Poultry Farming Business in Nigeria Is one of the most lucrative businesses you can start today.
In this article we’ll guide you through the Advantages, Challenges and how to start a successful poultry farm.
Nigeria’s poultry industry is worth over N2.1 trillion as of 2019.
Nigeria’s egg production is the largest in Africa followed by South Africa.
Before we begin I’ll like to answer a few questions;
What is Poultry Farming
It is the act of raising Domesticated birds like “chicken, Ducks, Turkey” etc for the purpose of consuming their eggs, meat or selling.
Advantages and Benefits of Poultry Farming Business in Nigeria
Before you venture into this business it is vital that you know what you stand to gain and the benefits of poultry farming;
1. Poultry Farm Animals lay lots of eggs
An average layer produces at least one egg In the space of two days.
Imagine you have a farm with 2000 matured layers ready to produce eggs, you should be getting at least 1800-2000 eggs every two days.
With the cost of an egg now #50 assuming you choose to sell at the rate of #35-#40 per egg that would give you around #63000 – #72000.
2. The price for matured poultry products are very high
One good thing about poultry farming is that there is always an available market.
With the average price for a mature chicken ranging from #2500 – #3500 naira (even higher during the festive period),
Take for instance you have 5000 matured birds ready for sale, that would give you an estimated sum of between #12,500,000 – #17,500,000 and that is a lot of money in Nigeria.
3. Meat is very important
Nigeria is country with over 180 million people, there is a daily demand for thousands of poultry products everyday.
Restaurants also need meat to serve the food of customers.
Turkey and chicken the most sought-For after beef.
Even doctors advise people above 50 to stay away from red meat and increase white meat intake (chicken and turkey).
4. These poultry farm animals grow fast
It only takes around 21 – 24 weeks for an average chicken to be fully grown and ready for sale.
Compared to other farm animals that is an exponential growth.
The chickens hatch In about 21 days and even in lesser days if incubators are used.
With this calculation you would be having at least a new chick every two to three weeks.
Now assume you have 1000 mature birds ready to hatch, that would give you a grand total of 3000 poultry birds
(including both the newly hatched and the existing birds) in the space of one month i.e 3x your existing birds In one month.
How to be a successful poultry farmer
Now that we have an idea of what poultry farming entails how lucrative it can be, is time to see how to start a successful poultry farm.
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How to start Poultry Farming In Nigeria
Starting a poultry farm in Nigeria might seems easy, One would say all you need do is buy them, feed them and sell them when they are mature.
However, without an adequate knowledge on poultry farming, you might end up killing the birds.
Yes, unintentionally, losing all of your capital investment before harvesting.
To be a successful poultry farmer you need detailed knowledge and proper study about poultry farming in Nigeria.
Below is guide and steps on how to start a successful poultry farm and how lucrative it can be;
Step 1 – Choosing The Type Of Poultry Bird To Rear
This is the first step you need to take, It is important to have a clear picture of what type of poultry breeds you want to farm.
Types of Poultry Farming
Poultry farming is of different types such as duck rearing, rearing chicken, quails, turkey, emu, broiler, etc.
However, the principles and practices underlying are almost or practically the same.
As mentioned earlier, poultry farming entails both egg production and chicken farming.
Either you want to rare Broiler or layers, aside from locally grown chickens, there are two major breeds that are common among poultry farmers.
Broilers: Young males and Females raised for meat, They grow from a hatch weight of 40 g to a weight of approximately 1.5 to 2 kg within 6 weeks only.
Layers: Hens used for commercial egg production and then killed for meat.
They start laying eggs at the age of 18-19 weeks and continue until they are 72-78 weeks of age.
Cockerels: Cockerels can survive in many environments and Just like the broilers, cockerels are also for meat production though its growth is very slow.
Step 2 – Location/Site
Where your poultry farm is situated is very important for your business.
Don’t put them in a congested place, The size of your farmland should correspond with the number you’re putting.
You can start with what you have like your backyard but make it a priority to get a better farm as soon as you can afford it.
It should be calm and pollution free environment.
The farm must have adequate, clean and fresh drinking water sources nearby.
Also, the site must be free of poultry enemies and predators like foxes and leopards.
The site must be easily accessible from main roads so as to ease the transportation of farm products when they are ready for sale.
Your farmland must be situated adequately to prevent the risk of flooding.
It should be spacious enough to permit free movement and running of the birds.
In addition, the shelter must be adequately ventilated and protected from sunlight.
Step 3 – Feeding and Medication
This is another important step you must take to keep the birds healthy so that they can grow fast.
Highly nutritious food is a must, Quality and neat feeds is required to keep them very productive.
Proper medication and vaccination can prevent many poultry diseases.
Contaminated feed can infect poultry which may lead to casualties.
Fresh quality and nutritious food is the key to success in poultry farming business, Your birds need not lack water.
You need to have a veterinary doctor that can come run a check on your birds regularly.
Step 4 – Marketing and Sales of THE POULTRY Birds
You don’t want your effort to go down the drain, every poultry farmer wants to make good sales after every harvest.
So you need to pay attention to the marketing and sales aspect of your business.
Do not be caught up in the operational aspect of your business so much that you ignore the sales aspect.
Nevertheless, the following ideas can help you in the marketing and sales of your chicken;
taking your business online, selling to hotels and restaurants, advertising your products, employing marketers, home delivery, etc.
Poultry farming in Nigeria for Beginners
FAQs
What is the Cost of Starting A Poultry Farming Business ?
Though the the start up cost for a poultry farm is relative, By contrast, a small-scale poultry business has a low start-up cost and rapid returns.
You can begin with as little as N50,000 (which basically to covers the cost of buying the day-old chicks and feeding them) and get a 100% return on your capital investment within six months.
And because chicks take only 21 days to hatch, you can start generating an income just three weeks after starting. Very few businesses can provide such a quick turnaround.
Poultry farming of chicken
Amongst all kinds of poultry farming “chickens, turkeys, geese, and ducks”, chicken is the most common one.
Farmers get a great number of chickens regularly either the egg for food, farming meat or selling.
What are the equipment for poultry farming ?
There are several types of poultry equipment available to farmers for successful poultry farming.
Proper management, care, and sufficient poultry equipment are necessary for the successful production of poultry.
On Afrimash, you will find essential poultry equipment including poultry water equipment like nipple drinkers and other poultry drinkers and feeders;
Poultry housing equipment like battery cages; poultry egg hatching equipment like incubators and so on.
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