1. Land,
Housing and Equipment for Poultry Egg Farming Business
The kind of housing you need and the size of the land will depend on
the size of your poultry egg farming project. When choosing the location for
your poultry egg production business, you have to balance the need for
proximity to the market, with the cost of land, labour costs, security, and a
good water supply. It is advisable not to locate the poultry egg farming
project close to rivers or streams as this may result in the pollution of water
by chicken drops during rainfall periods.
When you are planning to construct a layers egg chicken house, you
have to select a site which is well-drained with plenty of natural air
movement. Layers chickens cannot adjust well to temperature extremes, so it is
very essential that the hens be housed, cared and provided with an environment
that will enable them to perform egg production efficiently.
The design and size of the layers chicken house is determined by the
number of layers chickens being kept, the cost and the climatic condition of
the area. It is essential to house layers chickens of the same age together.
This is to prevent potential problems like high risk of continuous infection.
It also allows the farmer to administer the right feeds and follow the right
method of lighting for the layers chickens.
Your housing for the layers chickens can be barns, layer cages,
chicken runs or hutches. The kind of equipment you need depends on whether you
are using the deep litter system or the cage system in your poultry egg
production business. You should have equipment including feeders, drinkers,
lighting system and waste disposal system. You will also need chicken layer
nests where the layers lay eggs in. If you are doing the cage system, then you
will have to purchase the cages for your layers chickens. If you purchase layer
cages as housing for your layers chickens, the layer cages will already have
the laying nests, feeders, drinkers etc.
2. Point of Lay
Chickens/ Layer Chicks
Poultry Layers start to lay eggs at about 19 weeks of age. When
starting a poultry egg production business, you will have to make a decision of
whether you start with day old chicks or point of lay birds. You can buy layer
chicks and feed them till they are 19 weeks. However, it’s usually easier to
buy point of lay chickens (layers chickens which are ready to start laying
eggs).
You should purchase your day old chicks/point of lay birds from a
reliable accredited hatchery or company where the parent stocks are well
managed. Layers chicks from different hatcheries vary greatly in terms of
quality, and thus will be a determining factor in the success of your poultry
egg farming business venture. If you purchase point of lay chickens which are
not well vaccinated then the layers chickens will have a low rate of egg
production and a high mortality rate.
3. Layers Feeds
To lay well, the layer chickens must get the best possible feed.
Hens need plenty of calcium in their diets to lay eggs with hard, strong
shells. The feed for layers chickens is called Layers Mash. The mash is
specially formulated to provide all the nutrients they need in the correct
quantities. Feed must be available in the trough at all times, as well as cool,
fresh water in the bottles. On average, each laying hen requires 110g - 120g of
feed every day. The aim of the egg producer is to convert a given amount of
feed into as many eggs as possible. It is very important to give the layers the
right feeds, and the right quantities, so that they grow well and have a high
egg production rate.
4. Management and
Labour
The number of farm workers you need will depend on the size of your
poultry egg production project. If you are operating a small poultry egg
farming business e.g. 100 birds, you and your family may be enough to take care
of the birds. However if you are keeping 2000 chickens for egg production, then
you will need full time employees to manage the poultry farm. There is need for
good technical knowledge of poultry egg production techniques for success in
the business, and good management skills.
5. Capital
The amount of capital required for the poultry egg production business
depends on the scale of the project. You can get a loan from the bank, or
funding from investors, to use as capital to start your poultry egg farming
business. If you plan to raise capital from investors and a loan from the bank,
you need a good poultry egg farming business plan. If you don’t have access to
investors and bank loan, you can use your personal savings and start small, and
grow your business overtime. Egg production business is very profitable. If you
reinvest the profits you get, you can quickly grow.
6. Market for
Poultry Eggs
The demand for eggs is very high. Over 65 million tonnes of eggs is
consumed globally annually. That’s a lot! Eggs are considered an alternative
cheap source of proteins. Almost every household consumes boiled/fried eggs.
Increasing protein consumption and rising incomes drive consumption of eggs.
Around the world, consumption of eggs is on the increase. This increase is
particularly notable in developing countries where changing diets have people
consuming a greater number of calories from protein sources like poultry meat
and eggs. You can supply your eggs to individual households, supermarkets/grocery
shops, wholesalers, schools, restaurants, companies, organizations, events etc.
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