Poultry: Ever thought of starting this business on a small scale? Here's how

According to agricultural studies, poultry birds require energy to grow well. And in other for them to get this needed energy, highly nutritious poultry feed must be provided for them.

They also need their vaccines, as prescribed by a veterinary, to prevent any possible infection.

Another important factor that must be considered when starting a poultry business is the need for you to conduct a proper feasibility study.

Reading this article is not enough and will never be enough. Know the ins and outs of the business by getting all the possible information you need from people who have been in the business for long.

It is when you’re done with your feasibility study that can then move on to consider the following guidelines.

Here are some of the things you need to know before starting a poultry business

1. Business plan

A business plan is a formal statement of business goals, reasons they are attainable, and plans for reaching them. It is here you plot every possible means to achieve success. And it should be the first step to take before any other step.

Your business plan should actually cover both the expected and the unexpected. A miscellaneous budget should be included in the actual budget in the plan, as well as possible ways to recover from an unexpected loss.

The type of birds you intend rearing and where to get them and their feeds should be included here as well.

In summary, you should map out every strategic move that concerns the business from start to finish in the business plan.

2. Conclude on an area of interest

If you’re starting small, you’re starting small. It is not possible for you to be in all aspect of poultry farming even if you think you can.

What is expected of you as a starter is to choose an area of interest and channel your energy towards the successfulness of the concluded area.

It is not as if it is impossible to do two at a particular time, but as a starter, it is advisable to focus on one.

Here are some of the major niches in poultry farming you can choose from

Layers breeding- which is egg production by Layers
Broilers breeding- which referrers to the chicken meat production by Broilers
Hatchery- which has to do with breeding chicken for the purpose of Hatching new chicks
Poultry feed- which is producing feeds for other poultry farmers

3. Location

Unlike most businesses where the location the of business plays a very vital role with regards to easy accessibility, it is not the case with poultry business. You can have your poultry located in a rural environment if you want, or a location far away from town as it will cost you less.

Do not forget that the location you decide to work with should be in a secure environment to avoid theft and unwanted encroachment. A fenced compound with a gate is usually preferable.

4. Build your poultry pen structure

After securing the location, your poultry pen structure should come next. It is okay to consider a low-cost poultry house since it’s a small scale poultry business we’re talking about.

Although it is not a must for you to follow any particular standard, it is, however, important to note that poultry housing is classified according to the scale and the management system.

And the most common types of poultry housing used for poultry farming in Nigeria are:

Deep litter
Half litter and half slats
Battery
Semi-fold

Also, remember that the importance of water supply cannot be overemphasized when building your poultry house.

5. Feeding

When it comes to poultry business, feeding of the birds is as important as the most important thing in any business.

Always ensure that your birds are well fed, because their growth, productivity (egg production), as well as their health greatly depends on how well their being fed.