Complete guide on poultry production

Many people have the mind to invest on poultry business, but they lack the knowledge of know how. 

Some have little idea but they are afraid of run into shortage at the end, you are lucky for reading this article, just because what you need to start poultry production are at your hand right now. 

What you need to do is just keep reading and you will have the potential here. Starting a chicken farming is a good job, cheap means to boost eggs and chicks production. 

This guide will help you with starting a chicken farm, either for meat, eggs or chick production. It is widely recognized globally that poultry and its product contribute to improved human nutrition and food security by being a leading source of high quality of protein in form of eggs and meat production. 

It acts as a key supplement to revenue from crops and other livestock enterprises, thus avoiding over dependency on traditional commodities with inconsistent prices. 

It has a high potential to generate foreign exchange earnings through export of poultry products to neighboring countries.

Materials requires in poultry production

Setting up a poultry farm requires some materials in which without these materials poultry production will definitely be impossible. 

There are common materials, as well they are not too expensive and so I believe everyone can avoid to have them. These are, Land, building, feeders, drinkers and the poultry birds.

Land: The first thing to put into consideration in a land, without this poultry production will not possible. Land will accommodate all other materials that are needed in the farm. 

Therefore, the first thing to have in mind is land, depending on the project, land sizes are varying from one to another.

Building: This is inform of house on the land where the poultry birds are kept. Either you are planning deep litter system or caging system (battery cage system). 

You cannot do without a building in poultry production, though they are of different buildings. What you need to do is to go far anyone that suit your purpose.

Feeders and drinkers: These are other materials that are used in poultry production, as the name implies they are used in feeding and to make water available for them at all time. 

Like other materials they are not to underrate because they play a vital role in the production system.

Poultry birds: This is the foundation of any poultry farm, no birds no poultry. Here is where many farmers having problem, just relax, you can get your birds from ministry of agriculture in your area. Apart from this, you can as well get poultry birds from breeders.

Poultry production and its management system

The system of management include the following, Free range system and Intensive system.

 Intensive system

These systems are used by medium to large scale commercial enterprises, and are also used at the household level. Birds are fully confined either in houses or cages. 

Capital outlay is higher and the birds are totally dependent on their owners for all their requirements; production however is higher. There are three types of intensive systems:

Deep litter system: birds are fully confined with floor space allowance of 3 to 4 birds/m2 within a house, but can move around freely. 

The floor is covered with a deep litter (a 5 to 10 cm deep layer) of grain husks (maize or rice), straw, wood shavings or a similarly absorbent (but non-toxic) material. 

The fully enclosed system protects the birds from thieves and predators and is suitable for specially selected commercial breeds of egg or meat producing poultry (layers, breeder flocks and broilers).

Slatted floor system: wire or wooden slatted floors are used instead of deep litter, which allow stocking rates to be increased to five birds/m2 of floor space. Birds have reduced contact with droppings and are allowed some freedom of movement.

Battery cage system: this is usually used for laying birds, which are kept throughout their productive life in cages. 

There is a high initial capital investment, and the system is mostly confined to large-scale commercial egg layer operations.

Free range system

80 percent of farmers keep poultry in the first two extensive systems. Under free range conditions, the birds are not confined and can scavenge for food over a wide area. 

Rudimentary shelters may be provided, and these may or may not be used. The birds may roost outside, usually in trees, and nest in the bush. The flock contains birds of different species and varying ages.

Draw out your effective business plan on poultry production.

Poultry business plan is like a road map leading you to where you are going in your business. It will help you know where you are at any point in time. 

Therefore your business plan should include:

1. Type of Bird you want to concentrate on, in poultry production

Here you choose Chickens (Layers and Broilers). I choose chicken because that is what this article is all about. 

There are other types of birds that are good for livestock business too, these include as Goose, Duck, Turkey, etc.

2. Put down your area of interest in a black and white about poultry production

You cannot just be in all aspect of poultry farming. You have to choose your area of interest where you would like to concentrate your business on. 

This will ensure high level of focus and professionalism in the aspect you choose. If you can do two areas, no problem you are good to go. Below are some of the major Niches in Poultry Farming globally.

Layers Breeding which is egg production by Layers, this is very lucrative one

Hatchery which has to do with breeding chicken for the purpose of hatching new chicks, here as well you can make a lot of money

Poultry feed which is producing feeds for other poultry farmers

3. Sort out a Location is one of the best things to do in poultry production

This has a direct effect to your startup cost. A location in a very remote rural area will cost far less than the one close to the urban area.

 Remote rural area with good road is the ideal location as you will be free from regulatory agencies and drive down the cost of labor too.

As a new person to Livestock business, you don’t want to invest all your capital into buying lands in urban area which may turn out not being used because Government policy is against setting up poultry farm near residential/urban areas for health implication.

4. Investment Capital on poultry production

With location in mind, you now have clearer idea of the capital required of you. Write down your detailed capital and investment requirements for your poultry farming and set out to source for it.

Like every other farming projects, the bigger you plan to start, the more investment required. You need to decide on the level of capital investment you are willing to commit into this business before starting.

Finally, if you follow what is in this article by now you will know that poultry production is easy and as well a lucrative business to invest on.

Poultry Litter Management

First and foremost, we need to know what is called poultry litter. If I may ask, every farmer must have his or her own definition. 

But in general, I will like us to take a good look at this definition: this is a mixture of poultry excreta, spilled feed, feathers, and material used as bedding in poultry operations. 

This is simple and understandable enough, so we will duel more on poultry waste, management and how to use them. 

To my surprise, some farmers are engaging in some costly mistake by allowing their poultry birds to feed on their waste. 

There are many risk associated with this, therefore I employ all poultry keepers to make sure that feeds are not contaminated with poultry litters. 

This issue is mostly occur in a situation where poultry birds are allow to roam on the floor, or where their bedding materials on the floor. 

I am not saying litter are not good, as well I not saying we should not use them in the poultry, what I am saying in excesses in that, we should be careful about this in other not to put the lives of our poultry birds at risk.

Effect of poultry litter on poultry feed

Here we are to identify the effects of poultry waste on the feed giving to poultry animals; you might just say they are animals. 

Yes you are right, but not just animals, poultry animals. Subjecting your poultry birds to the litter, is a very risk thing in which no farmer should allow such to happen. You may ask me why?  

The reason behind this is that is going to cost you so many things at the end, the end result of allowing poultry birds to feed on poultry litter (mixed with the feed) is going to result in one sickness or the other. 

By now you will know that, the outbreak of any diseases in poultry will surely require some capital. 

No outbreak of diseases in poultry that you will not buy drugs to combat, you know this will be additional to your spending, therefore try to guide against it.

Meanwhile contaminated feed by poultry waste is also a means in which diseases move from one place to another in the poultry farm ie the carrier of disease causal agents. 

To my surprise, if the outbreaks of any of these diseases are not well treated, in some cases if not in most cases result to the death of infected poultry birds. 

As well this may result in low production of the entire poultry farming system if care is not taking.

For instance, says you are into commercial production of eggs, at initial stage you are getting about 80% production per day before their feed and the poultry bed are contaminated with poultry litter. 

Now that they are infected with contaminated feed your production now dropped to 40% and bellow. 

By now you now the level of shortage at which you are running your business, in other to avoid this prevent litter from their feed.

Poultry litter and how you will manage it

Now that you are familiars with the risk that is associated with poultry waste been contaminated the poultry feed. 

What we are going to be talking about is how to manage poultry waste? What are the steps to take in other to properly manage waste from the poultry farm? 

To me, and due to the knowledge I have on poultry business, poultry waste management should be a weekly routine. You as a poultry keeper, make sure you remove the waste from the poultry farm every week. 

Do not allow the litter to be accumulated, why? As will emphasize in the previous chapter, they are the carrier of disease causing organism. 

Accumulated poultry litter result to a certain gas, which is dangerous to the health of poultry birds in the farm, this gas is called ammonia gas.

Now that is your weekly activity to park poultry waste from the farm, the question now is where do I put them? 

Removing the litter from the farm totally is the best you can do, but if you have no place to put them you can and must remove the litter as well. 

What I am saying is that making sure you remove the litter as well, how do you go about this?

Contact the waste management agency in your locality for assistance; though this requires littler charges you will be pay on monthly basis.

Benefits of proper poultry litter management

Now that you are familiar with the effect of poultry litter on poultry feed as well as the poultry litter and how you will manage it. 

It is time to say little on the benefit you will derive from proper management of poultry waste. Here are the possible benefits from proper management of poultry waste.

It helps to increase production both in capital and product, this simply means that you will save more from the product in the farm.

It prevent the outbreak of diseases from the farm, as well you will not spend more on drugs there by improve your capital.

Poultry litter is also a source of poultry manure, if proper managed may serve as another source of income.

In addition, proper management of poultry litter prevent offensive odour in and around the poultry farm which make the environment a conducive place to be.

These are few out of many benefits all poultry keeper will get from proper management of poultry waste. 

If you have any contribution or you are bless with comment, please drop it in the box, thank for taking your time.

Fowl cholera, causes, transmissions and control

There are many names assigned to this disease, either of these name are well recognized globally. The names include avian cholera, avian pasteurellosis and avian hemorrhagic septicemia.  

You might come across any of these in one way or the other, they are still refer to the FOWL CHOLERA. 

jaspafarm

Fowl cholera is a very contagious disease that is caused by bacterium multocida, this agent affect various species of avian family such as chickens, turkeys, and water fowl, (increasing order of susceptibility). 

This disease affect poultry farm worldwide, it was one of the first infectious diseases to be recognized in 1880 by Louis Pasteur. 

Adult birds and old chickens are more susceptible. In parental flocks, cocks are far more susceptible than hens.  Domestic birds, including pets or birds at the zoo, and wild birds can be infected. 

Fowl cholera usually strikes birds older than six weeks of age. Besides chickens, the disease (fowl cholera) also concerns turkeys, ducks, geese, raptors, and canaries. 

Turkeys are particularly sensitive, with mortality ranging to 65%. Clinical findings vary greatly depending on the course of the disease. In acute cases, increased mortality is usually the first indication. 

Affected birds have swelling of the face or wattles, discharge from the nostrils, mouth and eyes which may become “cheesy”, labored breathing and, in some cases, lack of coordination. 

The face, combs and wattles may become cyanotic (turn a bluish color). Other symptoms include depression, loss of appetite, lameness, diarrhea and ruffled feathers. 

Now that you are familiar with what fowl cholera is all about, it time to dwell on the cause of this contagious disease.

Causes of fowl cholera

I am very sure, if you understand the introduction of this article, by now you clearly know the causes of this disease. 

In one language, it is caused by the bacterium Pasteurella multocida. The amazing thing about this is that, the bacterium is easily destroyed by environmental factors and disinfectants, but may persist for prolonged periods in soil. 

Reservoirs of infection may be present in other species such as rodents, cats, and possibly pigs. 

Transmission mode of fowl cholera

The next line of action is how thus it moves within the poultry farm and animals? The route of infection is oral or nasal with transmission via nasal exudates, faeces, contaminated soil, equipment, and people. 

jaspafarm

The incubation period is between 5 to 8 days, as you can see, it take the bacterium a very short period to start affecting the birds. 

Symptoms of fowl cholera

How would you identify the occurrence or outbreak of this disease in you farm, the common symptoms are:

In acute cases, a green diarrhea can be an early symptom. The most typical symptom, in chronic cases, is the swelling of the wattles. It is more frequent in resistant local breeds. 

Rather than a general infection, localized infections are more characteristic. These often occur in the respiratory tract including the sinuses and pneumatoics bones, hock joints, sternal bursa, foot pads, peritoneal cavity and oviducts. 

The most typical p.m. lesion is the petechiae observed in the epicardial fatty tissue. Necrotic foci on liver are usually found and general hyperemia is common. 

Due to the speed of infection and mortality, birds are in good body condition and do not exhibit the signs of prolonged illness.

Other symptoms of fowl cholera are high temperature, ocular and oral discharge, purple comb and wattle, possibly swollen wattle; ruffled feathers, loss of appetite, coughing; nasal, swollen joints, lameness, sudden death.

jaspafarm

Treatment of fowl cholera

No doubt about this, God has been good to mankind, no single problem He has not provide a solution to. I am assuring you that there is way to treat infected farm.

 So if you are noticing any symptom of this disease in your farm, here is what you can do to combat the issue.

Many drugs are available to treat fowl cholera, such as sulphonamides, streptomycin, tetracyclines, penicillin, erythromycin. The disease often recurs after medication is stopped, requiring long-term or periodic medication.

Improve sanitation, the bacterium is easily destroyed by environmental factors and disinfectants as I mentioned earlier, but may persist for prolonged periods in soil. Possible infection factors may be rodents, cats and possibly pigs.

Last but not the least way of preventing fowl cholera is through vaccination program.  Inactivated oil emulsion vaccine for chickens and turkeys to immunize against Pasteurella Multocida Infections (Fowl Cholera). 

Indication of the vaccine, K Vac FC3 has been developed for use in chickens and turkeys. A dose of bacterin contains a large amount of inactivated Pasteurella multocida. 

Two inoculations, given In the late growing period, produce high levels of immunity to protect the flock through the critical early period of production when fowl Cholera usually strikes.

Finally, as you read through this article you will not be afraid of fowl cholera again, I know this article has provide a best solution to the problem of fowl cholera. 

Fill free to drop your comment if you find it helpful to your farm, and as well share it with your colleague in this field.