10 Costly Poultry Mistakes That Are Silently Killing Farmers’ Profit
In this post, I would love to expose 10 costly mistakes silently draining farmers’ profits, mistakes many farmers both intending or those already in the business don’t even realize they’re making.
If you’re already farming or planning to start, this post will save you from wasting hundreds of thousands of Dollars and years of regret.
Mistake 1: Having A Poor Record System
Your farm can never thrive with a structured record that tells the day to day activities on the farm. Most farmers can not tell how much they spend per bird rather they do estimation and this is where the losses start. Record keeping is not just about writing expenses it is about tracking patterns such as Feed usage, Mortality rate, Growth performance, Vaccine and medication schedule. When you have proper farm records, you can detect a problem before it becomes a disaster. Remember what you ca not measure, you can not manage.
Mistake 2: Improper Brooding Temperature
Chicks often die not because they were weak or low immunity in the first week of life but because they got cold or overheated. The first 14 days of a chick’s life are crucial. Temperature control is thereby significant to support life. The ideal temperature around the brooding house should be 33°C–35°C at day one and gradually reducing by 2°C every week. When the chicks are too cold, they would huddle and suffocate, while increase temperature cause them to scatter, lose appetite, and become stressed. Temperature management is the mother of all success in poultry.
Mistake 3: Lack of Bio-security Measure
Bio-security measures are the preventive steps put in place to safeguard the introduction of disease causing organisms which can eventually cause infection on your farm. You can have the best feed and the best birds, but if your farm is open to disease, it’s only a matter of time. Some of the measures that you can put in place on your farm includes; prevent random visitors into your pen, always use foot dips, disinfectants, and change footwear before entering your poultry house. And most importantly, separate your pen from your home.
Mistake 4: Overcrowding
Always ensure the space provided for your birds is adequate to accommodate them. You can’t put 200 chicks in a space meant for 100 and expect equal growth. Overcrowding leads to stress, heat buildup, and high mortality. A spacious pen is cheaper than treating diseases later.
Mistake 5: Poor Pen House Construction
Many people rush into pen building without consultation. Your pen should be constructed under the supervisor of a professional because the pen is the home for your birds so if it is built wrongly, even your best effort will fail. In building your pen house, the following are the criteria to put in place.
A good pen should have:
- Proper ventilation (inlet & outlet)
- Good drainage
- Correct orientation which is the east-west orientation
- Raised floor for easy cleaning
Mistake 6: Poor Feed Management
Feeding is another area most farmers get it wrong. Note that feed constitute about 70% of your total cost of production yet most farmers don’t handle it with care. Always ensure your feeds are stored in a cool, dry place. Avoid moisture because moldy feed can kill birds silently. Also, avoid switching feed brands too often. Your birds need consistency to perform well. In addition, the use of feeders that prevent wastage should also be used in optimizing your feeds.
Mistake 7: Poor Water Quality
Your birds depends largely on water for their existence as it helps many metabolic activities to take place which in return results to growth and good health. Bad water intake then equate to bad health. Always provide clean, cool, and treated water. Flush drinkers daily and check for algae or slime. The golden rule is if you can not drink the water, do not bother giving it to your birds.
Mistake 8: Wrong Vaccination Schedule
Vaccines are one of the bedrock for the long term success of your farm, so you need to keep an eye on it from the handling to the administration on the farm. Lack of knowledge on how to vaccinate birds can either leads to either overdose, under-dose, or miss vaccines entirely. Do well to get a verified vaccination schedule from your local veterinarian or animal scientist. Vaccinate early in the morning when birds are calm. A well-timed vaccine can save your entire flock.
Mistake 9: No Farm Supervision
Most individuals that invest in poultry business have fall victim of this mistake. They don not want to involve themselves with the business so they transfer the whole responsibility on the the person they hired. That’s one of the biggest traps. Even if you have workers on your farm you can plan to pay occasional visits to the farm and while on the farm observe the birds yourself, look for unusual sounds, smells, or behavior. A farm you don’t supervise will one day surprise you painfully.
Mistake 10: Not Seeking Knowledge
As the popular adage says “Knowledge is Power”. The biggest mistake of all is thinking you already know it all. The poultry industry evolves every year; new vaccines, inventions and innovations, research work and management tips emerge to help farmers do better in the business. So do not stop the habit of learning continuously to improve on what you know. Do not just grow your farm grow your mind.
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