This article is about how to start poultry farming. Are you looking for a profitable agricultural business?, then consider poultry farming. Poultry farming is the rearing of domestic birds, this includes: chicken (broiler, layers, cockerel etc), turkey, ducks, goose, for their meat or eggs for human consumption, they also produce feathers and manure for other purposes.

How to Start Poultry Farming for Beginners

You can start poultry farming on a small scale from the backyard of your house or start on a large scale depending on your finances. The following include the steps you need to take to start a poultry farming:

1. Select the Type of Bird to Raise

Chicken, turkey and guinea fowl are the most common types of poultry breeds that are raised and before you start your poultry farming you need to know the type you want to go for and the one that is of high demand in the market. For farmers who want to take advantage of the high demand of poultry meat and egg in the market then consider going for chicken (broiler or layers), because of its high demand.

Broilers and cockerels are reared solely for the purpose of meat but cockerel growth rate is slow unlike broilers that grow very fast. Layers are solely for the purpose of the production of meat and egg and they are highly profitable.

2. Choose a Suitable Farm Location

The location for your farm is important for your poultry business. Poultry farms should be located far away from residential buildings due to its odour but if you cannot afford a new site, you can start from your house, and then move to a new site when your birds start increasing and the demands get higher.

The farm must have a suitable and clean water source. The farm should be free of predators and other threats and it should also be free of pollution. And also the site should be easily accessible, it should be in a place with a good road for easy transportation of poultry products when they are ready for sale.

3. Prepare a Good Housing and Shelter for the Birds

Housing and shelter is one of the important factors to check out for after choosing a farm location. A good housing is important to keep the birds safe and secure and the housing system is determined by the poultry breed and farming methods you choose. There are different housing system in poultry farming, this includes:

• Free range: This method allows the birds to move freely around the farm in the day and they are kept in a shelter at night.
• Semi-Intensive: This system is partly free range and intensive because the birds are allowed to move around in the day and they are kept in their house at night for security.
• Intensive System: This system is used by large scale poultry farmers, it helps to increase productivity in different ways and make management of the birds easier.

4. Feeding and Medication of the Birds

To increase productivity, the birds must be fed with appropriate nutrition, they must receive enough care and medication when it is needed. The birds are healthy and productive when they receive quality feeds and the feed must be clean and dry always because polluted feeds can affect the birds. The birds also need to be supplied with enough and clean water.

You need to have a veterinary doctor as a commercial poultry farmer that can run a health routine check on your birds when necessary. Proper medication and vaccination will help to prevent poultry disease from attacking your birds.

5. Marketing and Sales of the Birds

Poultry farming is a profitable business and many farmers go into poultry farming to make profit. Although the cost of running a poultry farm is high for those that want to start on a large scale and if there is no proper marketing, there will be a lot of challenges and the business will be at a loss.  

There are a lot of channels which you can use to market your poultry products, you can leverage on your social media accounts like Whatsapp, Instagram, Tiktok, to advertise your business, you can also employ a marketer, sell to hotels, restaurants etc. You can also start on a small scale and tell your friends and families about your business, you can also use your social media accounts to advertise. And also you can increase your sales during festive period, by giving out discounts on your products, do home delivery and use other platforms.

The poultry farming business can be very challenging but you need to acquire the necessary knowledge, have the finance ready to start, and you must also have good marketing skills. And before going into poultry farming, you must know the cost that is involved, gain a broad knowledge about the business and ensure you execute your plan properly then you are sure to run a successful poultry farming business.

Conclusion

Poultry farming is one of the profitable businesses and it can provide a good source of income for those that are looking for jobs. You can start small depending on your finances or start on a large scale but you must do your research, acquire the necessary knowledge about the business and have your plan in place before starting.

Poultry farming has a lot of opportunities, you can decide to produce day old chicks and sell to farmers, you can choose to sell only eggs, you can decide to raise broilers for meat, you can decide to be a tutor and many more.

If you are a farmer, please ensure you register on Kochavagromart to list and sell your products globally. Register now on Kochavagromart.