There is no doubt that poultry farming business is highly profitable if it is properly run under acceptable methods and conditions conducive for the birds. Each type of livestock farming, poultry included, follows specific operational principles if they must run profitably, but when such principles are ignored by the farm management, it results in serious losses.
The overriding motive for starting any business is to make profit. It is unfortunate however, that many poultry farmers do not take the time to learn why some poultry farmers failed. It is widely known that many poultry farmers have been forced out of business when they could not operate profitably.
To achieve success in poultry farming, a lot of work is involved. According to an expert, “it is not a lazy man’s business.”
As a small starter, it is better to start with day-old chicks than with older chicks. It is advisable for a beginner to start with about 500 day-old chicks if he is interested in the production of eggs and selling off the layers when they are old. It takes about 18-20 weeks (5 months) to feed and nurture the birds before they start laying eggs. On the average, 100 birds will produce a minimum of 80 eggs daily. So if an entrepreneur starts with 500 birds and all the 500 survive, he will be getting a minimum of 400 eggs daily, which is good output. Once the birds start laying, they will do so for 74 weeks, after which they become due for disposal. However, the birds could still lay after 74 weeks, if properly fed.
Technical knowledge for running a poultry farm. Going into poultry farming without a practical knowledge of the venture is direct invitation to failure. It is very important for the would-be farmer to know how to keep the chicken or birds in an acceptable manner.
THE DEEP LITTER SYSTEM and THE BATTERY CAGE
These two basic housing methods are available. Both methods are good, provided that proper hygiene is maintained.
In the deep litter system, the pullets are placed on bare floor that has been covered with saw dust.
Careful consideration is given to the method applied in feeding the birds. Removing the dropping usually poses no problem. You can either pack off the entire saw dust with the dropping or cover the dropping with fresh saw dust.
Normally, the day-old chicks are housed using the brooder method before they grow up. They can be transferred to the battery cage when they approach their egg-laying period, or left in the deep litter floor.
The battery cage housing allows for the droppings to fall on a separate platform directly under the cage. It is uniquely constructed to make feeding and drinking quiet easy for the birds. The birds feed on marsh, which have been properly compounded. The marsh should be given according to an expert’s advice. In some cases, inappropriate feeding can lead to excess fat, which can result in mortality. In fact, defective feeding can lead to low egg production. In fact, it has been experienced in the past where a whole stock of birds produced no egg, due to wrong feeding.
Health
One of the critical factors that account for the success or failure of poultry farming is the way the health of the birds is handled. If the source of the day-old chicks, or the foundation stick is compromised, or the necessary drugs are not properly administrated, poultry farming can turn into a nightmare.
The intending farmer should seek (and take seriously) expert advice on the type of drug to administer on the birds as well as the dosage. When birds are hatched, there is a vaccination time table to be followed; if this is not done, the farmer that buys this stock from the source may have serious problems.
Again, the farmer should take pain to do it by himself or hire a qualified and honest consultant / veterinary doctor in order to get the desired result.
Cost Consciousness
A prudent poultry farmer must keep a close watch over the cost of running the farm; he must avoid unnecessary spending, which tends to eat away his profit. The labour, feeds, drugs and other input costs must be in line with standard farm requirements, otherwise such expenses should be ignored. All forms of wasteful spending must be eliminated, no matter how insignificant the amount may seem to the management.
The farm Manager
The farm manager should be a qualified person with a wealth of experience in poultry management. The management of the farm must be able to plan ahead its activities and be able to compare actual performance with the drawn plan in order to apply control measures whenever a deviation from the original plan is observed. It must not be an armchair management that cares less about what may be happening to the birds at any given time. The management should be sensitive to the conditions on the farm and be in firm control of all situations. The ability to act promptly and take the right decisions at the right time is indispensable for the farm manager.
Viability
The market for poultry products is quite enormous. This confirms the huge market that poultry products have in Sierra Leone. It is noteworthy that all parts of the birds are marketable including the feather and the droppings (for manure).
If a farmer starts with 500 day-old chicks and, say, 400 mature to the point of lay, the entrepreneur is bound to reap a fortune. On the average, 100 birds will lay 80 eggs everyday, meaning that 400 will produce 320 eggs daily. The poultry farmer should be able to identify both the immediate and potential markets for his or her products before starting the business otherwise the management might not be able to sell the products at the appropriate time.
It is not profitable to continue feeding chicks meant for a long time after maturing, without selling them. The eggs produced do not stay indefinitely without going bad. In fact, the shelf life of eggs is very short and if they are not sold off in good time, they may go bad, thereby resulting in loss.