Frequently Asked Questions about Poultry Farming

There are many frequently asked questions about poultry farming business. As an existing or beginner poultry farmer, you need to know about these poultry farming FAQs. Here in this guide we will try to describe more about all these poultry farming FAQs. You will be able to run your poultry farm successfully after reading all these questions and answers.

1. What is poultry farming?

Poultry farming is the process of raising domesticated birds such as chickens, ducks, turkeys and geese, primarily for meat and eggs but also for feathers.

2. Why is poultry farming important?

Poultry farming can create great income and food source for the poor farmers and young entrepreneur. Poultry farming business can create income source for the rural people within a very short period of time and it is highly profitable. Total investment is relatively less, but the ROI ratio is very high. That’s why poultry farming is important and its popularity is increasing throughout the world.

3. What is poultry farm management?

Providing the poultry birds with sufficient feed, water, shelter, health care and other facilities are very important for keeping them happy and productive. And all these activities right from producing the chicks and raising them for commercial purpose carefully is called as ‘poultry farm management.’

4. How do I start poultry farming business?

This is among the top poultry farming FAQ asked by the farmers. Starting a poultry farming business is relatively easy. Even the beginners can also start and operate a poultry farming business successfully. You can follow the steps mentioned below for starting a poultry farming business.

First of all, try to have practical knowledge about poultry farming from any of your nearest govt. or private organizations.

Then, select a very good location for your poultry farm. Selecting an area far from the residential area or town will be very good.

Build a good house in your selected land with all modern facilities.

Purchase all required poultry equipment after making the house.

Determine your production purpose. You can actually raise poultry birds for the purpose of meat, eggs or both.

Choose a good breed after determining your production purpose. There are numerous poultry breeds available for each production purpose.

Purchase birds from reliable and reputable suppliers or breeders in your area.

Always try to feed your birds with very high quality feeds. Commercial or ready-made poultry feeds are very good for this purpose.

Always try to provide your birds with fresh and clean water as per their demand.

Keep good contact with a vet in your area.

Try to determine the demand of poultry products in your area. And try to produce those products which has good demand in your local market. Generally both meat and eggs have good demand in the market.

Keep record of total costs and income from your business. Keeping records is very important for running a successful poultry farm.

5. What are layers?

Layer poultry are those birds which are used for producing eggs.

6. What is the best laying hen?

The Rhode Island Red chicken is considered as the best egg laying chicken breed with annual 250 eggs. But there are also some hybrids available which are very good for eggs production.

7. What are broilers?

Broilers are those poultry birds which are used for meat production.

8. What are dual-purpose poultry birds?

Dual-purpose poultry birds are those birds which are used for both meat and eggs production.

9. How many years do chickens live?

Average lifespan of a chicken generally is between 7 and 8 years.

10. How long does it take a baby chick to grow into a chicken?

Depending on the breed, it will take between 16 and 24 weeds for a baby chick to become mature and start laying eggs.

11. When do hens stop laying eggs?

Hens do not stop laying eggs with age, be their egg production decrease with age. Generally the hens lay eggs in good amount for 3 to 4 years. Although they can lay some eggs till their 7 years of age.

12. In case of raising broiler chickens, how long are the chickens raised for before slaughtering?

Generally the broiler chickens are slaughtered after their 8 to 12 weeks of age. During this age the chickens produce fresh, tender and juicy meat.

13. What do chickens eat apart from commercial feeds?

Except commercial feeds, the chickens also eat seeds, grass, fruits, grains, vegetables, flowers, worms and bugs, wheat, rye, oats, barley, corn etc.

14. What kind of human food do chickens eat?

Backyard chickens can be fed with some human foods such as beans, garlic, raw potatoes, onions, citrus fruits, kitchen scraps etc. The chickens also eat bread, kale, spinach, carrots, tomatoes etc.

15. How much food do chickens need per day?

Depending on the breed, average food consumption of a chicken is between 90 and 130 grams per day.

16. What not to feed the chickens?

There are some food items which are not good for the health of chickens. Some foods are also toxic for them. By the way, you should not feed your chickens with salt, processed food, raw potato peels, avocado skin, coffee, rotten food, raw meat, greasy food and chocolates. Some people also advise not to feed the chickens with garlic, onions or other strong food.

17. How much do you need to start a poultry farm?

Exact amount depends on various factors. But you can start with a minimum number of birds for testing purpose and expand gradually.

18. How much money can I make?

This amount also depends on various factors and very hard to tell the exact figure. But on average the ROI (return on invest) is very high in poultry farming business. The return from the business heavily depends on the investment and the number of chickens you are raising.

19. Can broiler hens lay eggs?

Yes, broiler hens lay eggs. But they comparatively lay less eggs than many other commercial egg laying breeds. Generally broiler hens lay approximately 140 eggs per year.

20. How long does it take to raise a broiler chicken?

Generally the broiler chickens become ready for slaughtering purpose within their 4 to 7 weeks of age.

21. How long do broiler chickens live?

There are not specific lifespan for a broiler chicken. The broiler chickens are most often slaughtered within their 4 to 7 weeks of age.

22. What do I feed the broiler chickens?

The broiler chickens are generally fed on commercial broiler chicken feeds. Their feeds are categorized into three groups which are starter, grower and finisher.

23. What materials can I use for building a poultry house?

The floor of your poultry house should be made of concrete, and the roof can be made of concrete, asbestos, hatched roof etc. You can also use iron sheets, palm leaves or grass for covering the roof. The walls of the poultry house can be erected using bricks, sand blocks, iron sheets, wood and mud. But ensure that there are no cracks in the floor of walls otherwise there would be a risk of parasitic infestation.

24. Do I need to sweep the house daily?

No, there is no need of sweeping the house daily. But you have to do it in a regular basis such as once a week or once after two weeks.

25. What materials can I use as litter?

You can use sand, wood shavings, straw etc. as litter.

26. How do I determine the size of my poultry house?

If you are planning to raise layer birds, then you will need about 5 square feet space per bird. But if you are willing to raise broiler birds, then you will need 2 to 2.5 square feet space per bird.

27. Can I keep the sick birds together with the normal birds?

In a word, no! You should not keep the sick birds together with the healthy ones. Keep the sick birds separate from the healthy birds.

28. Can I keep chickens of different ages together in the same house?

No, you should not keep chickens of different ages together in the same house.

29. How can I ensure the condition inside the chicken house is good for chickens?

By following some general rules, you can keep your poultry farm in good condition and make your chickens healthy.

§  It will be better if the house is in north to south direction.

§  Ensure good ventilation system inside the house.

§  Turn the litter material frequently for keeping proper aeration.

§  Provide your birds with enough clean and fresh water as per their demand.

§  Always provide them fresh food and clean the feeder on a regular basis.

§  Ensure maximum space is available per bird inside the house.

§  Regular cleaning and disinfecting the area is mandatory.

§  Check the house and birds regularly and separate the sick birds from the healthy ones.

30. What are the common types of poultry diseases?

Poultry diseases are categorized into 4 groups which are;

§  Behavioural diseases

§  Infectious diseases

§  Nutritional diseases and

§  Parasitic diseases

31. How can poultry diseases be prevented?

Common poultry diseases can be prevented by following the steps mentioned below.

§  Cleaning the house regularly.

§  Changing the old litter beds after a certain period of time.

§  Now allowing the wild birds into the chicken house.

§  Adding new birds very carefully to the existing flock.

§  Being careful when there are visitors to your farm.

§  Vaccinating your birds timely and properly.

§  Providing clean water and high quality feeds.

§  By giving adequate space per bird.

§  Keeping the pets away from the farm.

§  Creating quarantine area for birds with infection.

§  Isolating or removing the dead and diseased chicken from the existing flock.

32. What is a probiotic chicken?

The chicken that feed on bacteria lactobacillus and herbs such as palm juice, saffron, ginger, honey, brotowali, turmeric etc. are called probiotic chicken. Probiotic chickens are considered that they have lower fat content and higher protein content than the normal chickens.

33. What is grit in chicken feed?

Chickens do not have teeth for chewing or breaking the food they eat. The feed is swallowed and passes on to the stomach and gizzard. Most of the chickens eat small stones called grits which in the gizzard help the chicken to grin and digest the food.

34. How often do I have to deworm the chickens?

The common and best way of deworming the chickens is with flubenvet for every 3 to 6 months. Cleaning the floor is also important to prevent the grown of worm.

35. What foods are poisonous to chickens?

There are some food items which are considered as poisonous to chickens. Azalea, boxwood, buttercup family, daffodil, cherry laurel, daphne, honeysuckle, hydrangea, foxglove, ivy, lantana, sweet pea, jasmine, tobacco and tulip are considered poisonous to chickens.

36. What diseases can I get from poultry?

Poultry and people share the avian influenza, bird flu, campylobacteriosis, e. coli, salmonellosis and west Nile virus.

37. How much does a chicken cost?

Exact amount depends on many factors and the price can vary from place to place. Please visit any of your nearest market to know more about the current price.

38. Is it safe to keep chickens in your house?

Chickens are free-ranging birds. So, keeping them inside the house can make them uncomfortable and will disturb their natural behaviour. Instead of keeping them with you inside the house, you should keep them in your backyard in a good house.

39. How many eggs will my hens lay and how often?

Exact number of eggs depends on the breed and also on many other factors. But on average you will be able to get up to 250 eggs per bird.

40. How many hours of lighting is required for the laying hens?

Adequate amount of lighting is very important for egg production. Generally, about 14 to 16 hours of lighting period is required for the birds to lay eggs.

41. Why do chickens lay less eggs in winter?

Chickens lay less eggs in winter naturally. Because daylight decreases during this period, and the chickens shed their feathers and repair and restore their body. You have to arrange artificial light for your chickens if you want them to lay eggs in winter.

42. When do chickens lay eggs?

Chickens generally lay eggs during the day time.

43. Do chickens lay eggs when they are molting?

No, chickens generally don’t lay eggs during the molting period which is typically for 8 to 12 weeks depending on the breed. Feeding the chickens with nutritious food is very important during this time.

44. How many roosters do you need in the flock?

Roosters are not mandatory for the hens to lay eggs. But you will need to have one or several roosters (depending on the number of hens you have) if you want to produce fertile eggs for hatching. Generally one rooster will be enough for around 10 hens.

45. Is poultry farming business good for beginners?

Yes, poultry farming is very easy, and beginners can also do this business.

46. Are there any loans available for poultry farming?

Yes, but the condition and amount can vary depending on your location. Please contact any bank in your area for more information.

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