Here are 5 things you should know before starting this business

From setting up some basic equipment to raising the birds and marketing your business, you have to take every step wisely; because if you conduct your business carefully it will grow fast.

Nevertheless, it is important to conduct a proper feasibility study before starting this business because reading this article is not enough.

Here are five things you should 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. Your business plan should cover both the expected and the unexpected, which includes a miscellaneous budget to the actual budget in the plan.

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. Choose an area of interest

You should bear in mind that 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.

However, 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 your birds are well fed, because their growth, productivity (egg production), as well as their health greatly depends on how well you feed them.

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