and which. You need to have a goal, say for example be the supplier of poultry and products within a stipulated time frame.
There require a timeline, and by this I mean establish a route which you will be following from the first step onwards. The footprints to mention a few can be the source,capital, structures, operational cost, market and many more. Risk handling should apply to curb natural calamities.


FACTORS TO CONSIDER BEFORE JOINING POULTRY FARMERS.

SOURCE
Whether you want to begin with chicks or mature ones, agree there must be that call or text you will send somewhere ordering either on small or large scale. That complies with the fact that your source has to be trustworthy, a point where guarantee is no choice but a necessity. Enquire before you can order anything, to be sure that the farm or hatchery has a good business record. I find it devastating to use you thousands coins and give zero return and a hundred percent loss within no time. On the enquiry list, include their price list so you be able to make a budget forward.

CAPITAL
Now that you have

a source and their commodity price list, get back to that Mpesa or bank account and check what you got left. Make a budget to fit on the quantity you wish to order, housing, feeds and drugs and all other factors that rely on money. Should you feel that your capital is insufficient, then you can borrow or narrow down your budget till a square fit. Remember it isn't a must you have millions in bank to begin. In fact some of the biggest poultry farms in our country today began with a number less than five but due to their focus and targeting a bigger goal they now can sit back and say "yes I made it". Why don't you imitate them to hit your destiny? You got the task.


HOUSING STRUCTURE
Plan a good cage that will go in line with your budget. poultry structures are selected a place free from draught and flooding. It is recommend that a mature hen occupy a square foot and the same for not more than ten chick under three months. In case you intend to begin with a variety of sizes, then it is your duty to make divided structure.


OPERATIONAL COSTS
Your budget is sketched, you have built a desirable structure, and the chicks are happily enjoying their new home, now what next? Your flock require food for just not that first day but the rest of their life. They need drugs, mineral supplement among others. That is your work too to ensure they are catered for:

Feeds
You are required to ensure there is stability in food and water supply, before they can even give you a minute return. Should it mean seeking for a temporary job or borrowing money, that's upon you as far as that flock enjoy best feeding regardless of whether it is rainy or sunny season. For those with sufficient capital, huh! You can purchase in bulk to see you through a couple of month by following feeding rates below.

0-1 month-15g/day(starter/chick mash
1-2 months-30g/day(starter/chick mash)
2-3 months-50g/day(growers mash)
3-5 months-70g/day(growers mash)
Mature layers-100g/day(layers mash)
Mature cocks-120g/day(broilers mash)
The above feeding rate applies when the flock has to rely fully on commercial feeds. You can reduce if you have an alternative supplement for economical purposes.

Drugs
Though they shouldn't bother you much, it is advisable you get prepared to avoid last minute rush and for a healthy flock. The commonly used drugs include dewormers eg piperazine, respiratory drug eg tylodoxyl, intestinal drug eg biosol, DCP( mineral supplement to curb egg eating and cannibalism), chick formula( to curb stress and maintain appetite in chick). Diseases like Newcastle and fowl pox require vaccination.

Veterinary Services
A veterinary personnel is required to vaccinate fowlpox. I guess you understand why you need to cater that. Though the disease is not common, it is better to vaccinate to remain on the safer side.

Heat Supply
Seasons of the climate keeps on changing every now and then. During summer, the weather at daytime is hot enough to handle your flock without any heat addition. Take the case of winter when every hour of the day is frozen, and you have chicks that just hatched some hours ago and you have no clue of artificial heat supply. That is a saddening story I can't even wish to describe . Make a plan earlier enough to avoid such fate shortcomings. Ensure chick's cage is good and able to regulate the temperature which is aided by a thermometer. Chick thrive well in a temperature between 25° and 28°c. Mature ones have no history of artificial heat supply not unless the temperature falls below 15°c for more hours, a strange scenario in Kenya.

Generation Maintenance
This is simply a formula that will see you have all ages in your stock to keep your customers satisfied every time they feel ordering any poultry product. Be flexible in breeding your birds to comply with about 60% of the orders you may get on daily basis by making an incubation schedule.

Security
This is the keeper of all we have on earth. Keep you poultry business secure from all evil shortcomings, keep their day to day record, watch their growth to keep them deterred from robber, hawk, and all other enemies attributed to poultry.


MARKET
You are a prominent poultry farmer in the country, your eggs are going into waste . Then you are prominent in a peasant lifestyle. Think of selling your eggs to brokers,supermarket, local shops,hotels and many more. Furthermore you can start your own poultry hub where you can sell eggs, and all that is concerned with poultry farming which i guess is the most profitable of all. Stop worrying where you will have to sell and start planning of how much you going to sell.

RISK HANDLING
This is a plan for the unseen occurrences in future. Such can be a foreign disease outbreak, flood, fire, theft. Such calamities just marries an insurance cover. It sounds disastrous losing a flock of a thousand at a go especially if no proper insurance cover.

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