i

SOLUTION TO POULTRY

FARM

STEP BY STEP GUIDE

BANKOLE, DAMOLA M.

2019.
ii
 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dear friend, great farmers, brother, sister, father or mother and great minds;

This is Bankole Damola. M., Director of UNLIMITED MERCY FARMS AND

CONCEPTS. A graduate of Computer Science,
Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ogun State, Nigeria.
Just for the sake of acquaintance, I go a certificate of
training from National Institute of Freshwater
Fisheries Research, New Bussa, Niger State. I am also
a certified website designer, with certificate from
Joseph Ayo Babalola University (JABU) ICT
CENTRE. In addition, I have a certificate of
Entrepreneurship Training from African
Community Bridge Foundation, Abuja. I’m a
researcher, farmer, website designer, computer
operator, an entreprenure, Man of God, and General
LIVESTOCK consultant.

I have a strong penchant for teaching, apart from

being a business man, I have a mission on earth which is to train as many Nigerian and
non-Nigerians that are willing to be successful in poultry farming and other businesses.

My goal is to liberate much poultry farmers from the shackles of making avoidable
mistakes in their businesses and smile to the bank each day. I started business since I was
in 300 level that was in 2014, so business has been in my blood and I am pursing every
opportunity with passion and drive. Lets leave everything about me.

Now take every detail in this gold mine seriously because it has a way of making your village
people lose their power over you!!!! smiles.

iii
One good thing about this book is that, it contains marketing and business parts of poultry
farming. My goal is to make you a poultry entrepreneur. So in this book, you’ll not just
learn how to raise chickens, you’ll also learn how to be an entrepreneur.

That’s the reason why this book was written to help you with my little years of experience
in the Nigerian business and poultry farming world coupled with the experiences of my
mentor Chidera Emmanuel (Director, Hicents Consult). You may not know anything
about business or poultry farming but this ebook will enlighten you.

If you go alone into this poultry rearing business you may fail, but if you go with my book
on organic poultry (Solution to poultry business) you could use my knowledge,
experiences and that my mentors to succeed.

Bankole, Damola M.

07067668182

iv
ABOUT THE COMPANY

Unlimited Mercy Farms is birthed from Unlimited Mercy Concepts. Unlimited Mercy
Farms is a poultry business which deals with the production of poultry products (eggs,
layers & broiler chicken, feeds etc) and general farm consults.

Unlimited Mercy Farms is a registered company under the cooperate affairs commission
(CAC) with Reg no: BN2603353.

Contact info: 09054470355, 07067668182, 08082690501

Contact Address: Ikeye Village, Along Odeda Road, Agbetu, Abeokuta, Ogun state.

Email: unlimitedmfarm@gmail.com

Follow us on Facebook on: facebook.com/umfarms/

v
PREFACE

The advice I have for you is, don't see your poultry farm as just a farm. Instead, see it as
a business. It is not a farm, it is a business and everything a business man does to make
his business succeed is what you have to do.

Be serious, diligent and hardworking (I know you might not love to hear this, yet I must
tell you). Take proper account of your inflows and out flows, what goes out, and what
comes in, either money, chicks, equipments e.t.c.

And finally, be a student of business.

Believe me or you don’t, your success as a business man/woman (in any business),
depends on what you know.

I know what I am saying, if you can carefully go through this report and apply them you
wont have issues on your farms. I have been in this game called business for some time
now. People fall out and get broke simply because they don' t understand business and
they don’t know the secret.

Every business man is a business student. Business is a profession, just like law or
medicine. If you don’t know more than your competitors, you cannot make good money.
I wish you success in your endeavors especially this new year 2019.

In case you want to discuss or confide in me about your business, you can WhatsApp or
call me @+2347067668182.

No farmer, No Nation.!!!

Bankole Damola M.
Director
Unlimited Mercy Farms and Concepts
Motto: Your best farm products

vi
 TABLE OF CONTENT
FRONT COVER i
TITLE PAGE ii

ABOUT THE AUTHOR iii

ABOUT THE COMPANY v
PREFACE vi

CHAPTER ONE
BRIEF BONUS 2
INTRODUCTION 4
PEN CONSTRUCTION AND SITUATION/ORIENTATION 17
POULTRY BUSINESS PLAN FOR LAYERS/BROILERS 22
COST ESTIMATE OF FEEDING 100 BROILERS FOR 8 WEEKS 25
PEN DIMENSIONS AND MEASUREMENT 30
PEN PREPARATION BEFORE CHICKS ARRIVAL.. 32
REPUTABLE HATCHERIES TO SOURCE CHICKS FROM 38

BASIC EQUIPMENT YOU NEED FOR YOUR FARM 41

CHAPTER TWO
SELECT A FAVORABLE FARM LOCATION AND EXCEL WITHOUT HITCHES 44
WAYS OF RAISING MONEY FOR YOUR POULTRY BUSINESS 52
HOW TO ACCESS LOANS/AND GRANTS FROM FG/COMMERCIAL BANKS 55

CHAPTER THREE
RECORD KEEPING, ACCOUNTING AND PRODUCTION RECORDS 64
22 TIPS FOR MAKING YOUR POULTRY BUSINESS MORE PROFITABLE 75

CHAPTER FOUR
SPECIES AND BREED OF POULTRY BIRDS 84
STRICT BIO- SECURITY MEASURES AND ITS PRINCIPLES 103

MANAGERIAL SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES REQUIRED 108

vii
PROBABLE CAUSES OF DROP IN EGG PRODUCTION
(EGG DAY PERCENTAGE) 113
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR EGGS ARE SMALL 115

CHAPTER FIVE
LAYERS/BROILERS VACCINATION PROGRAMME 126
ORGANIC VACCINATION PROGRAMME /DOSAGE/ ADMINISTRATION 132
HOW TO PREPARE ORGANIC MULTIVITAMINS CALCIUM (MVC) 140
HOW TO PREPARE MOLASSES 140
HOW TO PREPARE ORGANIC GROWTH BOOSTER TO ACHIEVE
2-3KG IN 2 MONTHS 150

CHAPTER SIX
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CHICKEN/CHICK 162
10 WAYS TO REDUCE OR PREVENT HIGH MORTALITY RATE IN
POULTRY FARMING 183

IDENTIFICATION OF COMMON POULTRY DISEASES 187

CHAPTER SEVEN
ORGANIC REMEDY, PREVENTION AND TREATMENT FOR COMMON

POULTRY DISEASES 211

CHAPTER EIGHT
REQUIRED CRUDE PROTEIN FOR DIFFERENT AGES, STRAINS OF POULTRY 247
IDENTIFYING FEED INGREDIENTS WITH ANTI- NUTRITIONAL FACTORS 251
FEED INGREDIENTS SUITABLE FOR BROILERS AND LAYERS PRODUCTION 253
FEED FORMULATION FORMULA (DO IT YOURSELF) 255
LACTO- FEED FERMENTATION 263

CHAPTER NINE
HOW TO CONDUCT MARKET RESEARCH FOR YOUR POULTRY FARM 272
MARKETING STRATEGIES TO INCREASE PROFITABILITY IN YOUR FARM 275

viii
 MAIN CONTENT
CHAPTER ONE
Brief Bonus 2
Introduction 4
Pen Construction And Situation/Orientation 17
Poultry Business Plan For Layers/Broilers 22
Cost Estimate Of Feeding 100 Broilers For 8 Weeks 25
Pen Dimensions And Measurement 30
Pen Preparation Before Chicks Arrival.. 33
Reputable Hatcheries To Source Chicks From 38
Basic Equipment You Need For Your Farm 41

1
BRIEF BONUS

TREATMENT OF A PATIENT BITTEN BY ANY REPTILE OR SCORPION.

Though this has nothing to do with poultry business but you need the knowledge not
necessarily to be a herbal doctor but it can save you a whole lot.

YOU JUST NEED TWO THINGS:

ANY citrus fruit;

Lime/orange/Lemon preferably lime and

Any of Garlic/ginger/turmeric preferably Garlic

Remember you do not need Ambulance

You need to have these things handy for RAINY days, no one prays for such though. You
can always store these in the fridge or have the plants in your farm

DID SNAKE, REPTILE OR SCORPION BITE YOU, DO THIS

STEP 1

Tear the spot and ensure blood spills, then place the lime or any citrus around you there

to magnetize the poisons.(ensure the citrus is in contact with the blood)

STEP 2

Once you or your patient stop feeling the pain, remove it.

STEP 3

Then make a paste of garlic or any of the herbs above and rub on the swollen leg and in less
than 2 minutes, you start jumping
2
Everything will just disappear and off you go. This is exactly same thing you do for scorpion
sting

Remember, whether you squeeze or just cut the citrus fruit and place on the bloody leg,
the important thing is contact with the blood.

You will gradually feel the pain going out of you.

Please let's all try and have these things in our homes.

I don't joke with citrus fruits, they are always in my house. (Oranges, lemons, and limes
because they save me alot)

LET ME SAY IT AGAIN, YOU DON'T NEED ANY AMBULANCE, YOU NEED
NOT SOME CHEMICALS EITHER.

3
 INTRODUCTION

I decided to add this introductory part so as to give room for beginners to learn. I mean
no disrespect, I started like this as well. I will be taking you by the hand and showing you
how to make profit from poultry business.

PLEASE NOTE:

This NOT an internet copy and paste work like what you will see on web and this is NOT
going to be like other poultry business hypes and mere theories you have read before on
the internet. I have made previous versions of this book but because of time and other
logistic that were involved, those copies didn’t meet the taste of the potency of this book.
With this and many other factors, I have decided not to give it out for compilation/editing
but to spare some time and do it myself which is why I am typing this at 1:13AM.

If you're reading this Book about Solution Poultry Farm with the intention of starting a
Poultry Business (or before you make any serious mistake), I congratulate you. Make sure
4
you give all of your attention as I will share with you many things about poultry business
you may not find elsewhere.

Please forgive me as I will assume that you do not know anything about poultry farming
business before now, so I will start from the elementary.

NOW LETS GET TO BUSINESS

Poultry farming has before now confirmed to be a lucrative business, that you may be
willing to start a farm for your new source of income is not a bad idea at all. In farreaching
terms, poultry farming means raising various types of domestic birds commercially for
the purpose of meat and eggs production. Remember I said, it will be elementary based,
so understand that poultry products are among the major source of animal protein, aside
from beef, pork and fish.

Small scale poultry production justifies the animal nutrition demand for a family.
However, large scale or commercial basis poultry farming offer an opportunity for people
to earn big amount of money. That’s why there are many poultry farms out there. Poultry
farming is a suitable business for the people who are passionate about livestock farming,
keeping birds and who are comfortable with farm life. Please note that Chickens are like
babies (in fact I called the my babies whenever I try to describe them to my friends) so
they need your attention, love , care, support for them to become a major source of cash
inflow for you.

Poultry farming is highly profitable if you can run it properly under acceptable methods
and conditions conducive for the birds (your babies). Essentially farming business trails
specific operational principles for making good and ear-tingling profit. And when such
rules are ignored on the farm, the results is serious lose.
5
So before starting poultry farming I want you to understand something, in fact I want you
to know it deep down in your being that regardless of what you think about the Nigeria’s
or your country’s economy at the moment.

What I want you to know is that …….

THERE IS MONEY EVERYWHERE INCLUDING POULTRY BUSINESS

ACTUALLY, A LOT OF MONEY

“If you’re broke right now or your income is very little either as a farmer or as a newbie,
the reason is because you either don’t know this truth I am about to share or you’re too
lazy to take steps”

And that is why I wrote this book

6
At this point I will like to chip in that it is wise to learn more about any business you’re
into or desiring to be involved in. Take some time and try to understand why most of the
poultry farmers make good profits and some of them fail. Some of the farmers, especially
beginners have been forced out of the business when they could not operate it properly
and thus lose money. Successful poultry farming business involves serious work and it’s
easy at the same time. But it’s not a lazy man’s business. You have to do everything
timely and perfectly according to a plan. However, here in this Book am trying to discuss
details about poultry farming from beginner’s perspective.

I just hope you’re following.

NOW I WANT TO MAKE TWO ASSUMPTIONS.

First, you're likely to be reading this book with the intention to go into poultry farming as
a business and you don’t know where to start from.

Second, you're likely to have interest in rearing chicken for the purpose of meat, egg
production, feed production or even becoming a poultry consultant.

On these two assumptions will this book base.

Poultry products are in high demand. Poultry Business in Nigeria is a big business that
gives enough meat and eggs for daily consumption of people. Eggs and chicken meat
gives the necessary protein that the body needs. There is a popular slogan from the
poultry farmers association that goes thus “Eat an egg a day it is good for your daily
growth”. To be a poultry farmer means you can be a boss of your own.

7
FOUR COMMON CATEGORIES OF BIRDS (ALTHOUGH THERE ARE SEVERAL
OTHERS AS WELL)
You can start a poultry with namely;
Layers,
Broilers,
Cockerels
Turkey

WHAT ASPECT OF POULTRY FARMING WILL YOU LOVE TO START?

Broilers breeding.
This is for meat production. You'll grow your broilers and sell them out to the consumers.
Broilers grow so fast. Within 42-45 days, most broiler are grown and ready to be sold (I
will talk more about broilers and the best type of broilers in chapter six).

Layers breeding.
Here you are breeding your layer chickens with the major aim of having them laying
eggs, though you'll eventually sell them off after they are becoming weak and are no
longer laying eggs as expected (this is usually after 68-70 weeks, about 1 year and 4
months) (I will talk more about broilers and the best type of layers in chapter six).

Poultry feed production.

People in this branch of poultry farming are producing poultry`s food and selling them to
the poultry farmers

Hatchery
Here you have people who hatch chicken and other birds. This aspect of poultry business
is very important (though not common) because the health of a bird is determined by the
effectiveness of the hatchery process.

You can decide to go for any or combine them depending your capital.
8
NEXT THING IS!!!!!!!

PLANNING YOUR PEN CONSTRUCTION AND SITUATION

Poultry housing is not built with the same orientation as the one we humans live. It is not
what one wakes up one morning to build.

Poultry housing should have proper accessibility, safety, exterior appearance, and
appropriateness of design. These are important aspects of housing for your poultry
investment to thrive.

Poultry pens are mostly rectangular in shape and are built in an EAST-WEST
ORIENTATION i.e the longest axis is in the East west direction which helps to minimize
exposure to direct sunlight. Direct sunlight in the pen causes heat stress and eventually
mortality. Please avoid corrugated Iron, tin roofing sheet, use asbestos roof instead.

Before you begin to build your poultry house, you should consider how you will access
and maintain your poultry housing. You should choose a design that allows for easy
access to nests, perches, feeders, and water. Suitable access will make it easier to clean
all part of the pen.

BEFORE MAKING POULTRY HOUSING SYSTEM ONE SHOULD KEEP THE

FOLLOWING THINGS IN MIND:

 The house should protect birds from adverse climatic conditions.

 It should have easy and economic operation.
 Should have an effective disease control measure.
 You can do proper supervision.

9
BEFORE SELECTION OF LOCATION OF POULTRY HOUSING SYSTEM:

 Your poultry house shouldn’t be near residential and industrial area to avoid eventual
eviction especially in the middle of your business.
 It should have proper access with road facilities.
 It should have the basic amenities like water, feed and chicks transportation and
electricity.
 Wherever you can find farm labourers at relatively cheaper wages.
 It should be located in an elevated area and should not be any water-logging.  It
should have proper ventilation and should be in an open area

BEFORE MAKING LAYOUT PREPARATION:

 Layout should not allow visitors or outsiders vehicles near the birds.
 The sheds should be ideally located that the fresh air first passes through the brooder
pen, followed by grower and layer pen. This will prevent the spread of diseases from
layer houses to brooder houses.
 There should be a minimum distance of 50-100 feet between chick and grower pen
and the distance between grower and layer pen should be of minimum 100 metre.
 The egg store room, office and the feed store room should be located near entrance
to overcome the movement of people around the poultry sheds.
 The disposal pit and sick room should be constructed only at the extreme of the site.
 For poultry housing another important factor to consider is the poultry housing
system and fencing options.
 Poultry housing system determines around 40% of the rate of success and
profitability of your poultry farming business.
 A good poultry housing system is very important for the success of your poultry
faming.

10
THE FOLLOWING POULTRY HOUSING SYSTEM IS GENERALLY
COMMONLY USED IN POULTRY FARMING:

 Extensive Housing System: Free Range

 Semi Intensive Housing System: Standard Semi Intensive Unit and Open Run
 Intensive System: Deep Litter, Battery Cage

Explanations on Important Ones

Free Range System-: Under free range poultry farming system, birds are roaming around
on their own in search for food. This poultry housing system cannot be used for
commercial poultry farming because of high level of risks involved in it. This is mostly
done in backyard farming, where you allow your chickens to roam around your compound
and eat as much as they want. It saves cost of feed, however it is very dangerous as it can
easily lead to disease outbreak.

Free Range System

11
Deep Litter System-: This system involves spreading wood shavings on a concrete ground
with the chickens placed on the floor and the shavings serving as a ‘cushion’ for them. The
shavings is changed regularly, either by removing and replacing or by layering/raking. This
system is used by a lot of poultry farmers because it increases efficiency and it is easier to
manage large flocks of birds but it also allows the spread of diseases when there is an
outbreak and also makes it difficult to fish out unproductive birds.

DEEP LITTER SYSTEM

Battery Cage System-: As for the battery cage housing system, metal cages are made
inside a building to house the birds. The cages are generally split into different
compartments to keep small groups of birds. The cages also contain feeders and drinkers
12
as well as laying nests. Birds droppings fall on the floor and it is cleaned mechanically by
a scraper. This method is considered to be the most effective for layer farming but the
major downside of this method is that it is more expensive to construct and maintain in
comparison to other types of poultry housing systems.

Battery Cage system

PLEASE NOTE ALL HOUSING SYSTEM HAS IS OWN ADVANTAGES AND

DISADVANTAGES. YOU WILL HAVE TO CONSIDER ACCORDING TO YOUR
REQUIREMENTS AND CAPITAL

But which ever decision you want to make:

 It's very important to make available good housing system in poultry

 In order to protect your investment against adverse weather condition.

 Protect birds against diseases.

 It helps to keep birds in age groups for proper handling and effective management.
 A good measure to protect birds from thieves/predators
13
  Proper housing enhances maximum productivity in the poultry system.
 Good housing helps to increase the efficiency of feeding and feed utilization.  It
also facilitates easy management and care

NEXT THING IS!!!!!!!

POULTRY BUSINESS PLAN FOR LAYERS/BROILERS

In one hand, I would have loved to compare your intending poultry venture to giving birth
to many children. You will have to feed them, cloth them and house them, plus give them
proper medications… all these methodically.

And to be candid, if you`re not willing to take care of your chickens as you`ll your
children, maybe you should not start a chicken farm at all because you will be so
frustrated..

I remember then when I was managing my parent`s poultry alongside with them. Really,
they were our “children”.

THE COST OF STARTING A POULTRY FARM

If you`re a beginner in this business, you definitely have interest in this question.

However, as much as I will love to give you a straight answer here, there is no straight
answer.

Do you know? What a farmer uses to acquire land alone may be what another person will
use to start and run a profitable poultry business.

Land, which is one of the major expenses you will incur vary in price. This depends on
location.

14
What you have to do is to make your findings.

Every other instruments, feeds and medications you will need vary too, depending on where
you are living, so don`t let me make any futile guess that may confuse you.

This is what I want you to do. Make a list of everything you`ll need (from land to the littlest
vaccine) and move out to investigate their prices in your vicinity.

I know you may not know what and what you will need (since I’ve assumed you don`t
know anything about poultry farming business), so below I will make a list of what and
what you will need.

 Land/space: This depends on your intending scale (I mean size of your farm). What
if you have a large space at your backyard? It may be good to start with in a small
scale. I got a Six plots of land in my case for just #14,000.
 A waste disposal system: Where will you be disposing the waste from your farm
 A clean source of water: I mean clean (I have told you that you`ll have to take care
of your birds like children)
 Lighting and heat will be needed.
 Storage space for keeping your birds' feeds, vaccines and eggs.
 Those things you see them putting chicken`s feed on (Feeders, feeding trough)
 Where they drink from. (Drinkers/waterers)
 Nests
 Perches
 Egg trays or crates
 Vaccines And Feed Which Would Be Your Major Expenses

Before you start your poultry farming business, it is important that you have enough
details on the cost implication of the project. I have seen many people jump at such
15
projects without having enough details of what it would cost them and along the line; they
end up frustrated when they find out that the start-up cost is more than they bargained or
prepared for. With this reason I will advise that you write a business plan for your
business. Before I forget Unlimited Mercy Concepts which is the mother of Unlimited
Mercy Farms assist in writing business proposal, business feasibility study, business plan
all at affordable prices.

Back to Unlimited Mercy Farms

In order to avoid problem, it is important that you follow up thoroughly and also carry
out a personal research of your own; so that you can have full details on the costs of
setting up your poultry farm.

Business plan is a very important part of every business venture and that is why you hear
about it very often. Unfortunately, most people who think about starting a business
usually don't consider writing a business plan.

I have read from different business experts about the fact that most start-up entrepreneurs
do not write business plan but what I have not read from anyone is why this is so.

Why is it that most people have fear (so to say) about writing a business plan?

I know the answer.

You see, there are many myths and lies you probably have heard about the subject of
business plan. Some people present business plan as if it was a university thesis or an
academic report to be defended before certain professors. Other people think that a

16
business plan has to be 50 pages long and that it must be written in a certain “approved”
format.

Well, I am here to tell you that all those opinions are not valid. Because there are some ugly
lies around this important business step, most people are “afraid” of doing it

Journey with me as I will reveal the real truth about business plan and at the end, you will
discover that it is actually easy to write a business plan.

Why Do You Need A Business Plan?

There are three reasons why anyone may need a business plan.

First, if you`re about to start a business and you want to convince certain people to raise
capital for you. In this case, you want to use your business plan to “sell” your business
idea to the investors so they will be willing to finance your business.

Second, if you want to start a business and you`re willing to be successful. Though you
don`t need external investors, you obviously need to grow, to compete and to win the
battle of the market place. You need a business plan.

Third, you may need a new business plan because the economic or market situation has
make your last plans obsolete. Yes, business plan is not like an academic paper which
may stand for many years and still be relevant.

17
Your projections, plans or tactics are dependent on many factors that are beyond your
power and when things change that affect your business (positively or negatively), then
your plans also must be re-written.

How long should a business plan be and how many years should it be?
I am sure you know that my answer will not be in agreement with what you have been
told before and the reason is because, you see, most people usually see the world we are
as a formal world where everything has to be done formally.

That`s not true.

The world is not formal and every meaningful thing in the world is informal. Let me explain
with an analogy.

If you are chatting with me on Facebook or WhatsApp, you will be looking at my profile
picture and assume that you`re speaking with someone you`re seeing right in the profile
picture. But no, the man who you`re seeing wears a good suit while the real me is wearing
boxers and a signet.

You think I am formal, but I am not.

How long should a business plan be?

Depending on your objective and who will read it. The last business plan I wrote was written
on a five pages of A4 paper. I typed and printed it out.

18
If you intend to write a business plan for yourself and not to convince any investor, I
strongly recommend that you write your business plan in a single sheet of paper or two,
worst, three.

I know this is a strange advice so let me explain.

You see, human nature loves complexity while simplicity is the only valuable thing.
Anything that is too complex will give you stress and then become a burden on you, then
you'll abandon it … making it useless.

If you are planning to write a business plan for your own usefulness, you will have to
review it often (or else you won't even follow it), so tell me, which document is easier to
review, a ten pages document or two?

You know the answer.

What if you want to write a business plan to convince the investors?

Some people will advise you to write 50 pages and some other entrepreneurs might have
written 100 pages in the past, but let me tell you the truth, nobody has time to read your
thesis except the university professors.

The only people who have so much time are the poor people and I am sure if at all you
want to use your business plan to get an investor to finance your business, then you`re
talking about someone who is (probably) very busy.

Let me tell you this so you will understand what I am saying here.

Many CV have been given to me to write on behalf of job seekers in the past and I am
sure they would have submitted those CVs thinking, “I will impress the employers”. Well,
19
here comes the sad news … Most of the employers that happened to be my friend said
they have never read a CV, they scan through them.

I don`t have time, please. Those are their words.

Your business plan is like the CV for the job seekers. How long should it be?

Its again depends on who will read it. 10 pages may help you. 15 pages may help you, but
when you`re going beyond 20 pages, I am out!

If you forget everything, make sure you don`t forget this… the investors you will give your
business plan to really don`t have time.

How many years should it be?

Another area where people miss it. They are writing 5 or 10 years business plan. I laugh.
Think about planning for your agribusiness the way you think about goals for your life.
When I first learned about goal setting, I was impressed by that idea and I started by
writing 5 and 10 years goals. I was wrong.

It never worked. I later started writing one year goal and now I am writing goal for a third
of the year (4 months). The reason is simple… you`re a human being like all of us. What
you think/plan will happen will not happen the way you plan it.

Any agribusiness plan that is more than one year is actually questionable. That is my
opinion. Any other business expert may tell you something different.

So what and what should your plan contain? Before answering this question, permit me to
cross out a popular lie about business plan.
20
Most people believe that if your plan is well written, it will win you huge amount of
money from the investors. This is like telling a graduate, hey, if you can write your CV
very well, you will be employed in a big company.

That was then. I hate certificate and CV and every single time I have asked myself, what
can this man/woman render as value for us (as organization)?

Do you think I am the only one with this mindset? Do you think your intending investors
will be bought by a super-written plan? Think again.

Most investors will rather judge your five sentences than your 50 pages plans. That
doesn’t mean that you shouldn't write your plan very well. It simply means that you have
more to do than just writing a plan.

You have to understand in and out, front and back, up and down of your intending
agribusiness. In fact, the written plan is nothing but the abstract of what is in your
head, or else, you`ll fail in your attempt to convince business partners or investors to help
your agribusiness.

Okay, now let me tell you seven things that your business plan should contain. I will not
write any complex term or academic jargon here (because I believe the world is not
complex)

1. Your business name/title.

21
 This is obvious. Example… Agro Tech Poultry Farm`s Business Plan

2. Objective/summary.

They call this Executive Summary, but don't be deceived by this name. It simply means,
why you are writing this plan.

What do you want to achieve with your plan? If you're giving it to an investor, what do you
want from him?

Constructively state your objective here. If you're giving your plan to someone you want
to convince to partner with you, state your objective and if your intention is to get him to
finance your agribusiness venture, state that here.

3. Business description.

What and what is your agribusiness all about? What is your farming all about? What are
the future possibilities and threats in your farm? Describe your intending agribusiness
here.

4. Market strategy.

An investor expects you to have been familiar with your product/service and market, as
close as you are to your wife.

He wants you to convince him of your intending marketing strategies and that is the reason
for this face. How do you intend to win a good market share for your produce?

22
This is very important, even if you`re not presenting your plan to any investor. In the
business terminology, they will advise you to conduct a market analysis.

I hate to use big grammar.

What that simply means is that you should spend time to research and understand your
market, then position yourself with the tactics to win. That`s what an investor wants you
to tell him here.

5. Competitors` analysis.

Here, an investor will want you to convince him that you understand the strengths and
weaknesses of your competitors. Some people come up with a formula they call SWORT
analysis.

It simply means that you should analyses the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunity, Reward
and the Threats in the market place.

This will help you to know how to play your agribusiness game and if you`ll be presenting
your business plan to an investor, this will encourage him that you actually understand
your “enemies” and are able to kill them

6. Your people.

If I want to invest with you, won't I have interest in knowing who and who will be part of
your agribusiness team? That is what you will want to write here. Who will be doing

23
what, who will be handle what and who will be employed later to take care of what?
These are the answers you have to provide here.

7. Financial situations and forecasts.

Here you`ll want to write about the financial requirements of your agribusiness, amount on
ground now and what and what is needed.

Above you have it. A guide that can help you to write a good agribusiness plan. And you
see, all I have written here are by no means a “standard formula”.

First, you have to decide if you want to set up a small scale poultry farm or a very large one.
This is the first factor that would determine your start-up cost.

For instance, if you want to set up a backyard poultry farm, you may not need to spend too
much money.

You will probably just need to build a good cage for the birds, provide a good feeding and
water drinking system and then provide some warmth and security for the birds.

But if you want to go into large scale poultry farming, you would need a whole lot of
materials, equipment and tools.

Some of the things you would need include-:

The calculation I would be giving is based on feeds only since it contributes to up to 80%
of cost of production and does not cover costs of drugs, or building or labor and other
overheads.

24
It is based on current market price which changes from time to time and should be used as
a guide

A brief decription of the breed the type of breed are ROSS and COBB. I would
recommend ROSS 308 breeds of broiler for you in case you want to go into rearing of
broiler. I would talk about poultry birds in the next chapter of this book.

NEXT THING IS!!!!!!!

COST ESTIMATE OF FEEDING 100 BROILERS FOR 8 WEEKS

Broiler starter costs ₦600 fed for the first 4 weeks (I mean cost of feed+ DOC)

*DOC means Day Old Chick*

Broiler finisher costs averagely #1090 fed for the remaining next 4 weeks.(Cost of
feed from DOC to maturity)

Mature bird is sold at #2000-#2500

Maximum amount a broiler starter consumes from 0-4 weeks = 2.5kg

Maximum amount a broiler finisher consumes from 4-8weeks = 3.5kg

Cost of feeding broiler starter for 4weeks = 2.5kg X 100birds =

250kg/25kg (a bag of feed)= 10 bags X 3500= ₦35,000

Cost of feeding broiler finisher for 4 weeks = 3.5kg*100birds =

350kg/25kg (a bag of feed) = 14bags X 3500 = ₦49,000

25
Total cost of feeds = 35,000+49,000 = #84,000

Cost of raising a bird #84,000/100birds = #840

#840+250(cost of DOC) = #1090

A broiler of 3kg and above is averagely sold 2500-2700 (depending on your market).

2500 X 100birds = #250,000

#250,000-#109,000(cost of raising 100 birds) = #141,000(Profit)for 2 months

NOTE:THE HIGHER THE NUMBER, THE MORE PROFIT YOU MAKE

(I will talk more about formulation of in chapter 8)

This estimate does not include cost of labour, vaccinations, feeders and drinkers as the cost
implication varies with location and challenge in the farm.

Note: If you what to make good money from broiler business, you need to learn how to
formulate and produce feed by yourself instead of buying commercial feed from
companies (I will talk about feed formulation in this book, just relax and enjoy your
money).

If you want to estimate for 500 broilers multiply total feed cost of feeding broiler, i.e starter
& finisher and revenue by 5

You will get cost of raising 500 broilers

26
COST IMPLICATION OF RAISING 100 LAYERS UNTIL THEY START
PAYING FOR THEIR FEED

Layers basically have five feeding regimes

Starter 0-6 weeks

Grower 6-10 weeks

Developer 10-16 weeks

Pre-Layer 16- <5%production

Layers - 5%production-90weeks

Please Note that;

AT 0-6 WEEKS, A PULLET AVERAGELY CONSUMES 60G PER DAY

AT GROWER STAGE;6-16WEEKS (90G) PER DAY

THEN 120G FROM 16WEEKS & ABOVE.

FOR CHICK STAGE

60g X 42days (number of days in 6weeks)

2520g/1000g = 2.52kg per birds X 100 = 252kg for 100 birds in 6weeks 252kg/25kg
= 10.08 bags of feed

FOR GROWER STAGE

90g X 70days(number of days in 10 weeks) = 6300g/1000g = 6.3kg per
Bird X 100 birds = 630kg
630kg/25kg = 25.2bags of feed

27
Now, I would allow you do for layers, to be sure you understand the concept.

Cost of feeding Chick mash = ₦37,650(3500 X 10.5bags)

Cost of feeding growers mash= ₦89,250 (3500 X 25.5bags)

Cost of feeding layers mash= put the figure gotten here (until they start paying for
their feed)

Total Feed costs = (Do the calculation yourself ooo.. my calculator don spoil.. lol).

REVENUE FROM SALE OF EGGS. (ASSUMING WE ARE STILL WORKING

WITH 500 LAYERS STATED ABOVE)

Laying percentage = 85%

Total eggs collected for 455 days = 38,675

Total crates = 1290×#900(cost of one crate)

1290 was gotten by 38,675 by 30(number of eggs per crate)

Total revenue =#1,160,250

Profit per Month = #82,000

Pls Note: This estimate does not include cost of labour, vaccinations, feeders and drinkers
as the cost implication varies with location and challenges in the farm

Conclusion, therefore rearing layers is profitable in the long run, i.e in two years. But
then, you need to plan before investing in layers as your hens will stay for up to 18-20
weeks before they start laying meaning no revenue.

28
Hen can lay continuously for almost 2 years with average percentage of 85% and Broilers
reach market weight by 2 months.

Also I must say that all breeds (noiler, layers and broilers), I have seen farmers make a lot
of money from each breed.

How? Their passion and skills of rearing each type of breed has made them succeed.

FOR THOSE THAT WANT TO GO FOR BATTERY CAGE

Estimated cost for building 500 capacity battery cage

Required cages = 500 birds/120 capacity = 5 units

5 units of imported cage x 98,000 = #490,000

Do not forget the advantages of this system in a hurry despite the cost implication NEXT
THING IS!!!!!!!

PEN DIMENSIONS AND MEASUREMENT

One mistake most farmers do is overstocking not knowing they are actually welcoming
disease outbreak, cannibalism, easy mode of disease spread etc

29
SEE WHAT A TYPICAL EXAMPLE OF HOW A LOCAL PEN HOUSE LOOKS
LIKE

LOCAL PEN HOUSE

Once you are able to know your pen dimensions, you have solved some of your problems
in management. A poultry pen should not be more than 0.3m in height, the rest should be
covered with netting

FOR BROILERS: A matured broiler takes 2ft/sq space, 8.0cm feeder space, 3.0cm per
drinker.

First you need to know the space requirements of the feeders, drinkers and birds

FOR LAYERS: Laying birds takes 1.5ft/sq space, 8.0cm feeder space, 3.0cm per drinker
& perch space of 25cm

30
FOR BATTERY CAGE USERS: A unit which is 2.2mL, 2.4m width, height of 1.65m,
gutter of 2.1m, depth of gutter 30cm Please your house should be about 16ft High for
battery cage users for enough ventilation as the birds cannot air elsewhere except from
that particular point they are

Lets say your pen has a dimension of 30ft×50ft and you want to know how many broilers
that would be there

A matured broiler takes 2Sqft, drinker space 3cm per bird and 6cm feeder space

For easy calculations we would convert everything to ft

30ft
50ft
2Sqft for bird
3cm=0.0984ft
6cm= 0.1969ft

First you get the product of feeder and drinker space which is = 0.01942ft, add the answer
to the space per bird=2ft

So; 2ft+0.01942=2.0193

Divide your answer by the product of the area of your pen

30ft×50ft= 1500ft

So 1500ft/2.0193= 742 matured broiler birds in the pen with the above dimension Note

: you convert everything to a single unit first

31
 I know we may be confused with the calculation, just note that if 30ft by 50ft can occupy
742 birds then if you’re starting with 500 birds just use 25ft by 50ft and if you’re starting
with 1000 birds multiply the size of 500 birds to by 2 then you have your pen ready for
1000 birds.

NEXT THING IS!!!!!!!

PEN PREPARATION BEFORE CHICKS ARRIVAL..

Brooding simply means adequate care of Chicks from Day Old to 2-3 weeks depending on
the weather conditions

BROODER

32
BROODING TECHNIQUES

Like I said on the first chapter, adequate care should be given to the chicks because they are
new born baby.

The first 7 days are the most critical times in your chicks life, adequate provisions should
be made without cutting corners or short cut, when you try to cut corners, you will
certainly pay for the consequences with your investment.

Even the Holy Bible said it "it's righteous to take care of livestocks" (Prov 12 vs 10) Do

not forget to rest the pen for at least a period of 14 days before chicks arrival.

BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF THE NEW BABIES

 3 days before the new babies arrives, a residual insecticide is sprayed on all surfaces
 Fresh litter is placed (never use mouldy material) and its surface sprayed with a
larvicidal insecticide.
 24 hours before the new chick arrives, final disinfection is made for fresh ventilation.

PRIOR TO ARRIVAL OF CHICKS

 Clean and disinfect cages or floor brooding area and equipment, the building interior
and attached stores and equipment
 Check to ensure equipment is working properly and is adjusted to the right height
(automatic drinkers)
 Remove all old feed from bins, hoppers and troughs
 Disinfect and allow to dry before new feed is delivered
 Place rodenticide where it will not be consumed by chicks

33
Never allow wet litters in your pen, it's a serious pathogenic agent of bacterial and secondary
infections.

I WILL SAY IT AGAIN, DO NOT USE SAW DUST BUT USE WOOD SHAVINGS
AND AVOID EVERY FORM OF DUST FROM FEED, SMOKE FROM
LANTERN OR GENERATOR

 The room should be well insulated but not air tight to allow for light ventilation the
room should be well heated as cold can cause CRD
 Maintain a monitoring & evaluation worksheet: This will help comparing one lot to
the next and help identify areas that need improvement.
 Have a well-defined/regular feeding pattern: This will make sure the animals are not
‘stressed’ and weight progress is even
 Make sure the brooder/poultry house is well lit during the day and night. This
encourages the chicks to keep feeding and hence attain the required weight in time.
 It should be smaller but enough to accommodate the required number of chicks
 Note that the bigger the brooding house, the more heat will be required so the need
for chick guard or surround
 Because the chicks are unable to regulate their body temperature at that age,the
farmer needs to provide an alternative source of heat for them(hence the need for
charcoal pot, electric bulb, automatic heater etc)
 After 14-21 days the chicks are able to regulate their body temperature,so constant
heating of the house at that time should be reduced and done only on rainy days
 Stop heating the house after 28 days and then the chicks should at that time be moved
to the grow out pen.
 Observe your chicks regularly to check mate wrong/right temperature is correct.
(This is your business), since u may not have the resources to get thermometer.
 If they are too cold, they huddle near the heat source or closer to themselves, if they
are too hot they will spread away from the heat source to the wall.

34
  If they temperature is okay, they will be scattered around, you will see them playing,
eating, and even dancing sef.
 Sign for overheating: panting and drowsiness, stretching their legs & wings  Sign
for chilling: huddling and loud chumping.

BASIC EQUIPMENT YOU NEED FOR BROODING

 Feeding troughs. There are several options, choose the best for you.
 Drinkers: either plastic or metalic drinkers. Plastics are easy to clean and can last
long
 Enough lightning during the night. You may prefer having electric power available.
 A brooder for the day old chicks. A brooder can be within the main poultry house by
simply carving out a place for the chicks and removing the guards as the chicks attain
2wks
 A charcoal pot or heat-generating electric bulbs within the brooder to maintain
enough heat within the brooder during the night or during cold day times

SUMMARILY:

 Make available feeders and drinkers

 Source of heat
 Starter chick mash feeds and medications._

ASSESS YOUR CHICKS AFTER 24 HOURS!!!

In the period immediately after the chicks are introduced to feed for the first time,
(remember, you give water first with vitamins) they are hungry, which means that they
should eat well and fill their crops.

35
Assessment of crop fill at key times after placement is a good way of determining appetite
development and checking that all chicks have found feed and water.

Crop fill should be monitored during the first 48 hours, but the first 24hours after placement
are the most critical.

An initial check at 2hours after placement will indicate if chicks have found feed and
water. Subsequent checks at 4,8,12,24, and 48hours after arrival on the farm should also
be made to assess appetite development.

To do this, samples of 30-40 chicks should be collected at 3 or 4 different places in the

house. Each chick’s crop should be felt gently. In chicks that have found food and water,
the crop will be full, soft, and rounded. If the crop is full, but the original texture of the
crumb is still apparent, the bird has not yet consumed enough water. Target crop fill at 4
hours after delivery is 80% and at 24hours after delivery 95-100%

If you're getting less than this, check if you have less drinkers and feeders, check for
temperature (whether hot or cold)

Remember, any mistake done in the first 7 days is consequential to your investment, so try
to correct mistakes during this time.

Try to give optimal temperature to avoid CRD

36
HOUSE WASHING

 Thorough washing and disinfectant are necessary for complete removal of harmful
pathogenic organisms of previous flock stocked or rested pens or farms. A step by
step house cleaning could proceed as follows;

 Complete removal of all detachable mechanical and electrical gadgets as well as

equipment and utensils in the pen for dusting, cleaning and washing or servicing.
 Outright evacuation of litter, sweeping and dusting of the entire pens with a broom
or vacuum cleaner.
 1st washing of the pen using a pressure washer and broom starting with the roof,
wall/nets and floor respectively.
 2nd washing with formalin. Mix 3 liter formalin into 150 liter of water drum. Insert
the pressure washer hose into the mixture for washing and disinfection
simultaneously. Alternatively, disinfectants like vinkokill (1litre) or vinkoquat (2
litre) or klensol (2 liter) plus 150liter water can be employed for same purpose.
 In the 3rd day, Mix 3g of caustic soda to 150 liter of water in a drum. Splash the
solution all over the floor and leave to be washed off after 3 days; this makes the
3rd washing using ordinary water.
 Weeding of the pen surrounding should be done, Spray the perimeter with
insecticide and disinfect with formalin using Knapsack sprayer.
 During the 2nd washing, Deratization using rodenticide goes pari passu.
Indiscriminate traffic of human and animal to the pen is avoided except for major
operations in which foot dip use should be unavoidably important.

We have come to the end of brooding techniques, I believe you are now equipped and can
do brooding on your own

NEXT THING IS!!!!!!!

37
REPUTABLE HATCHERIES TO SOURCE CHICKS FROM

Just before Christmas, last year, some one came to my inbox complaining how he ordered
for broiler DOCs but got cockerel in return and that automatically ruined his high Hopes
for high returns in investment last festive period. It will not be surprising to say that many
of us have been victims of dubious agents who fake cartons and sell chicks at exorbitant
rates.

Enough Of Stories, Let's Get Started

Not to tarnish the image of any company but it's for own good. After all what Scientists
like us do is to compare results and give recommendations. I'm a fan of the following
companies and their chicks have no doubts performed satisfactorily over the years

AGRITED....I'm an ardent customer of the company I rate them 5+ star Both layers and
broilers DOCs

CHI...their birds perform good too most times have little or no feather, u may find it
difficult to sell their broilers at 6-7 weeks unlike Agrited. By 6-7 weeks they're still round
and small but av a good market weight

However, I think they have prob with NCD at the moment, many farmers have
complained about them and one of my close friends have had countless experience of
NCD setting in after 9 weeks

Zartech I know they're very good in layers but their broiler breeder birds currently have
genetic CRD

38
Other companies like AMO, FIDAN, OBJ MARSHALL (Male line) have been tested in
broilers and they recorded satisfactory performance

HOW TO KNOW FAKE CHI AND AGRITED CARTON!!

When u look at the carton by the side, u will see a stamp, try removing the NYLON there,
if u successfully remove the nylon and the stamp remains...know that it's direct from the
company, if otherwise, know it's fake

Incase you are having issues getting trusted agents, I could link you directly to the company
so that u can open account with them and place orders directly .

HATCHERY CONTACTS!

You can open account with some of this hatcheries with a minimum of *4 cartons for some*

Few ask for your presence, while some transactions can be done comfortably over the
phone. But the good thing about going to the farm is to liaise with bus drivers that would
transport the chicks for you & haggle price with them.

AGRITED; 08067115874
FIDAN; 08081999900
AMO; 07023245334
ZARTECH; 08075610000
OBJ MARSHALL; 08085384360
OLAMS; 07068257688
CHI; 07031002009

The last but not the least we have in this chapter is

39
BASIC EQUIPMENT YOU NEED FOR YOUR FARM

Equipment as you already know are tools you need for the smooth running of your pen.
You need to have this basic tools handy for you to get things done easily and timely. The
equipment I will be listing includes but not limited to the following...

 Feeders and drinkers, we have so many of them go for the one you can afford

• Water supply/Borehole

40
• Beak Trimmer: for cutting the beak of the chicken, I will explain more on it in later part
of this book.

Nest boxes

• Weighing balance (you're expected to weigh your birds weekly and feed intake daily)
• Perches/Roost (for layers)
• Sprinkler
• Thermometer( for commercial farms)
• Crates
• Brooms
• Sanitizers

• Disinfectants Rodenticides
• Wiring

41
• Shovel and rake
• Cage
• Wheel Barrow
• Mobility especially for sales
• Reservoir

42
CHAPTER TWO
Select A Favorable Farm Location And Excel Without Hitches 45
Ways Of Raising Money For Your Poultry Business 52
How To Access Loans/And Grants From Fg/Commercial Banks 55

43
SELECT A FAVORABLE FARM LOCATION AND EXCEL WITHOUT
HITCHES

SELECTING YOUR FARM LOCATION

Selecting a good farm location for your poultry business is very important. You should
select such a location which has all required facilities and favorable for your business. It
can be slightly far from the town, where land and labour is pretty cheap. But don’t setup the
farm too far from the town.

YOUR MARKET

Since what you want to sell is chicken and egg, a location near city and towns is usually
good. Why not city or town itself?

ODOUR AND NOISE.

Who can live near a big poultry farm? In fact, it's against the law in many places to have
your bird's farm near houses.

OTHER FACTORS TO ALSO CONSIDER INCLUDES:

Cost of land: As I have said earlier, the cost of land in some cities could be enough for
starting and running a poultry farm in some nearby towns.

Consider the above points to decide where you'll locate your farm. In almost any country in
the world that you visit, you would find a huge market for poultry products because poultry

44
products are regarded as healthy meals. Eggs for instance, are recommended to be eaten
everyday as a source of protein.

The profitability of poultry business is not a subject for debate because it is already
established that poultry farming is profitable. Whether you would make profits or not
depends on how you run the business.

One of the major determinants of profitability in poultry farming is site selection. You have
to select a very good location for your poultry farm in order to succeed. Below are important
factors to consider when selecting a site for your poultry farm-:

NEIGHBORHOOD

Nobody likes noise and strong offensive odors close to their homes. One of the ways to
quickly run into problems with environmental protection agencies is to site your poultry
farm close to a living area. Of course, you can start your little backyard poultry farm in your
home and as long as you keep it clean, you won’t have challenges but once you decide to
go commercial, it is better to look for a farm land to site your poultry.

Farm lands are usually out of town and the only neighbours you would have are other
farmers who wouldn’t be bothered with the noise or smell coming from your own farm.

45
SETBACKS

One other important factor to consider is the setbacks to provide in order to prevent water
quality problems and nuisance. There are recommended guidelines for setbacks. For
instance, it is recommended that you provide a setback of at least 500 feet from other
residences that are not poultry farms; for public areas and places like schools or churches,
the recommended setback is 1,500 feet, for public roadways 150 feet and for streams, 100
feet.

A visit to the local town planning office would further open your eyes to the rules and
guidelines to follow for setback provision.

UTILITIES AND PUBLIC AMENITIES

You would need some public utilities like electricity and water to run your commercial
poultry farm. Therefore, you have to consider the availability of these facilities in the area
where you have chosen to site your poultry farm. If these facilities are not readily available,
what would be the cost of providing alternative source power? If you are setting up your
poultry farm in a place where constant electricity supply is a fairytale, your story is sorry.
So, you have to look at the area and find out how regularly they get electricity and how
much it would cost you to buy a generator and fuel it monthly. This is very important
because unplanned electricity costs can cripple your business by seizing too much of your
profits.

ROAD NETWORK

Next, you must consider the road network in the place where you plan to site your poultry
farm. You would need to have access to very good roadsto ease the supply process.
Customers can get discouraged from buying from you if the road to your farm is too bad

46
and you know what that means. Make sure you choose a place that is accessible and has
very good roads.

TOPOGRAPHY

The topography of the area is also important. You have to consider how leveled the site is
because if it is not properly leveled, you would need to spend a lot of money on grading to
be able to get a well leveled ground for construction and that would shoot up construction
costs.

EXPANSION PLAN

Your business is definitely going to grow. Just manage it efficiently and you will see. Hence,
you need to start planning for the growth of your business; you must ensure that the site
you choose has enough space for expansion. For instance, if you start with 1,500 birds, soon
enough your flock would grow to about 3,000 birds and you cannot rear 3,000 birds in the
same space you used for 1500 birds.

Therefore, it is very important to plan adequately for expansion in this business. You may
even want to delve into other aspects of poultry farming in the future and you need space
to be able to do that. The same thing also applies if you want to add poultry feed production
to your line of business. You don’t have to start looking for space each time you consider a
new business plan when you should have already made plans for space before you started.

DRAINAGE

Ensure that the site has proper drainage system. Absence/poor drainage system may lead to
erosion and cause great problems for your farm. You should also take the slope of the area
into consideration; ensure that water would flow out of the place and not into the buildings.

47
WIND DIRECTION

The prevailing wind direction of the area would give you an idea of how much distance you
need to provide between your poultry farm and other residences. Like I already mentioned,
odour is a great problem in poultry farming and if you dont want your neighbours
complaining and reporting you to the authorities you must take steps to reduce the effect of
odours on your neighbour's residence and then use distance as a cushioning strategy.

However, you have to be careful when buying a poultry farm for sale. Some of the important
things you have to consider are

LOCATION OF THE FARM

You have to consider management of the farm when you want to make your purchase.

Poultry farming is a business that needs lot of attention and monitoring, the birds have to
be fed, eggs have to be picked and the birds must have access to clean water for drinking.
All this may not be easy to do if the farm is too far away from your home. The farm must
be close to where you live if you want to manage it yourself or have living quarters for
whoever would be employed to manage it.

PROXIMITY TO MARKET

You also need to consider the nearness to customers. You would most likely be selling eggs
which are best delivered fresh and that is just one of the reasons why you should choose a
farm that is close enough to your target market. You also need to consider the costs of
transporting your products from the farm to your customers. It’s not cost effective for your
farm to be too far from your customers because the costs of transportation would gulp down
too much of your profit.
48
CONSTRUCTION OF CHICKEN HOUSE

A well-constructed chicken house increases productivity. The sizes and the specifications
are very important. A lot of farmers engage the services of expert to advise and assist them
in construction of a standard chicken house but I don't think you need that again considering
the lectures we had yesterday. You are buying a poultry farm, you may not have control
over the way it would be constructed but you must ensure that it is well constructed before
you pay.

Like I said in the previous chapter, there are two major types of poultry houses; the deep
litter system or the battery cage. Each method has its own unique advantages and
disadvantages. So, before you buy a poultry farm, it is advisable to consider them.

SOURCE OF WATER SUPPLY

You must also ensure that the poultry farm you are about to buy has regular access to clean
water. The farm must at least have a well, a tap or a functioning borehole. This is because
regular access to clean drinking water is very important for the survival of poultry birds.

Dehydration is one of the fastest killers of chicken and if the farm doesn’t have a reliable
source of water supply, you may be forced to start buying water which would be stressful
and expensive for you at the end of the day.

ZONING LAWS

You must also check for the zoning laws and regulations of the area where the poultry farm
is located. For all you know the owner might just be selling because of zoning problems.

49
Therefore, you should conduct a proper investigation into the zoning requirements of that
area to be on the safe side.

COSTS

As for the costs, there are factors to be considered. First, you must know the value of lands
in the area and compare with the amount the owner is asking for. You may engage the
services of estate valuation experts to carry out a valuation for you. You should also
consider the costs of repairs and remodeling. If the costs of reconstruction plus the cost of
purchase would be close to the cost of building your own farm from the scratch at the end
of the day, then the latter may be a smarter option.

SECURITY

You have to consider the level of security of the farm. Most poultry farm site their farms in
rural areas very far from civilization because lands in these areas are cheaper but the
problem is that these places sometimes have lower level of security. If your poultry farm is
located in a bush far away from civilization, there are chances of robbery, thefts and even
threats to life.

Pests and wild animals are also threats to the security of your poultry farm. So, you should
ensure the area is free from pets, wild animals and any other type of security threats.

SPACE

Like I said before now, your poultry farm must be big enough to accommodate growth and
expansion in the future.

Space also promotes ventilation which reduces disease outbreaks and increase production
in poultry birds. You would also need a lot of space for storage and sorting.
50
Therefore, you have to consider the space factor when buying a poultry farm as well.

STORAGE

Lastly, you should go for a poultry farm that has its own storage space. When you collect
your eggs, you would need a place to keep them before you supply to your customers. This
is why you need a poultry farm with a storage space.

Conclusively, these factors should guide you in making a decision to make the right choice
when buying a poultry farm. However, if you are new into poultry farming, you should
consider hiring/renting though I professionally do not advise that.

51
NEXT THING IS !!!!!!!

WAYS OF RAISING MONEY FOR YOUR POULTRY BUSINESS

Its almost unanimous, the number one problem facing everyone before starting farming or
any other business is CAPITAL!

I will highlight below some of the ways you can get money to start your poultry business.

BANK LOANS
The most common way people get capital to finance their enterprise is through bank loans.
You open an account with a bank of your choice, have it operational for a minimum of six
months and you are good to go! You will be given a loan depending on the amount of
money you have been banking monthly at your bank.

Unfortunately since most youths or graduates do not have an income to deposit regularly in
a bank, I have a solution that can still help you get a loan from your bank. If you completely
don’t have any source of income or capital for farming you can look for atleast ten people
(this is the minimum number of people to form a youth group in Nigeria) you know, who
are aged between 18-35 years and form a youth group(common name meeting/Club)

Youth/Club group registration services are done all over Nigeria. By doing this your
youth/club group can easily get funding from banks by raising 30-50% of the money being
asked for.

FAMILY AND FRIENDS

One good source of business financing that is often *overlooked is money from relatives
and friends. A gift is one of the simplest ways of getting capital for a business. A friend or
family member might decide to offer you a gift of money to help out start a business or you

52
might initiate the process by asking. Though asking your friend or family member for a gift
of money may seem impolite, but when for a startup business, it can make sense.

You can also ask for money from a friend or family member with a promise to pay it back.
Its usually in accordance with certain terms and can be done with interest or without interest.
After asking for the money you promise to pay it back, over a set time period, and in
accordance with certain terms. For the sake of friendship and family ties it is always best to
handle this kind of loan the same way a bank would. This means it has to include a signed
agreement which is called a promissory note and a time period you will pay back the loan.

EQUITY INVESTORS

This is another way you can raise money to start a business. This methods gives you the
opportunity to give away part of your business to an “equity investor.” An equity investor
can either be a friend, a family member or anyone willing to invest in your bright ideas.
This will make you co-owners and thus share any net profits or losses generated by your
business.

SAVINGS

The urban lifestyle in Nigeria has convinced the youth that they don’t have money. Save
that 5000-10,000 naira you spend every weekend to party/drink. For youth seriously
interested in farming, saving this money for 7-8 weeks will be enough capital to set up some
small-scale poultry business or any other agribusiness. The Students here in colleges and
universities receive allowances from their parents, those who receive scholarship Grants
are even better placed to invest this money and reap the benefits when they graduate. Sadly
many students prefer to buy the latest gadgets and indulge in weekly (or daily) drinking
escapades.

53
GOVERNMENT YOUTH FUNDING

The Nigerian Government has launched various funding programmes that have been
designed to specifically target the youth.

Examples of these programmes will be treated in the next sub-topic.

Though you have to meet certain requirements for you to be eligible for funding. These
funding solutions can therefore go along way in jumpstarting your farming business.
In conclusion, raising money to start your agribusiness isn't hard.

You only need to think creatively on how to get funds and also I always advise that you
start small then expand your business slowly.

54
NEXT THING IS !!!!!!!

HOW TO ACCESS LOANS/AND GRANTS FROM FG/COMMERCIAL BANKS

There are basically three places you can access loans in Nigeria

From CBN Agricultural loans

From Bank of Agriculture loans

From Bank of Industry

From commercial banks

CBN AGRICULTURAL LOAN

This loan can be accessed directly from the Bank of Agriculture

Bank of Agriculture (BOA) loans

The Bank of Agriculture of Nigeria is the main channel that the government uses to provide
loans and grants to the farmers. When thinking of government loans, the BOA should be
your first choice.

REQUIREMENTS FOR BANK OF AGRICULTURE (BOA) LOANS

You must have maintained a minimum customer account relationship for about six months

You must have deposited at least 20% of the required loan amount into the account

You may provide collateral, depending on the amount of loan

You must submit a detailed business plan.

However, the requirements for obtaining a loan are subject to negotiations and may depend
largely on the feasibility of your agricultural venture.
55
Apart from the BOA, there are other ways of acquisition of agricultural loans.

The federal government through the Bank of Agriculture and the bank of industries have
partnered with different commercial banks to help farmers with the acquisition of loans.
Some of the commercial banks you can approach to access loans are:

Sterling Bank

Union Bank

First Bank

Zenith Bank

UBA

FCMB

Access Bank

Requirements for accessing loans from commercial banks

Open an account with the bank

Submit a loan application

Deposit at least 10% of the total money you applied for

Provide the bank with collateral (You discuss with their Agric officer)

Provide business plan.

56
AGRICULTURAL CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES

Another easiest and surest means of securing agricultural loans is through cooperative
societies. Credits given to these communities come as grants. (you don't pay back grants,
remember).

As a rule, the cooperative societies would be provided with the grants by the banks who
will then distribute it to each member on the basis of contributory payments.

Some of the most important agricultural cooperatives that you can join to access loans are:

All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN)

Youth Empowerment in the Agricultural Program (YEAP)

FADAMA.

Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) etc

Accessing government loans and grants from banks by cooperative societies are relatively
simpler the basic requirements include:

Form a cooperative society (Just like meeting/club)

Submit a loan application writing with the cooperative letterhead to the bank, the
application should be signed by the cooperative’s representative

Submit a business plan.

57
APPLYING FOR SME LOAN

You can access credit facility up to maximum of a N5,000,000.00 for your poultry farming
but it is a collateralized loan

REQUIREMENT FOR THE OPENING OF ACCOUNTS

Completed and signed Account Opening Form

Completed Mandate/Signed Card

3 recent passport photographs

A recent copy of Utility bill ( PHCN), photocopy only required

Signed Letter to the Bank

Signed Letter Of Set-Off

A photocopy of means of identification (National I.D Card, International Passports or

Driver License)

At least, a minimum of N3, 000.00 as initial deposit.

HOW TO ACCESS AGSMEIS LOAN

Interested applicant must have been trained by an Entrepreneur Development Institute

(EDI)

Interested applicant will apply for loan via an EDI

The applications will then be sent to CBN for processing

Applicants will be called for an interview regarding his/her business.

Those qualified will be contacted and given the loan.

58
NOTE: Loans may not come in cash, rather needed equipment will be provided where
necessary and cash where necessary.

For the loan repayment, maximum of 18 months. Loan limit is 10million naira

For those that are self trained or already in business, you can approach an EDI, tell them
you want to apply for AGSMEIS loan and they will tell you what to do.

Please note again that whatever state your business is/will be located is where you are
eligible to apply as there will be periodic follow up.

FOR CORP OR INTENDING CORP MEMBERS

In 2015, the Bank of Industry launched a campaign for young graduates who are taking part
in the NYSC program. The campaign called "The Graduate Entrepreneurship Fund has
several different purposes:

HOW TO GET IT (Max of 2Million).

Pass the screening process.

Attend the capacity building program which lasts 2-4 days and trains young graduates to
generate their own business models.

Fill the application form at the Bank of Industry.

Submit your business plan that has potentials of succeeding (Unlimited Mercy Concepts
Can help you write one).

You're good to go... I am a beneficiary of this programme so I can literally tell more about
the process. It is very easy. You still have my number I guess?
59
BELOW ARE CURRENT YOUTH EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMS.

 Npower.
 Youth Empowerment and Development Initiative (YEDI)
 African Youth Empowerment Nigeria (AYEN)
 Young Entrepreneurs of Nigeria (YEN)
 Youth Empowering People (YEP)
 Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria (YouWiN)
 Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Program(SURE-P)
 The FG launched another youth empowerment programme called P-YES.

The full meaning of P-YES is Presidential Youth Empowerment Scheme. The scheme is
structured as a Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiative driven by the Office of the Senior
Special Assistant to the President on Youth and Students Affairs (OSAPYSA). The program
is targeted at providing solutions to the challenges of youth unemployment, through the
execution of direct empowerment initiatives.

In case you're curious, P-YES is like the NPOWER. However, while Npower beneficiaries
are posted to publicly owned establishments such as schools, hospitals etc, P-YES
beneficiaries will be trained and empowered on certain areas of vocations and businesses.

P-YES GOALS The Presidential Youth Empowerment Scheme (P-YES) has been
conceived and designed to:

Fight and reduce unemployment among Nigerian youth by creating at least 774,000
empowerment opportunities.

Train and empower youth to have the capacity to empower at least one other youth within
his/her immediate community.

60
Registration for the newly launched scheme has been opened online. Interested applicants
may as well apply directly at P-YES office Abuja (see the address below this post)

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS AND ELIGIBILITY

• Applicant must be a Nigerian male or female between the ages of 18 and 40.
• Applicant must have a means of identification (National Identity card, International
Passport, Permanent Voters Card- PVC).
• Applicant must provide a Second Level Beneficiary (SLB) to qualify for benefitting
from the scheme.
• Ability to communicate in Basic English language and or any local Nigerian
language.
• Provable upright character and a stable mind.
• Applicant must provide a guarantor preferably a community or religious leader.
• Ability to secure the endorsement of a local government official.
• Beneficiary should posses the capacity to transfer knowledge and mentor pairs
within their communities.
• Applicants can be literate, semi-literate, SSCE, NCE, OND, HND, Bsc, Masters
holders

NATURE AND OBJECTIVES OF P-YES PROGRAM

The youth will undergo training in multiple vocations such as agriculture, Information
technology, fashion, catering, technology acquisition and many other strategic vocations

Successful trainees will be equipped with Seed Empowerment Tools (SET)s such as rice
mills, poultry accessories, branded mobile kiosks, farm implements, mobile restaurants,
tents, photography units etc.

61
APPLICATION PROCEDURES ONLINE

Visit P-YES application portal

On the menu above, click Application and choose “Start your Application”

Read other instructions on the page before clicking the “Apply now” link or go her straight

You will need an active phone number and email to fill the form.

After completing the filling and submission, kindly print your Guarantor form.

Visit the application page or go straight to link http://p-yes.gov.ng/

62
CHAPTER THREE

Record Keeping, Accounting And Production Records 64

22 Tips For Making Your Poultry Business More Profitable 75

63
RECORD KEEPING

Even if maintaining your small flock is a hobby, record keeping helps keep track of your
expenses. It can aid in monitoring the progress of your flock. Records are important to the
financial health of a business or operation. Efficient and profitable poultry operations are
not guaranteed by good record keeping, but success is unlikely without them.

Record keeping & accounting involves keeping, filing, maintaining, financial and
production information for your flock.

IMPORTANCE OF RECORD KEEPING

Records tells you where the business/operation has been and the direction in which it is
going.

Records show the strength and weaknesses of the business.

They provide useful insight to financial stability for your flock.

If there are any shortcomings, records will show where adjustments can be made.

PURPOSES OF RECORDS

 Measure profit and access the financial ability of your farm

 Provides data for your business
64
  Assists in obtaining loans
Measure the profitability of individual operation.
 Assist in analysis of new investments.
 Production of balance sheet
Compare performance of batches of birds
 Compare performance for selection
 Reference to previous Successes
 It helps in avoiding previous mistakes
 Copy standard procedures
 Reference for visitors, auditors, bankers etc
 Reference to drug efficacy to certain disease outbreaks
 Compare feed efficiency
 Profitability calculation
 Mortality rate calculation

Summarily, records assist in avoiding management problems, helping prevent potential

problems with your flock.

Farm records consist of three distinct categories:

 Inventory,
 Financial, and
 Production records.

All records are used to compile useful information that is used in record analysis for an
individual operation or the entire business.

WHAT YOU SHOULD RECORD

 The needs and size of your flock will determine the type of records you as an owner
should keep. Financial statements are an intricate part of record keeping. As a general
65
 rule of thumb, the larger your farm, the more detailed records and financial
statements should be kept.
 Regardless of flock size, records should always be kept uptodate.
 Examples of financial statements include:
 Flock Management Plan
 Balance Sheet
 Farm Income Statement
 Statement of Cash Flow
 Poultry Business Budget

Other records that should be kept along with financial records include:

 Where, when birds were acquired

 Poultry Registration Papers
 Age and number of birds in each flock
 Vaccination dates

METHODS OF RECORD KEEPING

Traditionally, growers have kept records by hand. In many cases, a hand recording system
is still useful for many growers. Yet, the use of computers and computer software has
expanded on farms in recent years because of better record accuracy.

However, as the manager, you decide on the system that best fits your situation.

Below are the advantages to both hand records and computer records.

HAND-RECORDING SYSTEM

 Low initial out-of-pocket expense

 Easy to start
66
  Requires only pen & paper

COMPUTER RECORDING SYSTEM

 More accurate & faster

 Much easier to create analysis

Whenever you begin a record keeping system, you must learn about the information
requested on each form.

MORTALITY OF BIRDS

Every day a record should be taken of any birds that did not survive.

FEED USED

Daily records need to be taken on the quantity of feed fed to birds.

COST

Financial records must be kept of any items bought or sold, e.g. feed, veterinary costs,
equipment, supplies, birds, etc.

VACCINATIONS

Specific vaccinations may be needed, depending on the bird and location of production
facility. An accurate record must be kept to ensure sufficient withdrawal times.

HENS REMOVED

Periodically hens must be removed from the flock when their productivity is too low or
when they are ready for sell. Be sure to keep record of which bird, when she was removed,
and the reason for removal.

67
EGGS PRODUCED

Eggs must be collected and recorded daily. Be sure to include any inconsistency noticed.

BROODING RECORD

Date chicks started: ________ No. chicks started: ______

Breed or cross: ________ Mortality (number of chicks that died)___________

Week Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Total

1st x x xx xx

2nd xx x xx

3r d x xx x xx

…..till after brooding

Total:________

68
RECORD OF FEED USED

Chick starter _______ kg Cost ________ ₦ Cost of fuel ________

Grower _______kg Cost ________ ₦ Cost of chicks ________

Developer Feed_______ kg Cost ________₦ Cost of feed ________

Other Feed _______kg Cost ________ ₦Other ________

TOTAL _______kg Cost ________₦ Total________

RECORD OF POST BROODING

Chicks dead to end of brooding period _________

Weight of feed used per chick started __________

Weight of feed used per chick raised ___________

Income (birds sold or used as broilers) __________

Expenses ________________________________

Net profit or loss ____________________

69
PULLET GROWING RECORD

Starts at 10th week and ends at the completion of week first eggs were laid

Number of birds at 10 weeks ___________

Mortality (number of pullets that died) _______________

10th week _________ 16th week __________ 22nd week __________

11th week __________ 17th week __________ 23rd week __________

12th week __________ 18th week __________ 24th week __________

13th week __________ 19th week __________ 25th week __________

14th week __________ 20th week __________

15th week __________ 21st week __________

TOTAL __________

VACCINATION RECORD

Date Fowl Pox Bronchitis Newcastle Cost

D/M/Year

x/x/xxxx x/x/xxxx

x/x/xxxx x/x/xxxx

Total Cost of Vaccination __________

70
 RECORD OF WEIGHT OF
FEED USED

Grower Other Cost

10th week x x Xx

till

25th week x x Xx

Tot al Feed Costs ____________________

PULLET RECORD

Number of birds that died during growing period __________

Weight per pullet for the growing period __________

Brooding costs __________

Pullet growing costs __________

Total cost to date __________

71
MONTHLY LAYING FLOCK RECORD

Date hens started to lay __________

Number of hens at start of laying __________

Number of hens that died or were removed from the f lock

1st month ____________________ 7th month ____________________

2nd month ____________________ 8th month ____________________

3rd month ____________________ 9th month ____________________

4th month ____________________ 10th month ___________________

5th month ____________________ 11th month ___________________

6th month ____________________ 12th month ___________________

72
RECORD OF EGGS PRODUCED

Monthly Totals Egg Sales

1st month xxx Xxx

2nd month xxx Xxx

3r d month xxx Xxx

…….. till you cull them

73
RECORD OF FEED USED
Feed Used Cost
kg ________
Layer ________

kg ________
Oyster shell ________

kg ________
Other ________

Total ________ kg ________

Feed per hen for period __________

Average number of eggs per hen __________

Tot al egg sales _______

Total costs at start of lay _______

Feed & other cost during lay _______

Total _______ profit or loss _______

(Include in your records the value of all eggs used at home. Calculate value based on retail
market price at time of use.)

74
NEXT THING IS !!!!!!!

22 TIPS FOR MAKING YOUR POULTRY BUSINESS MORE PROFITABLE

Poultry farming is profitable alright, but a lot of people still fail and incur lots of losses in
this business all the same. Poultry farming has been in existence for ages and while some
people have smiled to the bank and expanded their businesses, a lot of investors have
blamed themselves and their village people for going into the business. I always remind
people that no business is easy. There is always the risk of failure in any business. Even if
it is just selling biscuits; if you do not do it right , you cannot succeed at it .

Also, I always remind people that every business has it’s trade secrets and a lot of people
fail in business because they do not know the trade secrets of their business. Poultry, just
like any other business out there has its secrets which you have to know to increase your
chances at success.

SOME OF THE TRADE SECRETS TO EXPAND YOUR POULTRY BUSINESS

INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING- :

1. START SMALL

Don’t start large scale poultry farming if you are inexperienced in the business (personal
opinion though). I have seen a lot of people make this mistake and it is wrong. They read
about how people are making millions from poultry farming and then they go ahead to
invest their life savings into the business.

Some even go and obtain loans to start a business that they are inexperienced at.

For a business like poultry farming, you have to start small and then expand gradually as
your business grows and demands for your products increase. You should also do a proper
feasibility study before you go into the business.
75
 2. HAVE YOUR OWN SALES OUTLET

Another way to expand your poultry business is to have your own sales out let and not rely
only on supplying to retailers. You don’t have to have too many sales out lets; you can start
with just one. You can sell your own branded and fresh eggs to consumers. This my main
sales channel, a small shop to sell your eggs helps you to bring your farm products closer
to the people.

3. OFFER MOBILE SALES AND DELIVERY SERVICES

24 hours in a day is just not enough for most of us because of the kind of busy lives we
live. Now, imagine having to cook, shop, at tend to the kids and do all sort of other house
chores and still maintain a 9- 5 job. It’s really not easy for a lot of working parents and this
is why mobile sales and delivery services always work. A lot of people see such services as
a live saving one; a service that brings you necessities without dealing with stress and
traffic. With a van/bike, you are ready to start offering such services within your area and
that is also an expansion of your income.

4. EMPLOY SALES REPRESENTATIVES

Don’t think that your business is too small to employ sales reps or that poultry business is
not serious enough to have sales representatives.

5. PRODUCE YOUR OWN FEED

Another tip for growing your poultry business is to have your own feed mill for producing
chicken feed. Chicken feed production is not so hard; if you can learn how to raise chickens,
then you can learn how to produce chicken feed and if you are able to reduce the costs of
producing feed, you would be able to increase on the overall profitability of your business.

76
I will teach you how to formulate you own feed later in this book, just relax and continue
to enjoy your money.

6. EMPLOY EXPERIENCED STAFF

Another way to grow your poultry business is to employ people who are experienced to
handle the operational aspects of the business. If you have a really large poultry farm,
you can employ business consultants to suggest ways through which you can expand your
poultry business.

7. TAKE STOCK REGULARLY

You should also keep an eye on the output from your farm. You should have a store where
eggs are stored and have some people who would be in charge of stock keeping and
counting the chickens regularly. This would help to prevent thefts.

8. NUTRITION

Be sure to give your investment the proper feed for best results. Young chickens should
receive chick starter until they are around 6 to 8 weeks old, and then grower rations until
close to laying age. Switch them over to a good quality layer feed to give them the vitamins,
minerals, protein, and calories they need to lay those beautiful eggs f or you.

Free ranging or pastured hens with plenty of room to roam will scratch out a lot of their
nutritional requirements, but they will still need layer feed to keep them in top production.

9. DAYLIGHT HOURS

Chickens naturally lay more eggs during the dry season when the days are long. Their
internal clocks tell them that this is the best time to lay.
77
Providing artificial light of 15- 16hrs is ideal to stimulate egg production and increase
profitability.

10. STRESS

Just as we are less productive when we’re under stress, so are laying hens. If there are
dogs bark around the barnyard or predator at tacks, or things of this nature, your
chickens will be living in a state off ear and won’t feel the conditions are right for laying
eggs.

It’s also important to note that if you purchase laying hens or point of lay pullets, they will
lay a few eggs after bringing them home (the ones in the works’ before they left their
previous pen) and then they will stop laying off or about 2- 3 weeks. So expect a dry spell
with new hens.

In general, keep them happy and stress free for the best egg production.

11. DETERMINE THE EGG LAYING PERCENTAGE

Egg laying percentage, which I have taught already is always the best measure of
eggproducing capacity and has the advantage in calculating the value of the hens. Relying
only on the actual number of eggs produced may not be very valuable as it does not reflect
the efficiency of the birds in producing the eggs.

This helps in assessing the performance and setting targets for improvement. Averages
below 70% means the feeds are going to waste or not utilized. Always thrive to achieve
percentages above 80% .

78
 12. SELECT GOOD LAYER S AND CULL UNPRODUCTIVE ONES

Laying hens are nearly always noisy. They are nervous and very active, keeping themselves
up to the greatest possible pitch. Only mature pullets should be selected for laying. All birds
that are stunted, under sized, lazy, weak, or otherwise undesirable should be weeded out
and sold, especially those that are inferior to other stock hatched at the same time.

Only hens that have proved their worth in the previous year should be kept over for a second
or third year. They usually make good breeders and the breeding flock should be selected
from them rather than from pullets. Too often the reverse practice is followed whereby
hens that are in their best condition are sold and inferior ones used for egg production. This
is suicidal to profit and should be reversed.

13. IMPROVE LAYING ABILITY

Hens should be brought into laying as early as possible. Pullets that delay in coming to lay
are naturally poor layers and soon burn out. Such fowls should not be used for breeding and
the sooner they are taken out of the flock the better. In the long run such control helps in
improving the flock and it is better to have some system of selection than to have none at
all. Put everything in readiness for egg production.

Pullets and hens should be placed in their separate quarters early enough and special care
taken to prevent over-crowding. This way the flocks get accustomed to their quarters and
there is less danger of upsetting them when they begin to lay.

79
 14. MANAGE LAYING STOCK

It is just as import ant to feed well for eggs as it is to breed well. At all times there should
be abundant clean water available to the hens, remember there will be no egg if they don't
take enough water. Egg production can continue without interruption even during extremely
cold weather if the hens are fed well.

Apply heat stress management earlier taught during hot weather.

Hens that are moulting should be fed well, they do better when given a rat ion richer than
usual in energy content. By proper management, many good laying hens can lay an
occasional egg even while going through moulting.

Hens that have stopped laying should be culled out and managed differently from the rest
of the flock. A layers ration and proper management can start them laying again. Those that
do not go back to laying within a reasonable time or lay for only a few weeks and then stop
should be sold.

15. MANAGING PULLETS (Laying Birds)

A pullet is by no means fully mature when she starts t o lay. It needs ample food t o complete
its development. Pullets should neither be forced t o begin laying early nor t o delay laying
else you want t o get low egg production

16. HANDLE BIRDS GENTLY

Hens should be protected against sudden changes. Excitement due to rough handling and
fear from any cause are detrimental to egg production. Often the entrance of foreign
objects, animals or visitors in the pens will cause disturbance, so these should be kept out
as much as possible.

80
When it is necessary to carry some unfamiliar object among the flock, this should be done
gradually. Even the wearing of unusual attire, especially if this is of some flashy colour,
will disturb the fowls until they are accustomed to it.

Making sudden motions, calling loudly, or otherwise startling the hens should be avoided.
Enter the pens as quietly as possible and if necessary signify entrance by making some noise
such as low whistling, so the hens are alerted of your approach.

Hens, especially laying hens, become attached to their quarters. They therefore should not
be unnecessarily moved as this also affects the laying sequence. Changes should be done
with the least possible disturbance where it is absolutely necessary. When hens must be
handled or carried, this should always be done at night and the f owls should be held gently
with the hand beneath the breast.

17. APPLY FOR GOVERNMENT GR ANT S/LOANS

Agriculture is something that the government is always interested in. And that is why there
are a lot of support programs for investors in the agricultural sector. Such support programs
come in the form of government backed loans and grants. So always apply for loans and
grants to expand your business.

18. MANAGE BROODINESS

Broodiness is a characteristic of hens. Persistent brooder s should be culled out and never
used as layers as they whole flock can learn this habit and you know what it means

19. LEARN T O SET GOALS

Constantly set productivity and profitability goals. When you aim at nothing, you will get
nothing all the time.

81
 20. LEARN TO KEEP RECORDS

Record keeping as simple as it is can mean a lot f or your farming business. Keep the record
for everything. What we measure tend to grow. Track your expenses. Track everything.
This is a powerful farming business strategy.

21. LEARN TO CONSTANTLY REDUCE WASTAGE

Wage constant war against wastage and you will see your cost s going down with improved
mar gins. Human tendency is usually bent towards wastage. Do not allow this on your farm
for your own good.

22. LEARN TO CONSTANTLY BUILD YOUR CAPACITY AND THAT OF

YOUR WORKERS

Knowledge is power. Knowledge has organizing power. The more you know, the less
mistakes you make. Keep building your capacity. Train and retrain your staff.

CONCLUSION

If you can follow the tips above rigidly, you will make it real big in farming. Life and
business is a function of cause and effect. The tips above are causes that will ultimately
bring great beneficial effects overtime.

REMEMBER THIS IS UNLIMITED MERCY FARMS AND OUR GOAL IS TO SEE

YOU SUCCEED

82
CHAPTER FOUR
Species And Breed Of Poultry Birds 84
Strict Bio- Security Measures And Its Principles 103
Managerial Skills And Competencies Required 108
Probable Causes Of Drop In Egg Production (Egg Day Percentage) 113
What To Do When Your Eggs Are Small 115

83
SPECIES AND BREED OF POULTRY BIRDS

BROILER HENS

Broiler poultry farming is a lucrative business. Broilers have two major breads among
others which are Ross and Cobb but in my own best practice Ross 308 is the best broiler
you should get. I have seen farmers who base their business on broilers rearing only and the
awesome truth is that they are making a whole lot of money from it. Generally highly meat
productive birds or poultry breeds are called broiler poultry. But broiler chicken is a special
species of poultry, which is a great secret. Broilers are like other common poultry birds. But
broiler chicken is made in a scientific way for producing more meat in a short time.
Basically, broilers are only for meat production.
84
Many people are interested in broilers farming in Nigeria. Broilers are meat birds often
referred to as fryers in some places. They are bred to grow fast so that they are ready for
the dinner table between 4 and 10 weeks of age. Currently in Nigeria there seems to be a
huge demand for broilers which may not be satisfied any time soon. But the catch is to
know the market, i.e. whom are you producing for?

Broilers are sold between 1.5 and 3kg live weight depending on consumers’ preferences
and market demands which means that between 4-10 weeks of age you can start selling
your broilers. Finding out the market outlets should be the first task before investing in
broiler production. You ought to make marketing arrangements with local hotels,
restaurants, cafeterias, groceries, and other regular users before rearing broilers for sale.
This will ensure timely and regular orders for the birds and that no birds are left unsold.

Don’t forget to keep records of your expenses. It may cost more to raise broilers than to buy
them at the supermarket, but the recreation and satisfaction derived offset the higher cost.
In addition, manure and litter from broiler production can be used as organic manure.

SELECTING BROILER FOR BUSINESS

Before selecting broilers for business the farmer has to maintain some process. Those
important steps are described below.

 The broiler chick of one day should weigh between 36 to 40 grams.

 It is found that if the baby chick of one day old become good weight then it will give
great return when you will sell them.

 To get more and affordable benefits from broiler poultry farming the farmer should
select the good and high productive breeds for business.
85
 As broiler convert food to meat so provide them high quality food.
 The farmer have to ensure high ratio of protein and calorie in broiler chicken food.
 For the chicken of 0-6 weeks the food should contain 22.24% protein and 2900-3000
metabolic heat.
 Among the amino acid, lycine and methionine is very essential and important in broiler
poultry food. Because this acids helps to enhance chicken health, and help to convert
food to meat.
 In broiler food the ratio of fiber should not be more than 6 percent.
 Vitamin A, B2, D3, B12 and K is an extensive requirements to broiler food.
 Potassium, Iodine, Manganese sulphate and Zinc carbonate should mixed well
separately and feed the chicken.
 A little amount of disinfectant should mixed in broiler food and this will keep the chick
free from diseases.

HOUSING BROILERS

The broiler house should be placed east-west direction. Ventilation system must be well
accompanied. The regular distance from one house to another house will be 11-12 meters
(35-40 feet). The house should be cleaned well before bringing the chick to the farm. The
insects like lice, mosquito, etuli should run off with blow lamp. Heating system of the space
of baby chicken should observed well 48 hours before the chick reach the farm. The
temperature of the house should 350°. 7 square inch of space per chick is required. Always
keep a moderate number of chick, it will keep the chicken healthy.

FEED AND WATER

Proper and high quality feed is the main thing to success in broiler poultry farming. Broiler
poultry consume feed and convert them to meat. So, to be success the farmer should be
conscious in feed management. Broiler poultry needs high ratio of protein in their feed to

86
grow well. They should also provide proper vitamin like A, B2, D3, B12 and K to meet
their needs.

Provide some disinfectant to keep them free from poultry diseases. Broiler poultry eats feed
and water whole day and night. So, make sure the supply of feed and water all time. Along
with feed, fresh and clean water is very important. Broiler poultry takes a lot of water
everyday. Make the water available all time to their cage. In winter season farmer should
supply warm water. However, to be successful the farmer must have to be more careful in
feed and water management.

 For the first few days you can serve feed in egg carton.
 2.5 cm space is required per chick until they reach 1 week.
 For the first time you can fill the feeder fully, but don’t do that when they grow enough.
It reduces the food waste.
 Provide the feed four time a day.
 Provide fresh and clean water all time.
 Water pot should keep as much as possible according to the number of chicken.
 You have to keep in mind that broiler takes more water than layer chicken. The broiler
chicken takes more water in summer season.

TEMPERATURE

Temperature is very important in broiler poultry farming. You should check the temperature
of the broiler chicken house 48 hours before bringing the chick to the farm. For the first
week the temperature of the rood would be 350°c and it will reduce at the rate 2.80°c per
week, it mostly depend on the outside temperature. The litter of the chicken would between
5-6 inch depth.

87
If possible keep some straw in the chicken bed. The chicken bed should clean twice a week
with spade. If the condition of the bed is very wet then you can use lime because it absorbs
the ammonia gas.

BROILER CHICKEN STARTUP LIGHT TOUCH

The process of rearing broilers can be a sensitive affair from the time you get them from
the distributors/hatchery when they are 1day old chicks until they reach maturity.

For any kind of animal husbandry the work always starts prior to the animal even reaching
the farm and for chicken it’s no different.

88
STEP 1: The Brooder

Before you go and get your chicks, you should first ensure that you have adequately
prepared the brooder. A brooder is a farm structure specifically constructed for chicks with
special attention to temperature control and proper hygiene.

Temperature control is important for day old chicks because they do not have the ‘mother
hen’ to shelter them from the cold and they do not have feathers and instead have a fur like
covering. Without a source of heat for the chicks the mortality rate goes up and one risks
losing the entire lot.

Temperature control can be achieved through two main ways:

 Use of Coal Pot – this involves using the traditional charcoal burning jar as a source of
heat for the chicks but please make sure there’s no smoke to avoid CRD and other
respiratory disease.

 Use of mercury bulbs – which are special bulbs designed to produce heat. Please note
that care should be taken when adjusting how low the mercury bulb should hang. If it’s
too high then the chicks will hurdle together and the ones in the bottom will suffocate
and die. If it’s too low some chicks may die of heat stroke. A good indicator of how low
to hang the bulb is through observing how the chicks react to the heat, if they hurdle
together, lower the bulb a bit lower but if some move away to far corners then raise the
bulb because it’s too low.

89
 Below are the chicks in the night with the light on:

STEP 2

Care should be taken when transporting day old chicks especially when using a car/bus, it
is important to make sure the vehicle is well ventilated and that the chicks are not stacked
up to the extent that some have no access to fresh air.

STEP 3

With day old chicks it is advisable to start them off immediately on anti-stress vitamins to
help them cope with the sudden change in environment. Common anti-stress vitamins in
the market include: Aliseryl, Egocin and Agrar [if un-available use glucose in their water]

Like I said you can also mix the vitamin water with some glucose and glycerine. The
glucose gives the chicks energy and keeps them active increasing the speed of their
metabolism so that they can eat more and develop faster. The glycerine [in small portions]
helps ‘smoothen’ the chicks’ intestines aiding them in excretion of their waste.

90
Below is a sample of vitamin water mix; you can as well mix other meds or vaccines in
there.

VITAMIN WATER MIX

STEP 4

For broilers, you have the starter meal and the finisher meal. The starter meal is a mash
made up of finely ground maize, fish, millet and sorghum mixed together. This meal is
specifically for day old chicks because it is easy on their delicate digestive systems and it
is advisable to keep the chicks on this meal for at least the first 2wks.

After the first 2wks the chicks ought to have developed feathers and you can thus move
them from the brooder to the main chicken house and can change the meal to finishers mash
or pellets. The major difference between the finisher mash/pellets and the starter mash is
that the finisher mash is not as finely ground as the starters mash which is understandable
because at this time their digestive system is well developed and can handle the heavier
feeds.

91
You can keep the broilers on the finishers meal [being fed 3times a day] for 4wks – 5wks
before they reach maturity and can be sold.

STEP 5. VACCINES & VITAMINS

Below is a schedule of the vaccines needed to reduce mortality rate for broilers:

After 1wk – Newcastle vaccine

After 2wks – Infectious Bursal Disease (Gumboro) sientific names: [Bur 706, TAD,
Hipra(IBD)]

After 3wks – Newcastle vaccine

After 4wks – Gumboro vaccine

The above vaccines are administered via the chicken’s drinking water. In order to ensure
that they take the vaccine it is advisable to deny the chicken water for about 2hrs to make
sure they are thirsty before giving them the vaccinated water. I will talk more on how to use
organic remedies and herbs for the above vaccine schedule.

OTHER USEFUL TIPS

 Maintain a Monitoring & Evaluation worksheet – This will help comparing one lot to
the next and help identify areas that need improvement.
 Have a well-defined/regular feeding pattern – This will make sure the animals are not
 ‘stressed’ and weight progress is even
 Make sure the chicken house floor is always dry – This will reduce chances of bacterial
or viral infections.
 Disinfect the brooder 1-2 weeks before introducing the day old chicks. This is the same
for the main poultry house; disinfect it 1-2 weeks before bringing in the chicks from the
brooder.

92
 Make sure the brooder/poultry house is well light during the day and night. This
encourages the chicks/chicken to keep feeding and hence attain the required weight in
time. ❖ Ensure the structure is well aerated.

REQUIRED EQUIPMENT:

You will need:

 Feeding troughs. There are several options, choose the best for you.
 Drinkers: either plastic or metalic drinkers. Plastics are easy to clean and can last long
 Enough lighting during the night. You may prefer having electric power available.
 A brooder for the day old chicks. A brooder can be within the main poultry house by
simply curving out a place for the chicks and removing the guides as the chicks attain
2wks. For a professional brooder it would need to off the ground and separated from the
main house.
 A heat-generating electric bulbs within the brooder to maintain enough heat within the
brooder during the night or during cold day times.

93
LAYERS

Layer poultry farming means raising egg laying poultry birds for the purpose of commercial
egg production. Layer chickens are such a special species of hens, which need to be raised
from when they are one day old. They start laying eggs commercially from 18-19 weeks of
age.

They remain laying eggs continuously till their 72-78 weeks of age. They can produce about
one kg of eggs by consuming about 2.25 kg of food during their egg laying period. There
are various types of highly egg productive layer breeds available throughout the world.

94
LAYER BREEDS

According to the nature and color of egg, layer hens are of two types. Short description of
these two types are listed below.

1. WHITE EGG LAYING HENS:

This type of hens are comparatively smaller in size. Relatively eat less food, and the color
of egg shell is white. Isa White, Lehman White, Nikchik, Bab Cock BV-300, Havard White,
Hi Sex White, Sever White, Hi line White, Bovanch White etc. are some popular white egg
laying chickens.

2. BROWN EGG LAYING HENS

Brown egg laying hens are relatively larger in size. They eat more foods, compared to white
egg layers. Lay bigger eggs than other laying breeds. Egg shell is brown colored. There are
many types of brown layer available. Among those Isa Brown, Hi Sex Brown, Sever 579,
Lehman Brown, Hi Line Brown, Bab Cock BV-380, Gold Line, Bablona Tetro, Bablona
Harko, Havard Brown etc. are very suitable for commercial layer poultry farming. Although
I have tried layers feed on local chickens and they lay brown eggs, meaning the feed you
give can also determine the output of the bird
95
HOW TO REAR LAYERS

Read below for selecting proper breeds for your business.

 For commercial eggs production, you have to choose highly productive laying hens
correctly.
 All type of hens do not produce equal number of eggs.

 The chosen breeds must have to have good production capability.

96
 If your chosen breed contain the desired characteristic and have a reputation for egg
production, then that breed is suitable for your business.
 Always purchase healthy chicks from a famous and popular hatchery. You can see
their catalog before purchasing.
 Keeping Chicks
 During the first weeks after birth, many chicks do not want to drink water due to
 transporting them from one place to another. So you have to make adequate water
drinking systems in their brooder house, and you have to train them for drinking
water. Mix 5% glucose with water, so that they can easily get energy.
 Provide them any types of high quality multivitamin by mixing with water
(suggested by electrolyte Production Company’s instruction). Multivitamin and
electrolyte are very effective when you transport chick from a long distance. It
reduces tiredness and lack of water, and help to make the chick normal. I will explain
more in chapter 9.
 Vaccination and its Importance
 Vaccination program is a must for chicks for keeping them free from all types of
diseases. The main advantage of poultry vaccination are listed below.

 Timely vaccination makes disease resistance power in the body of chick.

 Help to keep the hen free from infectious poultry diseases.
 Disease prevalence will be less.
 Mortality rate will reduce.
 And low mortality rate = more production = more profit.
 There are many types of poultry vaccines are available for layer hens. Marex,
Ranikheth, Gamboro, Bruchaities, Bosonto, Salmonela etc. are used for layer
chickens. That’s if you decide not to go organic as you will be well informed in this
book.
 Before Vaccination
 You have to maintain some rules before vaccination.

97
  Hold the chickens very carefully.
 Vaccinate the chickens without any strain.
 Wash the vaccination equipment with hot boiled water or germicide
medicine/antiseptic.
 Do the vaccination program in cold weather condition.
 Preventive vaccine is always applicable to healthy bird. Never vaccinate an infected
bird.

KEEPING GROWING CHICKS

You have to maintain the suggestion listed below for keeping growing layer chickens.

 You have to provide the growing chicks special care until they reach 4-5 weeks of
age.
 After brooding serve them good quality pellet feed. It will make good results in the
future. They will produce egg highly. High quality pellet will make the chickens
healthy and increase their body weight.
 So it is very important to provide them quality pellet feed during growing period.
 Egg Production from Commercial Layer Farm
 Egg production from a commercial layer farm depends on the care and farm
management. If you take good care of your birds and manage them properly, then
the production and profit will be high.

 Within the first 20 weeks of age, about 5% of hens start laying eggs.
 About 10% birds start laying at their 21 weeks of age.
 When they reach 26 to 30 weeks of age, they produce highly. Although, it may be
different depending on their strain.

98
  After laying a maximum number of eggs, they usually stop laying for a few days.

 And after this period, their egg production might reduces slowly.
 Egg laying rate and size of eggs increases gradually.
 The hens grow till their 40 weeks of age.
 Weight and size of eggs increases till their 50 weeks of age.

WHAT IS DEBEAKING?

It is the process of cutting the lip of layers at 8-10 days. You can also cut growing chicken
at their 8-12 weeks of age. Cut at 0.0m from the nose of the chick and 0.45cm in growing
chickens.

METHOD AND IMPORTANCE OF LIP CUTTING IN LAYERS

Cutting the lip of laying hens is very important. The main benefits are listed below.

 Lip cutting help to reduce mutual fights.

99
  It help to prevent food waste.

 You have to cut your chick’s lip at their age of 8 to 10 days.

 Cut the lip of growing chicken at their 8 to 12 weeks of age.
 Cut the lip of chicks 0.2 cm from their nose.
 Cut 0.45 cm in case of growing chickens.
 Cut the both upper and lower lips.
 However, don’t cut the both lip together. Cut one after another.  Use block chick
trimming machine to cut the lips.
 Don’t cut their lip two days after or before vaccination, after or before using some
medicines like sulfur. Don’t cut the lip if the hen in a strain, and during adverse
weather conditions and if the hen start laying eggs.
 Serve the chicken water mixed with vitamin “K” three days before cutting lips. Wash
the lip cutting instrument with antiseptic. Test the edge and temperature of blade.
You have to be careful, and don’t damage their eyes and tongue. Choose cold
weather for cutting their lips. Lip cutting process should be observed by an
experienced technician. After cutting lips, serve them water in a deep pot. Provide
them some extra energy enriched feed.

Move pullets into the laying pen on or before the 15th week. Personally I move them once
they are 14 weeks. In the rearing pen, pullets are usually overcrowded and access to feed
and water is impeded leading to poor flock uniformity and poor feed conversion rate. Good
spacing in the layers pen enables them to develop better .

For pullets to lay, they need energy. Energy comes from the feed they eat. For good egg
size at peak production, a diet with about 2700 to 2800 kcalME/kg is desirable. Low energy
diets result s in dietery protein and body protein being utilized for energy. This results in
poor egg size and poor shell quality.
100
jPhased feeding is import ant in other to maintain good egg size. The nutritional
requirement of a bird at peak product ion is different from a bird later in the production
cycle. The feeding pattern must reflect the rate of lay and the birds daily nutrient
requirement .

Also, seasonal feeding can be adopted for millers, hot season ration and cold season ration.
Skeletal framework can be manipulated for effective future results from 5- 12 weeks
because t hat ' s when t he bones are still cartilaginous in nature.

 Proper vaccination against Newcastle, infectious bronchitis and mycoplasmosis helps to

maintain good egg size.
 Move pullets into the laying pen on or before the 15th week. Personally I move them
once they are 14 weeks. In the rearing pen, pullets are usually over crowded and access
to feed and water is impeded leading to poor flock uniformmity and poor feed
conversion rate. Good spacing in the layers pen enables them to develop better .
 For pullets to lay, they need energy. Energy comes from the feed they eat. For good egg
size at peak production, a diet with about 2700 to 2800 kcalME/kg is desirable. Low
energy diets results in dietery protein and body protein being utilized for energy. This
results in poor egg size and poor shell quality.
 Phased feeding is import ant in other to maintain good egg size. The nutritional
requirement of a bird at peak product ion is different from a bird later in the production
cycle. The feeding pattern must reflect the rate of lay and the birds daily nutrient
requirement .
 Also, seasonal feeding can be adopted for millers, hot season ration and cold season
ration. Skeletal framework can be manipulated for effective future results from 5- 12
weeks because that's when the bones are still cartilaginous in nature.
 Proper vaccination against Newcastle, infectious bronchitis and mycoplasmosis helps to
maintain good egg size.
101
FEEDING

There are many companies available in Nigeria, which are producing commercial feed for
layer chickens. You can buy feed from your local market or make the feed at your own
house. You have to be sure that the feed you bought are enriched with essential food value.
Protein and mineral are very important for laying hens.

 Provide 2% of calcium for two weeks after their birth.

 If you notice they are not gaining expected weight, then you have to serve starter feed
for eight weeks.
 Serve feed two or three times in a day till their 18 weeks of age.
 Demand of feed increase very fast when the birds start laying.
 Serve them layer poultry feed according to their age and weights.
 Don’t decrease the amount of feed while laying (even if their weight increase).
 I will explain more about feeding later.

WATER MANAGEMENT

Chickens health depend on the supply of pure, clean and fresh drinking water. You have to
provide adequate water according to the demand of your laying hens. For purifying the
water, mix 0.3g bleaching per liter. Determine a suitable place to keep the water pot inside
the poultry house. Supply cold water during summer season and hot weather, and slightly
hot water in cold weather or winter season.

In accordance with the age and species of chickens, food providing can control the weights
of chicken. Use sufficient calcium, phosphorus, vitamins, amino acid and other mineral
substance in their food. For purifying water use bleaching powder or chlorine. If you follow
the methods mentioned above, then you can make better profit from your layer poultry
farming business.
102
NEXT THING IS !!!!!!!

STRICT BIO- SECURITY MEASURES AND ITS PRINCIPLES

Keeping your investment healthy is a keystone t o profitable farming. Healthy birds grow
better and reproduce more efficiently than unhealthy ones.

 They produce more economically valuable products than unhealthy ones.

 On the contrary, unhealthy stock causes more expenses (on health inputs and veterinary
bills) and consumes much time on managerial contribution.
 Unhealthy animals consume more managerial time and produce less quantity products
as well as low quality products resulting in great economic loss.
 More economic losses may be incurred from waste of fund ear marked for treatment of
farm workers along with the animal.
 Therefore biosecurity can be said to be strict measures in the farm to prevent outbreak
of disease.
 Bio- security will prevent flock exposure to disease causing organisms
 A strong bio-security program is critical to maintain and secure your investment’s health

WHY YOU MUST PREVENT PEST AND DISEASES IN YOUR PEN

They are deleterious to the objectives of the farm

They interfere with animal and personal welfare

They impact negatively on the quality of products from the farm.

103
ROUTES OF DISEASE ENTRY

 Air borne
 Water borne
 Feet borne
 Soil borne
 Human borne
 Vector borne
 Failed quarantine
 From farm Equipment
 Wrong prescription
 Vaccine failure
 Vehicles bringing goods into the farm

COMMON BIO- SECURITY MEASURES

 Perimeter fencing: This restricts the movement of humans, animals, visit or sand other
elements in the farm.
 Wire Nets: Prevents rodents, snakes, wild birds, reptiles, lizards from entering the pen.
 Feet dips: For pen attendants and uninvited visitors
 Body spray/shower: Use of designated cover clothes, slippers, disposable gloves and
boots for a particular pen
 Proper disposal of dead animals (burning in incinerators, burying)
 Proper disposal of needles and syringes
 Proper disposal of vaccine vials, sachets, drop bottles (take this seriously, this can wipe
out your stock) especially when you have vaccine failure  Avoid stocking animals of
different ages in the farm.
 Precautionary measures to be taken in entering the pens (visit younger birds first then to
older ones, and visit healthy birds first before sick ones)

104
 Strict compliance to vaccination schedule and medications to break live cycle of vectors.
 In case you are a fan of synthetic drugs, ensure you don't use one particular drug in the
pen to avoid the birds building resistance to a particular drug.
 Good ratio of feeders and drinkers as inadequate feeders and drinkers is an easy mode
of disease spread, contacting diseases, stampeding, pecking, and inadequate digest ion.
 Always feed balanced ration as nutritional imbalance can lead to cannibalism and
secondary infections
 Daily Farm Routine Management Practices
 Daily farm sanitation practices
 Timely disposal of waste materials.
 Proper use of disinfectants in the farm

CHICKEN WIRE

105
 CHICKEN/RABBIT NET

EFFECTIVE WASHING OF IMPLEMENTS AND MACHINES

 Please do not wash drinkers and feeders in use with detergent , if necessary wash with
antibiotics.
 Periodic clearing of bushes around the surrounding (do not give rodents and reptiles a
habitat in your farm)*
 Adequate storage and utilization of animal drugs

GENERAL METHOD OF PREVENTING DISEASE OUTBREAK IN YOUR

FARM

 Apply correct methods for raising young chicks (do not try to cut corners)
 Disinfect and clean the housing of the different groups of chicks
 Use bedding/litter material that is not dusty
106
 Prevent the buildup of gases like ammonia by cleaning and proper ventilation

 Control rats and mosquitoes as mosquitoes could cause f owl pox

 Ensure that people from outside your farm don’t have access to the chicken house
 Have bird-proof houses to keep out wild birds that eat the food and bring diseases to
your chickens
 Ensure that the building or house you are going to use is large enough for the chickens.
 Fix leaky drinkers to avoid buildup of mould.
 Feed and water bowls should be cleaned daily and fresh food and water should be
supplied.
 Dust causes irritation of the respiratory tract and the environment must therefore not be
dusty.
 Use cages for laying hens that do not have sharp edges that may injure the hens.
 Make sure that there is sufficient space per hen
 Get only first-grade chicks from a good, reliable supplier..
 Vaccinate chicks against important diseases.
 Keep chickens of the same age together in one house
 As much as possible, use the all- in, all- out principle
 Lest I forget, lizard transmits coccidiosis (healthy carrier), if you see it anywhere around
your pen please kill it .
 Ensure your layer and broiler pen are not in close proximity
 If you have more than one pen, ensure you have a specific wear and slippers for each
pen
 Do not touch a sick bird and use the same hands unwashed to feed other birds (Always
use disinfectant )
 Avoid every form of dust, smoke from generator , coming closer to your investment as
this may cause serious CRD.

107
NEXT THING IS !!!!!!

MANAGERIAL SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES REQUIRED

I have seen most poultry business start today and in the next 3 months, they got extinguished
like candle without oxygen.

Did I hear you say poultry farming is a risky business? There' s no known business without
risks.

Everything boils down to management, passion, and burning desire to thrive your business

I always tell people, always mind your business

AVERAGE DAILY FEED CONSUMPTION PER BIRD:

This is the amount of feed consumed by each bird per day. It is derived by first knowing
total quantity of feed consumed in kg. This is divided by the current total population of
birds that day. Multiply this by 1000.

This will give you the quantity of feed consumed per bird in grams.

Example 1, if Unlimited Mercy Farms feeds 20 bags of feed to their 5000 birds in a

day, to get daily feed consumption per bird, first convert number of bags into kg = 20

× 25kg (note, 1 bag= 25kg) = 500kg.

Feed consumption per bird = (500/5000)×1000 = 100g/bird

Mortality% : This is the percentage of birds that have been lost so far.

108
It is gotten by adding up the cumulative number of mortality so far , dividing this value by
total number of chicks / birds stocked in the poultry. This value is then multiplied by 100.

Example, if Akin’s Farms purchased 5000 DOCs and have lost 50 after 5 months, the
mortalit y% is (50÷5000) × 100 = 1%

Liveability: This is the percentage of birds that have survived thus far out of the originally
stocked population.

Liveability = 100% - mortality %

Example, in Akin' s Farms above, liveability = 100% - 1% =99%

Feed Conversion Ratio: This is the ratio of efficiency with which the bird' s body converts
feed into desired output (usually weight gained). This is determined by dividing total feed
consumed by the weight gained over same period. It is particularly important in broilers
and growers.

Example 2 in Ebenco’s Farms, if the total feed consumed by each bird in week 4 is 800g
and the weight gained per bird in that week is 460g.

FCR = 800g/460g = 1.74

Note that the lower the (Feed Consuption Ration, FCR), the better .

109
FCR is an import ant index in livestock product ion especially in broiler .

The lower the FCR, the better. Lower FCR means the animal used little feed to gain higher
weight while on t he other hand higher FCR means more feed consumed with little weight
gain.

For profitability in livestock product ion, a more efficient feeding with quality feed that
gives lower FCR is required.

FACTORS THAT AFFECT FCR :

Quality of feed (energy level, crude protein and micro nutrients)

Quality of water supply

Disease (e.g coccidiosis, CRD outbreak in broiler farm usually increases FCR)

Environmental factors

Stress

LAYERS EGG PRODUCTION:

Also known as rate of lay, this is a measure of the total number of eggs produced by a flock.

Example 3, in Bunmi farms, if 5000 birds produce 4500 eggs in a day, the Hen day product
ion for t hat day = (no of eggs produced ÷ no of bird in f lock) × 100

(4500÷5000)× 100= 90% (which is commendable)

Another managerial problem is chicks mortality, like I said previously, they're babies and
need t o be properly taken care of.

Mismanagement can totally wipe out your f lock

110
CAUSES OF EARLY CHICKS MORTALITY
 A mortality of between 1- 5% is considered normal but anything higher than this should
alarm you.
 Early chick mortality can be caused by many factors ranging from genetic factors and
grossly management .
 Some of these management blunders are;
 High brooding temperature
 High brooding temperature is very detrimental to chicks’ health and growth. A flock
subjected to too much heat become dehydrated and show less interest in feed rather they
take more of water to replace the lost body fluid.
 Due to this reduced interest in feed, the growth of the flock is drastically affected. Water
loss of up to 10% will result in death.
 Low brooding temperature
 Low brooding temperature causes chilling.
 Prolonged exposure to cold can cause poor development of the immune system making
the flock susceptible to disease agent s. Also f lock exposed to cold huddle together to
conduct heat from one another all in the bid to stay warm.
 Huddling causes suffocation which ultimately result in mortality if not timely attended
to.

HIGH RELATIVE HUMIDITY

High relative humidity in brooding house causes the dampness of air and of litter material
hence facilitating t he growth of micro-organisms causing infect ions and eventually deaths.

HIGH STOCKING DENSITY

High stocking density can pose serious challenge to a flock because the bedding material
becomes wet easily making it a suitable medium for microbial growth and multiplication.

111
Inadequate feeding and watering spaces are also part of the problems caused by
overcrowding.

This will result in starvation mostly affecting the small members of the flock.

Another challenge posed by overcrowding is unhealthy competition for space, water and
feed and this can precipitate cannibalism/pecking within the flock. Also flock raised in an
overcrowded pen, will be exposed to ammonia beyond the permissible level causing eyes
and nasal irritation eventually making the flock more prone to respiratory and ocular
challenges.

WRONG OR INADEQUATE FEEDERS AND DRINKERS

Chicks have feeders and drinkers that are specifically designed for them. These are designed
to facilitate easy feeding and drinking with minimal effort.

Wrong feeding and drinking equipment will affect flock performance as this will expose
them to daily stress and also result in feed wastage and water spillage resulting in wet litter
which is a suitable condition for disease outbreak. Also when the right but inadequate
number of feeders and drinkers are used, it causes unhealthy competition among the flock
resulting in starvation of the weak/small members of the group and precipitation of social
vices among the flock.

PREDATORS

A good brooder must be rat and cat proof. Cats cause direct mortality because they hunt
and kill chicks and also cause stampeding in the flock which results in more deaths than
that killed by cats.

Rats on the other hand, causes both direct and indirect mortality as they sometimes kill and
spread disease agents from one farm to another. Also they defecate and urinate in the feed
112
while stealing from the flock thereby contaminating their feed. Rats have been known to
spread diseases like, salmonella infection (pullorum and fowl typhoid), E.coli, fowl cholera
et c.

NEXT THING IS!!!!!

PROBABLE CAUSES OF DROP IN EGG PRODUCTION (EGG DAY

PERCENTAGE)

 Broodiness  Heat Stress

 Change In Lightning duration (remember the previous topic on lightning)
 Poor Beak Trimming/Debeaking
 Theft and Predators
 Over stocking
 Ectoparasites and Endoparasites
 Deworming / Delousing
 Poor Quality feed
 Under Utilization of Feed
 Sudden Change In Feed
 Stressor Agents

Summarily; as a farmer/intending farmer, you should be observant in identifying the causes

of drop in egg production in your f lock.

USE THE CHECK LIST BELOW TO ASCERTAIN PROBABLE CAUSES OF

DROP IN EGG PRODUCTION.

 Can you observe the presence of broody chickens?

 Is there a reduction in daily feed intake?
 Is there a sudden change in feed brand?
 Is there any compromise in the quality of the feed supplied?

113
  Was there any change in the light duration (+/- 16hrs)?
 What was the prevailing weather temperature a day or two before?
 What 's the general condition of the birds?
 Are they active or ruffled?
 Is there any reduction in the average egg size?
 Is there obstruction to the free flow of air?
 Did you carry out any stressful activity in the pen of recent?
 Did you deworm or delouse the birds recently?
 Are there signs of ecto and/or endo- parasites?
 Please always observe your Feed, Light, Air & Water .

Please note that if you starve layers of water for a day, they won't lay for like 4- 5days

DISTINGUISH BETWEEN A GOOD AND A POOR LAYER IN YOUR PEN

 Basically, a good layer will be active and alert while a poor layer will be lazy and
listless
 The eyes of a good layer will be bright and sparkling encircled with a white ring 
A poor layer 's eye will be dull and sunken, encircled with red pigment .
 Comb and wattles of a good layer will be large, bright red, plump and vibrant looking
while a poor layer ' s will be small pale and scaly

 The plumage of a good layer will be worn, and dry while a poor layer will look
smooth, shiny and clean
 A good layer will be put ting t he yellow pigmentation into the egg yolks and so her
beak and legs will be bleached out and look nearly white while the non producing
ladies will keep the yellow colour in their beaks and legs

114
  A good layer should have t he pubic bones feel wide apart and flexible.
 The pubic bones should be at least two fingers' width apart. A poor layer's pubic
bones will feel stiff and tight with less than 2 fingers width between t hem.
 A good layer s vent should be large, oval shaped, moist and smooth and showing no
yellow colour on a good layer .
 A poor layer ' s vent will be shrunken, puckered, dry and round with a yellowish
color .

NEXT THING IS !!!!

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR EGGS ARE SMALL

Most times we are bedeviled by persistent poor egg size and shell quality. FACT !!!

Under weight pullets lay smaller eggs even after 40 weeks of age. The reason is they do
not have the skeletal frame to maintain good egg size.

SOLUTION

De-beak your birds on or before the 6th week. De-beaking earlier is less stressful and helps
them to recover quickly from stress associated with debeaking ( I trust you still remember
what debeaking is?)

Early debeaking is not only good at avoiding stress but also good because the beaks are soft
and healing process is better with younger birds than aging ones, on no occasion should you
debeak birds after 17weeks of age.

This is because you will be disturbing the ovarian growth of tiny grape- like structures called
eggs because of your handling activities.

115
PECKING IN POULTRY PRODUCTION: CAUSES AND PREVENTION.

Pecking in bird is a costly and vicious habit that poultry producers cannot afford to ignore.
It may occur at any age among all breeds, strains, and sexes of birds.

Pecking usually occurs when the birds are stressed by a poor management practice. Once
becoming stressed, one bird begins picking the feathers, comb, toes or vent of another bird.
Once an open wound or blood is visible on the bird, the vicious habit of pecking can spread
rapidly through the entire flock. If you notice the problem soon after it begins, pecking can
beheld in check. However , if the problem is allowed to get out of hand, it can be VERY
COSTLY.

Pecking will lower the bird' s value due to torn and damaged flesh, poor feathering and can
result in high death losses.

PECKING IS USUALLY CAUSED BY ONE OR MORE OF THESE CONDIT

IONS:

 Over crowding
 Excessive heat
 Excessive light

 Absence of feed or water or a short age of feeder and water space.

If the birds have to fight for feed and water, or if the birds are always hungry, they will
increase pecking. Be sure that birds have free access to water and feed at all times. When
you have inadequate feeder space, birds at the end of the pecking order may never be
allowed to eat .

116
UNBALANCED DIETS

Extremely high energy and low fiber diets cause the birds to be extra active and aggressive.
Feed lacking protein and other nutrients, particularly Methionine, will also cause birds to
lose feathers. Make sure you feed a diet balanced appropriately for the age and types of bird
you are raising.

MIXING OF DIFFERENT TYPES, AGES, SIZES, AND COLOURS OF BIRDS.

Mixing different ages & sizes of birds and birds with different traits promote pecking by
disrupting the f lock's normal pecking order .

Curiosity can also start pecking.

Other causes of pecking include:

Abrupt changes in environment or management practices Allowing crippled, injured or

dead birds to remain in a flock

Shortage of nesting boxes in deep litter .

Allow one nest for every 5 hens.

Introducing new birds to the flock.

Anytime you add or remove birds from a flock, you disrupt the pecking order of the flock.

PROLAPSE PECKING

Prolapse can occur in very young or fat laying flocks. Prolapse is when the uterus stretches
and tears and takes longer time to properly return into the body cavity after the egg is laid.
This is most common in young flocks that start laying too soon. When the uterus is exposed
for a period of time, other birds will see it and pick at it out of CURIOSITY. Once they pick
at the uterus, it bleeds and the picking quickly progresses to pecking or cannibalism.

117
Note: If you start seeing blood streaks on the egg shell surface, your flock may be prone to
prolapse.

TREATMENT OF VENT PROLAPSE

 Early treatment is the key to fixing a vent prolapse and preventing it from reoccurring.
 Wash the vent with saline warm water as the saline water will help to disinfect the area.
 With your wet hands gently push the protruding tissue back into the vent.
 Treat the swollen tissue to help shrink it down by rubbing honey in the outer area of the
vent.
 Give fresh garlic daily.
 Give maintenance feed only until it heals.

118
PULLETS WEIGHING AND UNIFORMITY IS VERY KEY
IN EGG PRODUCTION AND EGG SIZE.

Feed amount during rearing are based on body weight and maintenance, whereas in lay,
they are based on body weight , body maintenance , egg production and egg weight.

Other factors to consider are:

 Avoid over crowding

 Avoid inadequate feeders and drinker s
 Avoid use of wrong feeder s and drinker s
 Avoid disease problems
 Avoid poor debeaking and debeak at right age.
 Avoid poor quality feed or inadequate feed for t he birds.
 Feed properly formulated r at ion and don't try any short cut .  Bird health will
deteriorate, egg size and production will drop  Stir feed in feeders regularly to
stimulate feeding.
 Layers are lazy eaters.
 Avoid poor ventilation

 Have sound personnel on your far m, if you are not the one during the management

REARING PULLETS (LAYERS)

The rearing of pullets is a good start and half the battle. The first weeks are extremely
important for success and later on.

A hen is kept for up to 90 weeks. Whereas the formative time for a human is the first five
years, for a chicken it is the first five weeks.

Make a check list that you can adapt and improve each time.

119
A flock that gets off to a good start will result in a lower mortality rate and fewer poorly
developed birds. Avoid all possible stress during the first five weeks of rearing.

This is the time when most important organ like HEART, LUNGS, KIDNEYS etc are
developing. Stress slows development and has a negative effect on the LAYING PERIOD.

You can divide the rearing period into three periods. During this time the young hens
doubles her body weight five times.

0- 5 Weeks

The pullet s should be growing well. The weight at 5 weeks det ermines your r esult . 6-

15 Weeks

You can adjust t he development of the body weight somehow without too much impact on
the laying period. You can get the flock laying at the required time by controlling growth
and adjusting the lightning programme.

16- 25 Weeks

TRANSFER AND START OF LAYING.

At this point you need to keep a close eye on the birds to make sure everything is going on
as planned.

There is no egg without a chicken, if you want excellent quality, beautiful and healthy eggs
and high production, you need to ensure that the hen (layer ) that lays the egg is into good
condition, feels good herself and has all her needs satisfied. If there is something wrong
with the eggs, it is a signal that there is something wrong with the hen or her management
120
Your guiding principle in poultry production should be LOOK- THINK- ACT.

The three basic questions that you must ask yourself time and again are:

As you enter poultry pen, what am I observing? Seeing, hearing, smelling and feeling.

Why is that?

What should I do?

You can learn a lot from a flock and the eggs during your daily tasks as a manager or
supervisor on a farm. But you should also carry out a specific inspection when you have no
other task to do. You can pick up signals more easily and be more aware of them when you
can give your full at tent ion to your observations.

Most of us are excursion officers, you just go round the farms or pen without noticing
anything. Always stay in the pen for somewhat longer at regular times and observe the birds
for any abnormalities.

PULLET DEVELOPMENT AND WEIGHT

The pullet develops according to a well orchestrated sequence of physiological events.

Pullets reaching or exceeding breed body weight targets during these developmental phase
have the best chance to perform to genetic potential as layers. Interrupted growth during
any of these developmental phases will result in hens lacking t he body reserves and organ
function to sustain high production as adult layers.

 A weight monitoring program should begin when the flock is one week old.
121
  During the first four weeks when the birds are still small, bulk weigh random samples
of 20 birds.

After four weeks of age, individual bird body weights should be taken weekly from at least
100 birds. Continue weighing weekly until mature body size is reached. Weekly monitoring
of body weight is prefer able as the producer can identify growth problem quickly. It might
be possible to associate the growth problem with a change of feed or as stressful
management practice.

 Underweight pullet flocks or flocks with poor uniformity should be retained on more
nutrient rich formulation.

 Uniformity of pullet body weight s within a f lock is an import ant predictor of future
layer performance.
 Uniformity of 85% is the goal during the growing period (85% of the individual bird
weights are within 10% of the average). Good pullet body weight uniformity
simplifies proper feeding of the f lock, both in growing and laying periods.

PEAK OF LAY

This is the highest level of egg production encountered over the entire production cycle.

The peak of lay is influenced by the overall flock uniformity.

High Flock Uniformity: High Peak of Lay.

The peak of lay is reached around six to eight weeks after the point of lay.

122
Low Flock Uniformity: Lower Peak of Lay

Managing Broodiness in Your Flock

Broodiness is a natural tendency where hens try to incubate their eggs. Commercial layers
do not have this characteristic because it was bred out.

However, once in a while, a few hens in the f lock may become broody. A broody hen is
unproductive and sits in the nest, hence inconveniencing others.

SOLUTION:

Such a hen should be isolated and kept on a rough floor until it loses broodiness.

Then, it can be returned to t he laying house to resume laying eggs.

YOU MAY ASK

WHAT IS BROODINESS?

Broodiness is the period when chickens begins to loose its feather. As simple as
that….

123
CHAPTER FIVE

Layers/Broilers Vaccination Programme 126

Organic Vaccination Programme /Dosage/ Administration 132
How To Prepare Organic Multivitamins Calcium (Mvc) 140
How To Prepare Molasses 140
How To Prepare Organic Growth Booster To Achieve 2-3kg In 2 Months 150

124
LAYERS/BROILERS VACCINATION PROGRAMME

One of those materials that consumes farmers money is vaccines, as at end of 2018, I heard
from my farmer friend that she still get Gumboro vaccines at #800 per one. This is one of
the reasons why you should go for organic remedies which I will teach.

The demand for vaccination of poultry flock has increased with the popularity of keeping
chickens.

NEED FOR VACCINATION

Vaccination is commonly used in commercial poultry and increasingly in backyard birds to

control disease.

Vaccines mimic natural infection, allowing the birds to build up immunity to the disease
without any harmful effects. This way you can prevent your birds getting the disease.

One may ask, are there health impairments associated with vaccine.

No! Vaccine CAN BE 100% effective, if the birds are properly vaccinated but exposed to
large levels of wild disease then the immunity generated by the vaccine can be overcome.
Also many diseases, such as Infectious Bronchitis (IB) (I will discuss about disease in this
book), will have several strains so it may mean the strain your bird has been vaccinated
against may not be the same as the disease strains in your area.

125
It is very important to remember that the success of the vaccination depends on good
vaccination technique.

Vaccines are very vulnerable and are therefore easily destroyed.

DISEASES YOU SHOULD VACCINATE AGAINST

There are a range of diseases which can be vaccinated against but below are some of the
most common ones:

Mareks Disease

Infectious Bronchitis (IB)

Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG)

Salmonella

Newcastle Disease

DID I HEAR SOMEONE ASK IF I MUST VACCINATE?

The need to vaccinate, and which disease you should vaccinate against will depend on your
holding, the number of birds you are keeping and whether or not you buy in or sell out birds.

With regard to Mareks disease, in general, I recommend against vaccination unless it is a

problem in your pen/farm. The vaccine is given to day old chicks as an injection into their
breast muscle, thigh or the back of the neck but remember that day old chicks are small and
fragile and can easily be injured by an inexperienced vaccinator.

126
Incorrect vaccination with a needle can cause excessive damage to the chicks or even death.

The two respiratory diseases (IB/ MG) should all be vaccinated against .

In general, if you are buying or selling a lot of birds it is worth considering vaccinating
against all two.

In conclusion, be reminded that you can vaccinate against a number of diseases and which
one you should vaccinate against will depend on your individual holding, how many birds
you have, if you buying/selling a lot of birds and which diseases have been found on your
holding in the pen, as aforementioned.

Please remember vaccination is not without its problems and it is not 100% effective. (You
could have vaccine failure)

TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL VACCINATION

Do not add vaccine to chlorinated water (do not use treated water to vaccinate).

Make sure the area where you make up the vaccine is clean

Dispose vials properly putting them in disinfectant or kerosene (remember bio-security

measures)

Vaccine is not meant to stay after 60mins of serving

Withdraw water from birds for 1- 2 hours before serving so that they can finish it before
one hour (you can give feed first to make them thirsty)

Give 10% of their daily water consumption upon serving

127
Withdraw antibiotics 24hrs before and after vaccination

Always store vaccine in cooler/food flask and cool dry place

Give vaccine very early in the morning so that you don't denature vaccine

Give anti-stress after serving vaccine to birds

Do not pour vaccine water remnant or water used for rinsing drinkers around your pen. (Be
ready to count your losses if you do so)

Do not contaminate the vaccine with disinfectants.

Do not withdraw the water for too long (1- 2 hours is enough)

Make sure the birds all have vaccine added water at the same time (starving them of water
before vaccination is very effective).

VACCINES BY INJECT ION

The most common times to give a vaccine by injection is at day old for Mareks disease or
at point of lay to ensure a good level of protection during Lay against

Infectious Bronchitis,

Newcastle Disease,

Egg Drop Syndrome and possibly

Mycoplasma gallisepticum.

(CRD)

Ensure you know how to vaccinate birds by injection before you carry on with it as there
are many problems and possible welfare issues if the technique, which is not difficult , is
not carried out correctly. (you may end up wiping most of your birds out with injection)
128
DISEASE PREVENTION/VACCINATION PROGRAMME FOR PULLETS
AGE VACCINES ROUTE
1ST DAY MAREKS 1/M
5TH DAY ND LASOTA I** ORAL
7TH DAY IBD GUMBORO I** ,,
9TH DAY SALMONELLA 1** ,,
13TH DAY ND LASOTA II + IB** ,,

15TH DAY GUMBORO II** ,,

22ND DAY ND LASOTA III + IB** ,,

24TH DAY IBD GUMBORO III ,,

4TH WEEK DEBEAKING/DECONGESTION** ,,

6TH WEEK DEWORMING** ,,

8TH WEEK SALMONELLA II** ORAL/IM

9TH WEEK CORYZA I** IM

ND LASOTA** ORAL
10TH WEEK FOWL POX** WING WEB

11TH WEEK AVIAN INFLUENZA** IM

12TH WEEK SALMONELLA III ,,

13TH WEEK CORYZA II** ,,

14TH WEEK ND LASOTA IV** ORAL

MAREKS** IM
15TH WEEK AVIAN INFLUENZA II** ,,

16TH WEEK ND+IB+EDS** ,,

129
DISEASE PREVENTION/VACCINATION PROGRAMME FOR BROILERS
DAYS MEDICATION/ VACCINATION ROUTE
1 ANTI- STRESS (VIT)** ORAL
2- 5 ANTIBIOTICS AND ANTISTRESS** ,,
6 SALMONELLA/E.COLI ..

8 GUMBORO** ,,

9 ANTISTRESS** ,,

14 LASOTA ** ,,
16- 19 ANTICOCCIDIOSIS/ANTISTRESS** ,,
21 GUMBORO** ,,
22- 26 ANTISTRESS** ,,
28 LASOTA** ,,
42 DEWORMER** ,,

45- 49 ANTICOCCIDIOSIS/ANTISTRESS** ,,

Remember, you establish vaccination schedule based on local and regional challenges
ascertained by health/medical survey and depending on your own analysis. On that premise,
I make bold to say this is what works for my farm, it may be the same as yours or vary.

***Those with asterisks is a must - do vaccination whereas those without it may be ignored.

130
ORGANIC VACCINATION PROGRAMME /DOSAGE/ ADMINISTRATION
ORGANIC DAILY CHART FOR BROILERS

Please note that (30ML= 30G EACH TO 3- 4LITRES OF WATER .)

Day 1 - 3: LAB, Tagiri, Ginger & Garlic Extract

Day 4 - Clean water

Day 5 - Cayenne pepper (dry) / Habanero (fresh)

Day 6 - Clean water

Day 7 - 9: LAB, Tagiri, Ginger & Garlic Extract

Day 10 - Clean water

Day 11 - Bitter Leaf extract & Cayenne pepper / Habanero

Day 12 - Clean water

Day 13 - 15: LAB, Tagiri, Ginger & Garlic Extract

Day 16 - Clean water

Day 17 - 18 Black pepper

Day 19 - Clean water

Day 20 - 22: LAB, Tagiri, Ginger & Garlic Extract , MVC.

Day 23 - Clean water

Day 24 - Scent Leaf extract & Cayenne pepper/Habanero pepper

Day 25 - 26 Black pepper

Day 27 - Clean water

Day 28 - 30: LAB, Tagiri, Ginger & Garlic Extract , MVC.

Day 31 - Clean water

131
Day 32 - Fresh Habanero pepper.

Day 33 - Clean water

Day 34 - 35 Black pepper

Day 36 - Clean water

Day 37 - 38: LAB, Tagiri, Ginger & Garlic Extract , MVC.

Day 39 - Clean water

Day 40 - Fresh habanero pepper

Day 41 - Clean water

Day 42- : LAB, Tagiri, Ginger & Garlic Extract , MVC

I hear in my spirit, that you’re asking, what is MVC? MVC is MULTIVITAMIN

CALCIUM. I will teach you how to prepare MVC later in this chapter.

Note: If you intend to keep your birds above 6 weeks, reduce the number of days for
supplements to twice weekly. Turmeric & Black pepper once weekly.

132
 LAYERS ORGANIC MEDICATION/VACCINATION SCHEDULE

WEEK DAY ORGANIC FEED CAUTION

MEDICATION

ONE 1 Itagiri, Garlic, Ferment feed with Itagiri should be

Molasses, Pawpaw LAB and give all Taken 1st thing in
Leaf Extract through the morning; 60ml
For BEST results to 2 Litres for 200
Birds

2-6 Itagiri, Pawpaw

Leaf Extract, Ginger,
Garlic,
Molasses, Cayenne
Pepper, Turmeric
&Pinch of Black
Pepper
7 Itagiri-Early Morning
Shot and
Molasses only for the
rest of the day.

TWO 8-13 Itagiri, Ginger, Ferment feed with

Garlic, Bitter leaf, LAB and give all
Turmeric, Cayenne through for BEST
Pepper,& Pinch of results
Black Pepper

14 Itagiri-Early Morning
Shot and
Molasses only for the
rest of the day.

THREE 15 Itagiri, Bitter Leaf, Ferment feed with

Cayenne Pepper & LAB and give all
Pinch of Black through for BEST
Pepper, Turmeric results

16 Itagiri, Garlic,
Ginger, Bitter Leaf,
Cayenne Pepper &
Pinch of Black
Pepper, Turmeric

133
 17 Itagiri, Bitter Leaf,
Cayenne Pepper &
Pinch of Black
Pepper, Turmeric

18 Itagiri, Garlic,
Ginger, Bitter Leaf,
Cayenne Pepper &
Pinch of Black
Pepper, Turmeric

19 Itagiri, Turmeric,
Bitter Leaf,
Cayenne Pepper &
Pinch of Black
Pepper

20 Itagiri, Garlic,
Ginger, Bitter Leaf,
Cayenne Pepper &
Pinch of Black
Pepper, Turmeric

21 Itagiri-Early
Morning Shot and
Molasses only for the
rest of the day.

FOUR 22-27 Itagiri, Bitter Leaf, Ferment feed with The ratio of
Turmeric, Basil leaf, LAB and give all Bitter Leaf to
Cayenne Pepper & through for BEST Basil leaf here is
Pinch of Black results 2:1
Pepper, Turmeric

28 Itagiri-Early
Morning Shot, Garlic,
Ginger and Molasses.

FIVE 29-34 Itagiri-Early If you discover

Morning Shot, traces of blood in
Cayenne Pepper & their poo, remove
Pinch of Black basil
Pepper, Turmeric, Leaf from the
Bitter Leaf, Basil remedy and give
leaf only bitter leaf

134
 35 Itagiri-Early
Morning Shot, Garlic,
Ginger and Molasses.

SIX 36-37 Itagiri-Early Ferment feed with 6 Cups of basil

Morning Shot, Basil LAB and give all Leaf &2 Cups of
Leaf & Lime/ through for BEST Ginger or 8Cups
Boiled Basil Leaf & results of basil leaf &
Ginger 2 cups of lime
(boil with 1000 ml
of Water) Cups
measured in ml are
when these
herbs/plants have
been extracted, the
juice.
After boiling use
the ratio of
30ml of the boiled
concoction to 1
litre of their
drinking water

38-39 Itagiri-Early morning

shot,
Cayenne Pepper &
Pinch of Black
Pepper, Turmeric,
Garlic, Ginger,

40-41 Itagiri-Early morning

shot, Basil leaf &
Lime/Boiled
basil leaf & Ginger

42 Itagiri-Early
Morning Shot,
Cayenne Pepper&
Pinch of Black
Pepper, Turmeric,
Garlic, Ginger

SEVEN 43-44 Itagiri-Early Ferment feedwith

Morning Shot, Garlic, LABand
Ginger, Cayenne giveall through
Pepper & Pinch of forBEST
Black Pepper, results
Turmeric

135
 45 Molasses and
Ordinary water only
for the rest of the day.

46-47 Itagiri-Early The ratio of

Morning Shot, Bitter Leaf to
Cayenne Pepper & Basil leaf is 1:1
Pinch of Black
Pepper, Turmeric, Bitter
Leaf, Basil
leaf

48-49 Itagiri, Turmeric,

Cayenne Pepper&
Pinch of Black
Pepper, Garlic,
Ginger
EIGHT 50-51 Itagiri-Early Ferment feed
Morning Shot, Basil with
Leaf, Cayenne LAB and give for
Pepper & Pinch of all
Black Pepper, Through
Turmeric BEST
results

52 Molasses and
Ordinary water only
For the rest of the
day.

53-54 Itagiri, Tumeric,

Cayenne Pepper &
Pinch of Black
Pepper, Garlic,
Ginger

55-56 Itagiri, Basil leaf,

Cayenne Pepper &
Pinch of Black
Pepper, Turmeric

136
NINE 57-78 Aloe Vera gel, Pinch Ferment Give only AVG in
Black Pepper And Feed with the early hours of
Cayenne Pepper LAB and give all morning and
Black & cayenne
Through for BEST
Results pepper in
their drinking
water, the rest of
the day.

TWELVE 79-81 Cucumber, Carrot, Ferment feed

Deworm Ginger, Turmeric, with LAB and
Molasses give all through
for BEST results
THIRTEEN 82-86 MVC Ferment feed
with LAB and
give all through
for BEST
results

TAKE THE FOLLOWING TIPS SERIOUSLY:

• Ensure you want to go organic all through; do not interchange with synthetic drugs
please.
• Prepare Itagiri and get it ready before stocking

• Do away with any synthetic drug around your farm especially when you have staffs,
they could be funny to administer them in your absence since it is at their beck and
call.
• Follow them up, do not be boss at your comfort zone and still in your business, visit
every morning to ensure the follow up with these medications.
• Deworm every two weeks
• Give black pepper, cayenne pepper, ginger, molasses every 4 weeks for 4 days to
keep Newcastle disease in check.
• Give MVC every five weeks to boost immunity and give stronger bones.
• Randomly administer these herbs Oregano, Ginger, Veggies, Turmeric, Basil Leaf,
Cayenne & Black Pepper, Moringa (1g to every 1kg of feed).
Just play around with them and make do with what you have.

137
 • Remember, you mustn’t have all the afore-mentioned herbs/plants, just make do with
what you have ensuring you don’t EVER skip giving cayenne pepper, black pepper
and ginger (very important)
• Please once your young gals reach 14 weeks, do not dare give garlic, Aloe Vera Gel,
Itagiri, Neem Leaf .
• If you must use fermented feed, be prepared for it. Do not short change for any
reason.
• Follow the chart religiously and strictly please, do not change anything and come
here to wail

GOODLUCK!

ORGANIC HERBAL CONCOCTION DOSAGE:

½ tea sp = 2.5ml

1 t sp = 5ml

2 tea sp = 10ml

½ tbs = 7.5ml

1 tbs = 15ml

3 tea sp = 1 tbs

1 cup = 240ml

⅔ cup = 227g

½ cup = 120ml

⅓ cup = 113g

¼ cup = 85g
138
⅛ cup = 2 tbs 1ml = 1g

NOTE: TBS = TABLE SPOON TSP = TEA SPOON NEXT THING IS!!!!!

PREPARATION OF MULTIVITAMIN CALCIUM, ORGANIC BOOSTER AND

MOLASSES

Lets start with molasses,

139
MOLASSES

What is Molasses? Molasses simply put is refined sugar cane juice. It is thick brownish-
black in colour.

Molasses basically serves three purposes;

As a sweetener for birds,

Preservative

A tonic.

Please note that Molasses can completely replace honey, yes, the expensive honey

HOW DO YOU PREPARE MOLASSES

MATERIALS NEEDED:
 Sugar cane
 Mortar & Pestle
 Bowl
 Cheese cloth
 Pot /drum

140
STEPS

Step1
Get as much quantity of sugar cane as you can pile of the back then crush them in a mill or
using mortar and pestle to extract the juice.

PILING OF THE BACK

CRUSHING THE SUGAR CANE WITH MORTAR

141
STEP 2:

Squeeze out the juice from the crushed sugar cane.

STEP 3

Strain the juice into a bowl using cheese cloth so that the tiny particles are removed.

142
STEP 4

Pour the juice into a large drum or pot depending on the quantity you want to produce.

STEP 5
Apply heat or boil for 6 hours

143
STEP 6

Keep stirring as it boils so that it does not stuck to the bottom of the pot or drum

Note: The boiling of the juice will produce a crystallization of the sugar allowing it to form
the basest stage of t he Molasses.

STEP 7

Once the colour turns to blackish-brown and it is quite thick, bring it down and allow it to
cool

144
STEP 8

Store in bottles

Your molasses is ready.

NEXT THING IS!!!!!

HOW TO PREPARE ORGANIC MULTIVITAMINS CALCIUM (MVC)

ITEMS/FRUITS NEEDED

Carrots
Garden eggs
Cucumber
Ripe Pawpaw
Water melon
Oranges
Knife
145
Blender
Egg shells

STEP 1

Get as much quantity of the above items as you can and in equal proportions

STEP 2

Then Peel the back of oranges and water melon

STEP 3

Cut all the fruits into pieces and blend adding a little water. Blending with blender if
possible

BLENDED FRUITS
146
STEP 4

Store in a cool room for 72 hours,(4 days) . use rubber band to tighten the cheese cloth with
the bowl.

STEP 5

On the fourth day strain contents in a large bowl.

147
STEP 6

Heat egg shell in oven to kill and lingering microorganism

The crushed gathered egg shells to powered form

STEP 7

Add the crushed egg shell in form of powered to the sieved mixture in step 4

STEP 8

Add Molasses in a ratio of 3:1 and store in bottle

148
Your MVC is ready

NEXT THING IS !!!!!!

HOW TO PREPARE ORGANIC GROWTH BOOSTER (OGB) USING BANANA

AND BROWN SUGAR (To get 2-3KG or more in 2 months)

ORGANIC GROWTH BOOSTER

MATERIALS NEEDED:

Ripe banana

Cheese cloth

Brown Sugar

Molasses (you should be aware of how to prepare Molasses by now).

149
STEPS

STEP 1

Get a ripe banana, preferably fresh from the tree. (banana is the one you eat , plantain is the
one fry oooo….SO GET BANANA)

Do not wash nor peel the banana

STEP 2

Cut your banana into pieces and weigh it (the same weighing machine use to weigh turkey
at your nearby market can do the job).

STEP 3

Add equal amount of brown sugar and mash them together thoroughly using
blender/grinder/ mortar and pestle

150
Note: You will discover a lot of moisture,

STEP 4

Add a little more sugar to concentrate the mixed recipe.

STEP 5

Leave to ferment for about 5 days under cool room temperature.

Remember you are covering with cheesecloth tied with rubber band, like that of the MVC
preparation above.

STEP 6

After 5 days, extract the liquid into another jar using cheese cloth

151
STEP 7

You can preserve it by adding equal amount of brown sugar/molasses to liquid.

ADMINISTRATION:

3ml in 1litre of drinking water is ideal however, you may use 3ml in half a litre in a stressed
conditions.

YOUR ORGANIC GROWTH BOOSTER (OGB) IS READY

HOW TO PREPARE SUPER IMMUNE ORGANIC BOOSTER

This is the preparation of super immune organic booster to boost the immunity of your
birds, prevents disease spread and outbreak.

Please note that this can be given to your birds from day old.

The 3 herbs I'm about to mention are very rich in calcium, loaded with minerals and
essential amino acids especially Aloe vera gel.

152
Also, they're high in Vitamin C, They are anti viral, anti fungal and anti bacterial, and can
serve as liver tonic.

With periodic addition of these plants & spices, you are sure of strong immune system build
up for your birds.

MATERIALS NEEDED

• 340g of Aloe vera stem

170g Cayenne pepper

153
• 2 teaspoon of Black pepper

• Blender/grinder/pestle
• Fruit peeler (optional)
• Big bowl
• Knife

154
STEPS

STEP 1

I want to believe you know how to extract Aloe vera gel right? If you don’t then let me
quickly give you the run down of it.

 Get aloe vera stem

 Use knife to open it
 Gently remove the gel inside, avoid cut due to the sharp object
 Then your gel is available

STEP 2

Add 30ml of these blended solutions to a litre of water

Please Note: Prepare fresh solution daily

ADMINISTRATION

Give for 3 days

Please give aloe vera gel in the morning cayenne

+ black pepper in the evening.

Take note that Aloe vera gel has negative correlation with other herbs/plants when mixed
together

YOUR SUPER IMMUNE ORGANIC BOOSTER IS READY

155
Another super immune organic booster is LAB.

HOW TO PREPARE SUPER IMMUNE ORGANIC BOOSTER 2

MATERIALS NEEDED

340g Basil/Scent leaf

340g Garlic

156
340g Ginger

85g Clove (ferment for 3 days) (zobo PEPPER)

157
175g Mint

340g Oregano

Molasses (you already know how to prepare this)

158
STEPS

STEP 1

Blend all this materials together

STEP 2

Weigh the extract and add equal quantity of molasses.

Your OIB is ready

ADMINISTRATION

This can also serve as a super antistress in addition to being a super immune booster as
against the synthetic glucose, vitamin you give your DOCs

Prepare fresh solution daily

Add 10ml to a litre of water

159
CHAPTER SIX
All You Need To Know About Chicken/Chick 162

10 Ways To Reduce Or Prevent High Mortality Rate In Poultry Farming 183

Identification Of Common Poultry Diseases 187

160
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CHICKEN/CHICK

CARING FOR BABY CHICKS

Just like puppies, baby chicks purpolarly know as Day Old Chick (DOC) are unbelievably
adorable and loveable. And just like puppies, they're a handful! I totally recommend it for
anyone looking for a poultry flock. This section covers all the basics of baby chick care.

Baby chicks can be purchased at a poultry hatchery or garden/farm supply store (I

ALREADY GAVE TWO OF THE BEST DAY OLD CHICK COMPANY YOUY CAN
BUY FROM).

CLEARING YOUR SCHEDULE

DOC require constant care and monitoring, so make sure your schedule is clear for the first

161
4 weeks! Don't plan on vacations or even day trips unless you have a seasoned DOC
employee/attendant on standby. Make sure you or a member of workforce are available to
check on them at least 5 times a day.

DECIDING WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO LIVE

You can keep DOC almost anywhere: their small size makes them easy to handle! They
grow quickly, though, and by the time they're three or four weeks old they'll be taking up a
lot of space and making a big mess, so preparing a living space for them is actually quite
important.

The good news is that you can transfer them to their outside coop at 4-5 weeks of age, so
you won't have to deal with the mess for too long... I will talk more on that below.

You have to create a space for them different just as we have highlighted in this book that
DOC needs to brooded for them to stay alive..

THINGS YOU MUST CONSIDER WHEN BUYING DAY-OLD CHICKS

PROCESS OF PRODUCTION OF DAY OLD CHICKS

Poultry and poultry houses are known to harbour bacteria that cause zoonotic infections.
Such include salmonellosis and shigellosis. Such bacteria like salmonella can breach the
shell integrity into the egg-causing early infections.

162
RESEARCH
Due to these bacteria, extreme hygiene has to be practiced at the hatchery including
fumigation of eggs before hatching. This eliminates all pathogens to ensure hatched chicks
are healthy. The eggs are also cleaned to remove gross dirt before incubation.

If this is not done, one may buy day-old chicks from an unapproved source then few days
or weeks later, despite you doing everything right, the birds might come down with one
infection and this could be the source of your problems.

If a hatchery manages to posses these characteristics then it meets the bare minimum
required to produce good quality chicks. With this in place, then the hatchery must be
inspected by the veterinary authorities and licensed to be in the business of chick
production.

Most farmers are duped by unscrupulous dealers who invoke names of trusted brands in the
market. A physical visit at the hatchery is therefore a must to also examine their health and
history record.

VACCINATION AND HEALTH STATUS OF CHICKS

Before purchasing chicks, a farmer must confirm if they have been vaccinated against
common poultry viral diseases such as Marek’s disease. If the birds are not vaccinated in
the hatchery, then one must have his orgnic vaccinations ready as according to the
163
vaccination chat given above to the chicks as soon as they get to you to prevent diseases or
death.

ECOLOGICAL REGION
High breed chicken is highly sensitive to extreme fluctuations in environmental
temperatures. An aspiring farmer is therefore advised to purchase birds from hatcheries
within their ecological area. Chicks bred in areas with low environmental temperatures are
likely to die of heat stress if taken to areas with high environmental temperatures.

The knowledge about temperature changes will also help a farmer prepare himself
adequately for energy needs like solar, electricity or cooling gadgets in case of extreme
heat.

TIME
Time is also an important factor when buying day-old chicks. This is because day old chicks
require a lot of care and attention especially in the first five weeks of purchase. Therefore,
you must clear out your schedule and ensure that you would have time to care for them
when you buy them.

SIZE
When you buy day-old chicks, they are usually so small that 1,000 of them can fit into a
tiny space. But you shouldn’t allow this initial size deceive you; as they grow older, they
begin to consume a lot of space and if you didn’t do proper space planning at the point of
buying dayold chicks, you would face a lot of space challenges.

164
MEANS OF TRANSPORT
Since they are very delicate, it is important to use special containers when transporting
dayold chicks from their current location to the destination you want to send them. Use
containers that are hard on the outside and soft on the inside.

When the inside of the container is soft it will act as shock absorber to protect the chicks
from bruising. Day old chicks are very delicate and find it difficult to sustain injuries when
they are bruised and they may die. The container should be put in a place that will prevent
vigorous shaking and movement because when that happen your chicks will crash into each
other and some will get their limbs and other parts of their body broken.

VENTILATION DURING TRANSIT

I have mentioned before in this book, please the type of transport you use to carry the chicks
should be well ventilated to enable proper breathing of the chicks which is extremely crucial
during movement. The portions allocated for the ventilation shouldn’t be too much as to
expose the chicks to strong wind as it can cause death through suffocation.

Once all the desired factors are in place, the farmer should be able to have all the structures
and equipment ready for the take off of the farm.

165
CREATING A SUITABLE LIVING ENVIRONMENT

This is the one of the most important part of raising happy, healthy chicks. The DOC house
(also known as the "brooder. DOC need to be protected from drafts but still have adequate
ventilation. This can be in the form of a cardboard box with holes for ventilation, a
singlefaced corrugated cardboard roll, 12" or higher, a large plastic storage bin, or even a
kiddie pool!

All of the above have been used with success. Whatever housing solution you go with, make
sure it provides 2 square feet per chick. It sounds like an awful lot, but as they get older
(and bigger) you'll realize why this is necessary.

166
A HEAT SOURCE

DOC need to be kept pretty hot. The first week of their lives they require an air temperature
of 95 degrees, the second week 90 degrees, and so on - going down by 5 degrees per week
until they're ready to transition to "outside".

A 250-watt infrared heat lamp is the best way to achieve this, placed right in the middle of
their living area and suspended off the ground. The height of the light will depend on what
it takes to achieve your target temperature.

I recommend a red heat bulb for a few reasons: one, with a bright white light constantly
glaring it can be hard for them to sleep. The red light is darker and provides them some
respite. Two, red lights help prevent them from pecking one another.

Pay close attention to how your chicks behave. If they're all crowded together directly under
the heat source, they're cold. Lower the heat lamp or add another one. If they're around the
edges of the brooder avoiding the heat and each other like the plague, they're too hot! Raise
the heat lamp. A happy flock will happily be exploring all around the brooder.

And please do not listen to anyone that tells you a regular old 60 watt bulb will suffice! I
have seen chicks die from this bad advice. They really need a lamp intended to produce
heat, and as we've mentioned, I recommend the 250-watt variety. However you can use
local method such as stove, charcoal burner just make sure you avoid smoke coming out of
it as it can cause Respiratory Disease to your birds.

167
 Charcoal as source of heat

ABSORBENT BEDDING

DOC are big poopers, so make sure to line the floor of their housing unit with an absorbent
material. The best, I think, is to spread wood shavings.

Avoid the urge to use newspaper! It's not a good absorbent and the slippery surface can lead
to a permanent deformity called "splayed leg" which can ultimately result in the other
chickens pecking on the affected bird to death.

168
 FEED SAC AS UNDERLAY

A DRINKER / WATERER
I recommend you don't try to use a dish, a rabbit drinker, or anything you have just "laying
around". Baby chicks have special needs when it comes to water. Dishes can make it easy
for chicks to drown, and they'll certainly do naughty things like walk in it, spill it, kick their
bedding materials into it, and poop in it -- meaning you'll have to change it constantly.

Rabbit drinkers aren't preferable, either, because not enough chicks can access it at once.
For the best results, i recommend you use a chick waterer they come in a number of different
sizes and shapes, all basically sufficient.

Keep in mind that even with the best drinker, they'll still kick bedding materials into it and
find ways to poop in it from time to time. Raising the waterer off the ground somewhat will
help (starting their second week of life), but no matter what they're going to get that water
messy, so plan on changing it a few times a day.

169
A FEEDER
Once again, i recommend you resist the temptation to use a dish or bowl for feeding your
DOC They're messy, and they'll jump in and kick the feed all over the place, poop in it, and
worse case scenario: they'll tip it over and trap a baby underneath. (This has happened!)
Spend those few extra shillings and buy a "real" DOC feeder, or borrow one from a friend.
They come in many shapes and sizes.

BONUS: ROOSTING POLES

Chickens love to roost on poles or branches when they're resting. You don't HAVE to
provide your brood roosting poles, but they'll be even happier if you do. I like half inch
diameter wooden dowels. Try them about 5 inches off the ground. (They may like it so
much, so that they don't roost on top of your feeder and waterer!)

FEED
Fortunately this one doesn't require much thought! Suppliers have formulated special feed
complete with everything DOC need. It's called "starter feed" and comes in either
"crumbles" or "mash" (referring to how ground down it is). Either is fine.

170
The only thing to know is that if you've had your chicks vaccinated against Coccidiosis,
they'll need an un-medicated feed. If not, or if you've only had them vaccinated for Marek's
Disease, medicated feed is a great way to keep them healthy those first few months.

A question i commonly get is how long to feed baby chicks "starter feed" for before
switching to a feed called "grower" or "chick grower". The answer is: it all depends! Each
manufacturer formulates their feed differently, so read the label and follow their
instructions. Some only recommend the starter for 4 weeks before moving onto grower;
some combine both together in a "starter/grower" feed that can last up to 16 weeks, etc.

Farmers also ask me whether they can feed their chicks scraps, or worms and other bugs
from the garden... Small amounts of vegetable/dairy should be fine for the chicks (and
they'll love it!), and the same goes with bugs and worms. But consider those like dessert,
not the main course. Starter feeds contain everything chicks need to survive and thrive, and
filling them up with too much of the "other stuff" can throw off their nutritional balance.

Finally, people want to know how much food they should give their birds. The answer is:
as much as they want! Don't ration it. Give your birds 24/7 access to all the food they can
eat. They're not like dogs. They'll self-regulate.

171
GRIT
Ever heard the saying "scarce as a hen's teeth"? That's right, chickens don't have them!
Instead they eat tiny pebbles and store them in their "crop". When the food enters their crop,
the pebbles grind it up to make digestion easier.

NETTING FOR THE TOP

Although most grown chickens are pretty pathetic flyers, young chicks are much more
capable. If your brooder is only 12 inches high, don't be surprised if you find your weekold
chicks perching on top of it! To prevent this, i recommend you cut a section of deer netting
or chicken wire just big enough to drape over your brooder, or use a 2-foot-high brooder
box to increase the length of time before they're able to "fly the coop".

BRINGING YOUR DOC HOME

First things first: find out what day your chicks will be arriving. When you get them
home, be prepared: one or two may have died in transporting or may be on their "way out".
This isn't due to disease. Some chicks are born less hardy than others and can't withstand
the stress and cold temperatures involved in transporting them around the country.

Most hatcheries, in fact, prepare for that by including an extra bird or two for free. (Beware,
though, as some hatcheries will throw in broilers even if you didn't order them! Ensure if
they include extras, they only include a bird of the same breed and sex as one you've
ordered.)

Care for the weak birds as best as you can, and bury the dead birds as you would any other
pet. Also, call the hatchery right away to let them know if a bird dies. They'll usually
either give you a partial refund or a discount on your next order so long as you notify
them within 24 - 48 hours of arrival.

172
IMPORTANT HEALTH NOTES

PASTING UP
As you move your DOC from their box into their brooder kit (which you've set up and
heated in advance, of course!), check them for "pasting up", a condition in which their
droppings cake up and block their vent opening, preventing them from passing any more
droppings.

This problem will be pretty obvious; you won't have to go poking around their insides to
see it. The dried poo will be stuck to their outside, totally or partially covering their vent.

This is a deadly condition and must be dealt with immediately. To clear the blockage, use a
warm, wet paper towel to soften the poo blocking the vent. It should then be relatively easy
to remove. To make sure your chick doesn't get chilled during this process, you may want
to do this near a heat source and make sure to keep the wet paper towel warm.

IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO WATER

Your new brood will need water right away. Watch them carefully once you've
transferred them to their new home. If they aren't finding the water, pick an especially
spritely one and gently put its beak into the water. This should be enough to teach them -
once one chick's drinking the others are sure to follow!

The same goes with the food: make sure they're finding it. If not, show them. Resist the
temptation to feed your chicks water with a syringe. This can cause death by drowning,
even if you're very careful about it. Just gently dip their beaks in water. If one is still not

173
drinking, chances are it is struggling to stay alive and may not make it. So don't force it to
drink with a syringe.

THE UMBILICAL CORD

This is not always commone but in some cases some baby chicks will arrive to you with
an intact, attached umbilical cord. It looks like a very thin black string, attached to their
rear. For heaven's sake, don't pull it! It's not "pasting up"! Just leave it alone. It will fall off
within a day or two. Pulling it can really injure them.

ONGOING CHICK CARE

Keep checking up on your chicks several times a day. They'll be doing naughty things like
kicking up their bedding into the feed and water, and you'll have to clean up after them.
(Don't forget, they need round-the-clock access to all the food and water they can get their
beaks on!)

Also pay close attention to their behavior. I said it before and I'll say it again because it's
key: If they're crowded together directly under the heat source, they're cold. Lower the heat
lamp or add another one. If they're around the edges of the brooder avoiding the heat and
each other like the plague, they're too hot! Raise the heat lamp. Not getting this right can be
the death of young chicks.

CHANGING BEDDING
For the purpose of biosecurity, please try to keep their area from stinking, change their
bedding at least once a week. We used to throw ours in the compost pile where it's happily
turned into rich earth.

174
HEATING OVER TIME
Don't forget that your baby chicks need less and less heat as time goes by. By their 2nd
week the heat can be reduced 5 degrees to 90, by the 3rd week by another 5 degrees to 85
and so on. However, this is just a guideline. Continue tuning into their behavioral cues as
described above and you'll know how to tweak their heat.

Also, keep in mind that some of your chicks will develop faster than others, requiring less
heat, while the "runty" ones will want to be closer to the heat lamp. Make sure your heating
setup gives each chick the choice of how much heat is comfortable to them (in other words,
don't create a uniform temperature by putting the heat lamp inside the box and then covering
the box!)

"OUTISDE" TIME
After the chicks are 2-3 weeks old, if it's warm outside and sunny, feel free to let them have
a little "outdoor time"! Put them in a wire cage or erect some other temporary housing and
place it in the sun, making sure they have access to water and shade if they need it. They'll
absolutely love digging around in the grass.

But don't leave them unattended! At this age they're VERY good at flying and VERY
susceptible to predators. Plus, if it's windy they'll get cold (and they'll let you know they're
unhappy with their loud chirping).

By 4-5 weeks of age your chickens are ready to move outside full-time. And thank
goodness! As much as you love them, you'll be thrilled to get them out of your house.

175
DOC FAQS (FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS)
Q: How much food should I give my DOC?
A: As much as they want! We talked about this a little above, but in case you didn't catch
it, chickens aren't like dogs -- they won't eat themselves to death. They'll only eat as much
as they need. So go on, spoil them! Give them as much food as you can fit in your feeder.
They won't over-eat it.

Q: Is "pasting up" REALLY a deadly condition?

A: You bet it is! "Pasting up" is described above: it's when droppings cake up and block
a DOC’s vent opening, preventing them from passing any more droppings, and it must be
dealt with immediately. Apply a warm, wet paper towel to their rears and then use a
toothpick to gently clear the blockage, or in severe cases dunk the chick's rear in warm water
so it softens up enough to remove it.

Dry her off and return her to the brooder kit with the other chicks, and keep an eye on her
in the coming days to make sure the problem doesn't return.

176
CARING FOR GROWN CHICKENS

In this section I'll fill you in on daily, monthly, semi-annual and annual chores, as well as
other nuances of chicken husbandry.

WHAT TO DO ON A DAILY BASIS

❖ Keep feeders and waterers full.

❖ Make sure the waterer is clean. Chickens will be less inclined to drink dirty water,
and a dehydrated bird can very quickly become ill or die.
❖ Check to make sure they all look active, bright and healthy. If they aren`t, make an
appointment with your vet.
❖ Collect and refrigerate eggs, pointy side down for maximum freshness.

❖ If you've opened the coop door to let your chickens out, always be sure to close and
secure it at dusk (once they've all returned!) to make sure predators can't get in. (Tip:

177
 if you have a cell phone that allows you to set a recurring alarm, try that as a
reminder.)

Keep in mind that you CAN leave your chickens alone (if they are few) for a few days
provided they have enough food, water and space for the duration of your trip. The eggs
they'll have laid in your absence should still be good to eat. Fresh eggs keep for several days
without refrigeration.

Egg Tip: Your eggs may have some slight traces of dirt or chicken feces on them. Resist
the urge to scrub them clean! Outside the egg is a delicate membrane called the "bloom"
that wards off bacteria and other foreign matter. Scrubbing will damage this membrane. If
you're one of those Type A people that needs perfect-looking eggs, rub them with your
fingers very gently under warm water. Then, wash your hands thoroughly.

WHAT TO DO ON A MONTHLY BASIS

❖ Change the bedding or always clean the coop and the nest. This is necessary for
sanitary purposes. Excessive ammonia buildup is dangerous to poultry and can cause
respiratory illness.
❖ Remove the feces. We put ours in the compost bin or use it as fertilizer.

WHAT TO DO ON A BI-ANNUAL BASIS

Twice a year you've got to really scrub your coop clean! Remove bedding, nest materials,
feed and water containers. For a cleaner, i recommend a strong citrus cleanser will also do
the trick.

178
 After cleaning, rinse well and let dry before replacing with fresh bedding. Do the same with
the feed and water containers: clean thoroughly and rinse well, and replace with a fresh
supply. You should be able to do this all in a couple hours!

WINTER PRECAUTIONS
During cold seasons, most farmers want to do the very best they can for their flock, and
we often get ask me whether they should heat their coop during winter. My feeling is this
isn't a good idea. Chickens adapt to the cold weather over time. Their body metabolism
actually changes along with the seasons.

When you heat your coop, the birds will never get used to the colder outside temperature
so if the heat were to accidentally cut out causing a sudden change in temperature, you
could literally lose your entire flock overnight. I've seen it happen.

That said, if you live in a really cold climate there are a few precautions you can take to
make everyone's lives easier (by which i mean you and your birds!):

❖ Protect combs and wattles from frostbite by rubbing on petroleum jelly or another
heavy moisturizer every few days.
❖ Make sure the water supply does not freeze! This is very important. Chickens cannot
live long without fresh water. If you don't have electricity in your coop and therefore
cannot provide a water heater, i recommend you bring the waterer into your house
every night, and return it outside every morning. Check the water once or twice a
day to make sure it's not frozen. (This may does not happen in Nigeria but it happens
in USA and other european countries.)

179
SUMMER PRECAUTIONS
Excessive heat is a real risk to birds. Make sure they have access to fresh, clean water at all
times. Provide them a source of shade outside and as much ventilation as possible inside.

Note: Your hens may lay fewer eggs during heat waves. This is a sign of stress, but laying
rates will return to normal once the heat has receded.

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR CHICKENS GET SICK

Most chicken illnesses are curable if they're caught in time! If you suspect one of your
chickens may be under the weather, take the precautionary measure of isolating it from the
rest of the flock. This will help prevent illness from spreading. (And of course, make sure
the isolated chicken has access to food and water!)

The following symptoms indicate illness:

1. Mangy appearance

2. Visible mites

3. Abnormal stool, including blood, visible worms, diarrhea, droppings that are all
white.
(Normal stool is brown with a white cap.)
4. Sneezing

5. Loss of energy or depression

6. Sudden, drastic reduction in position in pecking order

7. Loss of appetite 8. Stunted growth

180
For a more complete account of poultry illness, symptoms and cures, i recommend you read
chapter this chapter very well.

A FEW THINGS NOT TO WORRY ABOUT:

1) Your chickens' first eggs will be pretty pathetic! They'll be small, shells will be weak
and some won't even have shells at all. Don't worry! This is not a sign of sickness.
2) Your chickens will lose and regrow their feathers once a year. This is called
"molting" and is perfectly normal. They won't lay eggs during this time.
3) A tiny speck of blood in an egg. This is normal. Don't worry about it. But if it
becomes frequent, or if there is a significant amount of blood, that's another story.

Remember, the most important part of keeping your chickens healthy is disease prevention!
Follow the care instructions and coop specifications above and you'll have a happy, healthy
flock. However, as with any animal, there's still a chance of illness. Since you'll be checking
on your birds daily, you'll catch the illness early and increase the chance of a positive
outcome.

DEALING WITH DEATH

Losing a pet is always terrible, and chickens are no exceptions. If you've lost your bird due
to old age or a predator attack, bury it as you would any other pet: a full funeral, bagpipes,
the works. Dig a hole several feet underground to prevent anything from getting at the
corpse. If, on the other hand, your bird displayed signs of illness or died suddenly, for no
apparent reason, you'll need to investigate.

181
NEXT THING IS!!!!!

10 WAYS TO REDUCE OR PREVENT HIGH MORTALITY RATE IN POULTRY

FARMING

I had a conversation with a newbies and existing farmers. I remember one individual
discussed the broiler chickens she was presently raising in her backyard. I commended her
courage and efforts on such project. Seriously, I like people who have an interest in
agriculture. As we were conversing, she told me that she had recorded very low mortality
so far. As I was about going to bed, I got the idea to write on how to reduce or prevent high
mortality rate in poultry farming. So let shoot. I decieded to add this to the report.

One major cause of economic loss in poultry farms is the death of birds. The moment a
poultry farm is recording a high mortality rate before the end of a production cycle, the
owner shouldn’t expect an encouraging profit if not a loss after sales. Economic loss due to
mortality can be avoided or reduced to the minimum. It is very possible. The following tips
will reveal how it can be achieved:

182
1. ALWAYS WASH DRINKERS AND REPLACE THE LEFTOVER WATER

Make sure you wash the drinkers or drinking trough of your birds every morning and replace
the water with clean and cool one. Don’t use chlorinated water or water from a stream or
river that you don’t know its source. Also, ensure that you rinse off the drinkers to avoid
re-contaminating the fresh water with soaps or detergents.

Note: Please don’t ever discard leftover water around the pens. If you do, you’re signaling
to soldier ants to pay your birds a visit. So discard leftover feeds and water far away from
the production pens

2. SERVE WATER BEFORE FEEDS

Birds are different from humans or other animals. You must always serve them water before
you serve them feeds, especially if you’re on a deep-litter system. This is to avoid
stampeding as the chickens struggle for feeds at the same point.

3. AVOID SERVING MOLDY FEEDS

It is dangerous and risky to serve moldy feeds to your birds. Don’t do it. It is just like giving
them poison. Moldy feeds can make your birds to become sick or have disease(s).

4. STRICTLY FOLLOW MEDICATION AND VACCINATION SCHEDULE

STRICTLY

You need to get the right vaccination and medication schedule of the poultry species you’re
raising. This helps in immunizing your birds against some poultry killer diseases like

183
Newcastle Diseases (ND), Fowl Pox, Fowl Typhoid, Gumboro Disease, Avian
encephalomyelitis (AE or Epidemic Tremor), Marek’s Disease, etc. Medication such as
dewormer and antibiotics are very important to the health of your chickens and other poultry
species. Don’t worry orgnic remedies will do the job for you.

5. COLLECT AND RAISE HEALTHY CHICKS

Most of the health problems faced by birds are as a result of a poor genetic background or
early life. Some chickens are the product of poor parents. Some egg hatcheries are not
reputable as they raise poor parent stocks to produce fertile eggs, or they buy eggs from bad
and problematic parent stock farms. There are some poultry farmers who never make any
attempts to know the source of eggs of a particular hatchery they are buying chicks from,
hence they collect and raise problematic chicks.

6. PREVENT AMMONIA BUILD UP

When the litter in the poultry pen is left for a very long time, it gives rooms for increased
production of ammonium gas, which will definitely choke your chickens, turkey, quail, etc.
to death. So always remove wet or caked litters from pens and replace with new litters as
soon as possible to avoid birds’ mortality due to choking or other respiratory problems.

There are hatcheries who don’t administer all the necessary vaccines such as Marek’s
Disease Vaccine, Infectious Bronchitis vaccine (IBV) before distributing chicks to
customers, thus exposing the future of those chicks to danger.

Note: Always purchase your chicks from a very reputable hatchery. It is very important that
you ask the officer in charge if they have given the chicks the necessary vaccines with
proofs.
184
7. BUILD A PREDATOR-PROOF POULTRY

I am repeating this again, plesase make sure your pen houses of your chickens should not
be accessible to predators like foxes, hyenas, wild cats, rats and mice, snakes, hawks, etc.
Make sure you install strong iron mesh nets round the pens and apply predator repellents.
If you allow these predators to penetrate into your flock, they will kill and/or eat the number
of birds they are capable of doing justice to.

8. MAINTAIN PROPER HYGIENE AND SANITATION

This is a somewhat wide topic, but the most important thing is that you should maintain
proper hygiene and sanitation in and around your poultry farm. You should also take
biosecurity serious as this is one thing most livestock farmers don’t take seriously until
diseases are introduced into their farm.

9. SUPPLY SUFFICIENT FEED TO YOUR BIRDS

I haven’t read or heard it anywhere that underfed animals grow well and produce
excellently. Underfed birds are closer to their graves because they will always have low
body weights and poor immune responses, and such birds will die sooner. So ensure you
give enough feed and avoid overfeeding, which could lead to another problem.

10. PROTECT FLOCK FROM EXTREME COLD

Extreme cold is an enemy of both human beings and animals. Try every means to avoid
exposing your birds to extreme cold. It kills faster like time poison. The only way you can
protect them is to find a means of supplying heat during a very cold weather. You can also
design the pens in such a way that birds are not totally exposed to direct cold.

185
Read the following. They are very important.

The first thing you should do when you enter your poultry house is to observe your birds
before feeding them. The observation should entail:

1. Their activeness: Are they moving towards your side or do not show any sign of
recognizing you’re present? If they are active, move to the next thing.
2. Check their faeces for abnormality: Check if your birds’ faeces are different from
the normal, which should be grayish faeces with a white cap. If you suspect
anything different from normal, like blood-stained faeces, yellowish or greenish
faeces, then something is definitely wrong with those birds somewhere.
3. Check for weak birds and/or dead birds and remove them from the pen. Observe
the weak or sick birds in order to know if the weakness was due to an accident.
4. Check for any birds that might have been pecked, thereby having wounds on the
skin. If you detect any, segregate such from the flock immediately.

186
NEXT THING IS!!!!!

IDENTIFICATION OF COMMON DISEASES IN POULTRY

DISEASE SIMPLY MEANS NOT AT EASE. DIS/EASE

A variety of diseases affect poultry of all kinds, ages and sexes. But certain ailments
primarily strike laying hens. These diseases cause reproductive issues and can kill your bird.
Practicing good preventive measures can reduce the chances of your hens becoming ill.

These include quarantining new hens for at least three weeks before introducing them to
your flock.(if you buy Point of Lay POL)

HOW TO KNOW THAT YOUR BIRDS ARE SICK

You will find them dull

They will reduce feed intake

You will see your birds have reduced water intake

The birds will have low egg production

If they're still young, the rate of growth will be reduced.

The feathers of the bird will be rough

SPREAD OF DISEASE

A disease can spread rapidly among chickens because they are usually kept together in a
cage or chicken house. They also share the same feeders and drinkers, which can spread
disease and infections from sick to healthy chickens.
187
In an intensive system, we place a great deal of pressure on the chickens to grow fast and
to lay many eggs. This situation can cause disease t o spr ead r esult ing in a lot of damage
because of the stress the chickens’ experience.

FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO DISEASE

Factors that can contribute to disease include management, environment, and the chickens
themselves.

Now let me take it one after the other

MANAGEMENT

Poor quality feed and water

Poor hygiene and inadequate cleaning programme

Leaking drinkers

Rat and fly problems

Over crowding of chicks

Chickens of mixed ages reared together

Poor bio-security measures to prevent people and animals from entering the chicken house.

ENVIRONMENT

Too hot or too cold conditions

Wet litter

Dusty bedding
188
High build up of chicken droppings

No air circulation

Sharp wires in the cages

CHICKENS

Young chickens

Weak second- gr ade chickens

Chickens affected with other diseases

Poor condition as a result of under-feeding

No vaccination

WHAT YOU MUST DO AT FIRST SIGN OF DISEASE.

You must act quickly at the first signs of disease. The chickens must be treated, and
management that may have led to the problem must be corrected to prevent the disease from
occurring again.

Consult your animal health technician or veterinarian to help you find a correct solution to
your problem as soon as possible. They may slaughter some of the sick chickens and cut
them open. They will also cut open dead chickens and carry out post mortem.

They may take blood or egg samples, depending on the disease. The samples taken will be
sent to a laboratory.

You and your animal health technician or veterinarian should then go through the entire
system to identify possible problems in the management and environment that can be
corrected.

189
GENERAL TREATMENT

There are not many forms of treatment or in certain cases no treatment for some diseases,
which is why preventon is so important.

The treatment will depend on the cause of the disease, if it is at all possible, try to isolate
all sick chickens from the healthy ones daily. The sick chickens should be handled and
treated last to prevent the spread of the disease.

GENERAL PREVENTION

Diseases can be prevented through management, environmental and chicken factors

MANAGEMENT

 Apply correct methods for raising young chicks (temperature, feed, water, bedding)
 Disinfect and clean the housing of the different groups of chicks  Maintain the
correct stocking density (avoid over-crowding).
 Use the best-quality feed that is available and provide clean water daily
 Use bedding that is not dusty
 Prevent the build-up of gases by cleaning and ventilation
 Control rats and flies
 Ensure that no people from out side your farm visit the chicken house
 Have bird-proof houses to keep out wild birds that eat the feed and bring diseases to
your chicken.

ENVIRONMENT

Ensure that the building or house you are going to use is large enough for the chickens

Fix leaky water troughs

Feed and drinkers should be cleaned daily and fresh food and water should be supplied

190
Dust causes irritation of the respiratory tract and the environment must therefore not be
dusty

Use cages for laying hens that do not have sharp edges that can injure the hens.

Make sure that there is sufficient space per hen.

CHICKENS

Get only firt-grade chicks from a good, reliable supplier

Vaccinate chicks against important diseases

Keep chickens of the same age together in one pen

There are four main types of disease affecting poultry: metabolic and nutritional diseases;
infectious diseases; parasitic diseases; and behavioural diseases.

METABOLIC AND NUTRITIONAL DISEASES

These are conditions caused by a disturbance of normal metabolic functions either through
a genetic defect, inadequate or inappropriate nutrition, or impaired nutrient utilization.

These include

Fatty Liver Syndrome,

Perosis (or slipped tendon),

Rickets and

Cage Layer Fatigue.

191
INFECTIOUS DISEASES

An infectious disease is any disease caused by invasion of a host by a pathogen, this

subsequently grows and multiplies in the body.

Infectious diseases are often contagious, which means they can spread directly or indirectly
from one living thing to another.

PARASITIC DISEASES

Parasitc diseases are infections or infestations with parasitic organisms. They are often
contacted through contact with an intermediate vector, but may occur as the result of direct
exposure. A parasite is an organism that lives in or on, and takes its nourishment from,
another organism.

A parasite cannot live independently. These include Coccidiosis, Lice and Mites, Parasitic
Worms (or Helminths).

BEHAVIOURAL DISEASES

Abnormal behavioural patterns can lead to injury or ill health of the abnormally behaving
bird and/or its companions.

These include Cannibalism (or aggressive pecking).

LIST OF SOME COMMON POULTRY DISEASES

Poultry can be affected by many types of disease and a wide variety of pests (and
behavioural problems) including those in the list below.

192
Diseases caused by Viruses

Egg drop syndrome (or EDS)

Fowl Pox

Infectious Bronchitis

Infectious Bursal Disease (or Gumboro)

Marek’s Disease Virus or MDV

Newcastle Disease

DISEASES CAUSED BY MYCOPLASMAS

Mycoplasmosis–MG (Mycoplasma gallisepticum; MG infection; Chronic Respiratory

Disease)

Diseases caused by Bacteria

Infectious Coryza

Fowl Cholera

Fowl typhoid

Pullorum

DISEASES CAUSED BY PROTOZOA

Coccidiosis

Diseases caused by Internal Parasites

Round worms

Caecal worms
193
Capillary worms

Tape worms

DISEASES CAUSED BY EXTERNAL PARASITES

Several types of lice

Stickfast flea

Fowl tick

Several types of mites

DISEASES CAUSED BY ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS

Cannibalism (or aggressive pecking)

Caged Layer Fatigue

Pests

Darkling Beetles

NOW WE WOULD TRY TO LOOK AT SOME OF DISEASES ONE AFTER THE

OTHER

EGG DROP SYNDROME

The only signs of egg drop syndrome appear in the eggs. Laying hens who outwardly appear
healthy will begin producing eggs that either lack shells or have too- thin ones. Some hens
might experience diarrhea shortly before thin- shelled eggs start appearing.

194
Egg drop syndrome can pass from asymptomatic hens to their other wise healthy chicks,
the chicks spreading the virus in their stool.

While no treatment exists for egg drop syndrome, a hen will usually resume quality egg
production after she has under gone moulting.

CAGED LAYER FATIGUE

Always feed your laying hen nutritious feed that is specially prepared for laying hens.
This is not only helpful for better egg production but also help to keep your hens healthy.
Many diseases affect the flock due to nutritional imbalances in homemade cheap feed.

Especially laying hens suffer much due to lack of proper amount of phosphorus and calcium
ratio. If you notice any hen which is alert but unable to move, then she might be suffering
from caged layer fatigue.

If not treated timely, she might die by dehydration. Move the affected birds to another cage
and supply her fresh water and quality feed. If you use cheap, low quality homemade feed,
replace it as soon as possible and serve quality feed. This will help you avoiding further
instances of diseases in your flock. Raising your flock in free range system can be helpful
for preventing the disease.

RICKETS

Your laying hens can be affected by rickets disease due to lack of vitamin D or proper ratio
of calcium and phosphor us in their regular feed. Soft and bowed bones, thin shelled eggs,
lameness, fractured limbs, low egg production etc. are all symptoms of this disease. If you
feed your flock commercially prepared layer feed, then chances of getting affected by

195
rickets disease is less. Because most of these commercial layer feed contain proper ration
of all necessary nutrients, vitamins and minerals.

EGG PERITONITIS AKA IBI

If the peritoneum or abdominal lining get infected and inflamed, then egg peritonitis might
occur in your laying hen. Usually this occurs because a yolk did not head out of the oviduct
of your laying hen as it should and went into the abdominal cavity. Swollen abdomen is the
symptom of egg peritonitis. You can try antibiotics. It will fight with the infection and drain
the abdomen.

But in most cases, the laying hens die that is affected by egg peritonitis.

FATTY LIVER SYNDROME

Fatty liver syndrome occurs through accumulating too much fat in the liver of a hen. Hemorr
haging and death are the symptoms of this disease. Hens have pale combs which is affected
by fatty liver syndrome. Feeds containing too much carbohydrates can result much fat in
your laying hens. Decrease the amount of carbohydrates in their feed and slightly change
their feeding habit .

The chickens that are raised in cage method system, are affected much by this disease.

On the other hand, free range chickens suffer less by this disease.

196
LET’S LOOK AT THE DISEASES ONE AFTER THE OTHER

FOWL POX

Fowl pox is a relatively slow-spreading viral infection that affects most bird species,
including all commercial forms of poultry. It occurs in both wet and dry forms. The wet
form is characterized by plaques in the mouth and upper respiratory tract. The dry form is
characterized by wart-like skin lesions that progress to thick scabs.

The disease may occur in any age of bird, at any time. Mortality is usually not significant
unless the respiratory involvement is severe.

Fowl pox can cause depression, reduced appetite and poor growth or egg production. The
course of the disease in the individual bird takes three to five weeks.

Infection occurs through skin abrasions or bites, through the respiratory route and possibly
through ingestion of infective scabs.

197
It can be transmitted by birds, mosquitoes, or fomites (inanimate objects such as
equipment). The virus is highly resistant in dried scabs and under certain conditions may
survive for months.

Mosquitoes can harbour infectious virus for a month or more after feeding on infected birds
and can subsequently infect other bird. Recovered birds do not remain carriers. A flock may
be affected for several months as fowl pox spreads slowly.

As mosquitoes are known reservoirs, mosquito control procedures may be of some benefit
in limiting spread in poultry pens

198
COCCIDIOSIS

Coccidiosis is one of the most common and economically important diseases of chickens
worldwide. It is caused by a parasitic organism that damages the host’s intestinal system,
causing loss of production, morbidity and death. This disease has a major economic impact
on the global poultry industry.

Symptoms include yellowish foamy dropping which transcends to droppings mixed with
blood, drooping feathers, sleeping during the day.

199
NEWCASTLE DISEASE

Signs of NCD –conjunctivitis, depression and neurological signs

Newcastle disease is a highly contagious viral infection that affects many species of
domestic and wild birds to varying degrees.

The disease can result in digestive, respiratory and/or nervous clinical signs, which range
from a mild, almost in apparent respiratory disease to very severe depression, drop in egg
production, increased respiration, profuse diarrohea followed by collapse, or long- term
nervous signs such as twisted necks if the birds survive.

Severe forms of the disease are highly fatal. Spread is usually by direct physical contact
with infected or diseased birds. The virus is present in manure and is breathed out into the
air.

Other sources of infection are contaminated equipment, carcasses, water, food and clothing.
200
People can easily carry the virus from one shed or farm to another.

Newcastle disease virus does not affect humans in the same way that it does to birds but it
can cause conjunctivitis in humans.

There is no treatment for Newcastle disease, although treatment with antibiotics to control
secondary infections may assist.

The virus can remain alive in manure for up t o 2 months and in dead.

Carcasses for up to 12 months, however it is easily killed by disinfectants, fumigants and

direct sunlight.

Prevention relies on good quarantine and bio- security procedures and vaccination.

INFECTIOUS BRONCHITIS (IB)

201
IB is an acute and highly contagious respiratory disease of chickens. The disease is caused
by avian Infectious Bronchitis Virus (IBV), and characterized by respiratory signs including
gasping, coughing, sneezing, tracheal rales, and nasal discharge.

In young chickens, severe respiratory distress may occur. In layers, respiratory distress,
nephritis, drastic decrease in egg production, and loss of internal (watery egg white) and
external (fragile, soft, irregular or rough shells, shell-less) egg quality will be seen.

INFECTIOUS CORYZA

Infectious coryza is a serious bacterial disease of chickens which affects respiratory system
and it is manifested by inflammation of the area below the eye, nasal discharge and
sneezing.

202
The swelling can cause closure of one eye or both of them.

Economic loss is simply lower in egg production in case of layers and stumping of birds.

MAREK'S DISEASE

Marek's disease is a highly contagious viral neoplastic disease in chickens. Marek's disease
is endemic in uninfected or unvaccinated flock, causing depression, paralysis, and death in
a large number of birds (up t o 80%).

The best method of prevention is by vaccination.

203
FOWL CHOLERA

204
It is a serious, highly contagious disease caused by bacteria. The route of infection is oral
or nasal with transmission via nasal discharge, faeces, contaminated soil, equipment, and
people.

Symptoms include: Ruffled feathers, loss of appetite, diarrhea, coughing, nasal, ocular and
oral discharge, swollen and cyanotic wattles and face, sudden death, swollen joints,
lameness.

FOWL TYPHOID

Fowl typhoid (FT) and pullorum disease (PD) are diseases, primarily of chickens and
turkeys caused S. Gallinarum and S. Pullorum, respectively.

Signs in chicks and poults (young turkey) include anorexia, greenish diarrhoea,
dehydration, weakness and high mortality.

In mature fowl, FT and PD are manifested by greenish diarrhoea, decreased egg production,
hatchability, loss of appetite, and increased mortality.

205
Commonly observed signs are anorexia, ruffled feathers, oral and nasal mucus discharge,
and white or greenish watery mucous diarrhoea.

LICE AND MITES

Lice and mites are common external parasites of poultry. Lice are insects, while mites
belong to the same family as spiders. There are large number of lice and mite species that
can infest poultry under the appropriate conditions.

They are either blood-suckers or live on dry skin scales, feathers or scabs on the skin.

Adults can survive for 4- 5 days away from the host. Therefore, infestation can be spread
by direct contact between birds but also through contact with infested litter etc. They are
more common and difficult to control in deep litter than in cage systems.

Symptoms of infestation can include scratching, poor feather condition, unthriftiness,

nervous behaviour and anaemia can occur wit h severe blood- sucking infestations.

206
PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF LICE AND MITES

Flocks should be kept away from backyard or wild birds and individual birds examined
regularly for adult parasites and eggs. Infestaions can be treated with appropriate chemical
pesticides, either as dry powders or liquid sprays or garlic solution. Effective biosecurity
procedures such as all in/all-out clean out between flocks will help manage these pests.

CANNIBALISM (OR AGGRESSIVE PECKING)

Pecking is the natural means by which poultry investigate their surroundings and establish
a stable social order; however this behaviour can escalate to the stage where birds will
literally peck each other to death (cannibalism).

207
All forms of commercial poultry can experience cannibalism as it is a behavioural problem
that can develop into a habit that will persist and spread within a flock as a learned
behaviour, even after the initial causes of the behaviour have been corrected.

WHAT CAUSES CANNIBALISM?

Cannibalism often starts as feather pulling or picking while the birds are only a few weeks
old, or as investigative pecking at any age. These behaviours can escalate to aggressive
pecking, particularly if injury occurs.

Stressor (or combination of stressors) can trigger this behaviour and can lead to serious
aggressive pecking and cannibalism. These stressors include crowding, bright light
intensity, high room temperature, poor ventilation, high humidity, low salt, trace nutrient
deficiency, insufficient feeding or drinking space, nervous and excitable birds (hereditary),
external parasites, access to sick or injured birds, stress from moving, boredom and idleness,
housing birds of different appearance together and birds pro- lapsing during egg- laying.

PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF CANNIBALISM

As cannibalism can become a learned behaviour it can be difficult to treat once it has started
in a flock. Therefore prevention should be the main aim and as such, good management
practices should aim to minimise the stressors listed above as potential causes for
cannibalism.

The broad range of factors that can trigger cannibalism can make it very difficult for
management to control all of these factors for the entire life of the flock.

208
Bright light is a known fact or that leads to cannibalism but control of lightning levels in
some poultry housing systems can be very difficult, if not impossible (such as in free range
systems).

Where outbreaks of cannibalism have occurred in a flock, or where there is a reasonable

concern that management strategies cannot be guaranteed to prevent an outbreak, then beak
trimming of the birds may be used as a control measure. Trimming of the sharp tip of the
upper, and sometimes also lower , beak reduces the damage that is caused by aggressive
pecking.

The spread of the behaviour may be able to be controlled if the injured and aggressive birds
can be rapidly identified and removed from the flock.

Provision of escape areas may also help in floor - housed flocks.

Also, cannibalism may be alleviated through the use of high fibre diets.

It is believed that high fibre diets enhance gut development and gizzard function, which in
turn help reduce aggressive behaviour in hens.

209
CHAPTER SEVEN

Organic Remedy, Prevention And Treatment For Common Poultry Diseases 211

210
ORGANIC REMEDY TO COMMON POULTRY DISEASES

We have been hearing much of organic f arming, what is organic farming by the way?

Organic faming can be said to be a unique production management system which promotes
and enhances agro –ecosystem health. It is simply a method of using plants/herbs around
us to reduce cost of production and improving the final consumer's health benefit .

So many plants have been identified, TESTED AND TRUSTED to prevent and treat
diseases in poultry

WE HAVE PLANTS LIKE

BITTER LEAF (EWURO IN YORUBA)

211
SCENT LEAF

GINGER

Garlic

Basil leaf (another species of Efirin)

212
Cucumber

213
HABANERO PEPPER (rodo in Yoruba)

CAYENNE PEPPER

214
BLACK PEPPER

CARROTS

215
GARDEN EGGS

Neem (Dogoyaro)

216
Lime and lemon trees among others

Take note: most of this herbs might have a different name depending on location
(country, tribe etc) which is why I have decied to help you with pictures.

Take this advice: Try to plant the following plants in your farm, it will really save you
a lot.

USEFULNESS OF THE HERBS

We would start with tagiri other wise called christmas melon or santa claus melon. Tagiri
solution has been proven and is known toward off viral diseases like newcastle disease,
infectious bursa disease, infectious Bronchitis and avian influenza.

It is also used by humans especially men in the treatment of prostate cancer and it's also
used by herbal doctors as an abort if acient, that is it can be used to induce abortion among
others.

217
LET'S GET STARTED

GET SOME TAGIRI BULB

Peel off the green back, chop into little bits

Measure water that is about the same weight as the cut Tagiri

For instance if the Tagiri weighs 500g get an equal litre of water (500g)

IN THE PREPARATION OF TAGIRI, THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE NEEDED

TAGIRI BULB

• Water

218
 • Cheese cloth

Container

Knife

Sieve

STEPS

STEP 1

Pour the cut Tagiri into a bucket, add the measured water too

219
STEP 2

Cover it with a breathable mesh/cheese cloth, use rubber band to hold it Like I said before,
it takes 7 days for the fermentation to occur.

STEP 3

Allow solution in a cool dark room undisturbed for 7 days.

STEP 4

After 7 days sieve the Tagiri water into another big bowl, blend/mash the fermented Tagiri
up with your bare hands

STEP 5

When blending the serum, use some of the water you drained off to blend the serum

Remember do not add fresh water to the solution so as not to disrupt the concentration of
the solution.

220
STEP 6

Add equal quantity of molasses to the Tagiri

Molasses serves as a preservative and Tonic here. When added molasses, you need not to
use synthetic vitamin again. In fact molasses is an organic vitamin. For instance if the total
liters of the Tagiri content is 4 liters add 4 liters of molasses.

But in the absence of molasses, you can bottle it up and refrigerate but ensure you use up
the product within a month.

But with molasses you can store it up t o 14 months Do not forget, the fresher the better.

WARNING

Tagiri solution should not in any way be used for pullets/breeder birds above 14 weeks or
on layers (it cuts egg production)

221
DOSAGE:

1 cup tagiri to 8 liters of water

Half cup of tagiri to 4 lit er s of water

1/8 Cup of t agiri goes into a lit r e of water .

A cup =240ml, 1/2=120ml

1/8 cup=30ml.

So you will serve the birds like a vaccine shot, for instance,

100 birds will take 30ml of itagiri 1 litres of water .

200 birds will take 60ml of Itagiri in 2 litres of water and withdraw after one hour.

It can be given to day old chicks in the form of vaccine to ward off viral diseases

NOTE: WITH THIS, YOU DON'T NEED TO BUY LASOTA AND AVIAN
INFLUENZA VACCINES.

LACTO-BACILLUS PREPARATION (LAB)

Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are good for the chicks.

Probiotics are often called good or helpful bacteria because they help keep the gut of
livestock’s healthy and help knock out opportunistic bacteria capable of causing diseases.

Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) are probiotics and additives used to boost the immune system
of birds in poultry farming. It also helps in better (food Consumption Ration FCR) and
222
subsequent weight gain, you will get a lot of the experience as you administer this natural
probiotics to your birds subsequently

Please note that its either you use LAB for your birds or fermented feed, both serve the
same purpose. Fermented feed is simply a wet mash/feed created by lactic acid
fermentation which contains all the bacterial that is good for your birds. These beneficial
bacterial can completely take care of E.coil and Salmonella hence you fermented with LAB.

So you don’t need to worry about E.coil or Salmonella once your birds are on fermented
feed diet or LAB (I will teach you how to ferment your feed in chapter 8 is book)

MATER IALS NEEDED:

Rice

Unprocesed Raw Fresh Milk (nunu)

Water

Cheese cloth

Bucket etc

STEPS

STEP 1

The quantity of rice that will be taken will be dependent on the quantity of probiotics you
want to produce

Get 3 cups of rice, (all depends on the quantity of LAB you want to make like I said)

223
STEP 2

Wash the rice in a bowl, and carefully sieve the water .

Please do not throw away the water because it is one paramount thing we need in this
production.

STEP 3

Pour the sieved water into a jar or small plastic bucket

STEP 4

Cover the bucket or jar with a breathable mesh/cheese cloth and hold it with a rubber band.

STEP 5

Store in a cool dark place for 7 days undisturbed.

STEP 6

On the 7th day, you will notice the rice water content in the jar has been separated into three
layers, namely;

1. A thin layer of dirt at the top,

2. A somewhat clear water
3. And a thick gathering at the bottom

Use a spoon to scoop away the thin layer at the top

224
 FERMENTED RICE WATER, scoop away the first part

STEP 7
Carefully strain the second layer into another bowl, that is what we need, then throw away
the thick layer at the bottom.
 Add 10 parts liquid milk into the bowl containing the fermented rice water.
 For instance, if the fermentd rice wash water is 2 liters
 add 20 liters of liquid milk to it
 Stir vigorously for some seconds

STEP 8

Use a bucket for this and make a little hole at the top of the cover to allow the microbes that
will multiply to breath, a hole not more than half inch, cover the hole with a mesh

225
 Half inch opening
Do not allow flies or insects into the content as they will destroy the fermentation
process, keep away from sunlight.

Keep in a cool room

STEP 9

Allow for another 7 days

After the 2nd 7 days you will notice a thick white hard substance called curd, take the curd
out.

This curd can be mixed with feed and fed to birds and livestock.
226
Strain/sieve the liquid into a bowl

NOTE: The liquid at this stage can be used as an odour killer in your pen or for your septic
tank at home

STEP 10

Now add an equal amount of molasses to the new liquid

For instance; If you have 2 liters of LAB

Add 2 liters of molasses to it ,

This is for preservation, otherwise refrigerate.

Now to use your LAB for your birds you must activate your LAB
Dilute 1 liter of LAB to 10 liters of water
Dosage: 10ml to 1 liter of water

The LAB can stay for up to 6 months, as it stays the micro- organisms multiplies

227
 READY LAB

FOWL TYPHOID PREVENTION & TREATMENT

Ginger +Garlic and/or Canyenne pepper +aloe vera gel

228
PREPARATION:

 Get equal quantity of ginger & garlic.

 Blend both to extract juice.

 Add equal quantity of water to both ginger and garlic and use up immediately,
otherwise refrigerate.

ADMINISTRATION:

 Add 30 ml to 1 liter of water

 Second day 340g of grinded Canyenne pepper + 340g of aloe vera gel,
 Mix in 4 liters of water (ensure the water is peppery),
 Give them like vaccine, just enough that they can finish within an hour

 If you have 100 birds to treat give them a liter of this early in the morning if you
have 400birds to treat give them 4 liters.

Please never mix Aloe vera and garlic in the same bowl

Herbal interactions between Aloe vera and many other ingredients are unfriendly.

Aloe vera lowers the efficacy of most of them so it is not advised to keep together for too
long, therefore wherever Aloe vera is to be mixed with other ingredients it should be given
to birds and consumed by the birds within the shortest time.

229
Try to use up the garlic and ginger within 24 hours as after this time, it loses its
antibacterial properties though not completely useless.

USE OF ALOE-VERA TO INCREASE WEIGHT GAIN AND PREVENT NCD.

DO YOU KNOW?

Adding 4 ml of Aloe Vera solution to 4 litres of broilers drinking water , helps the birds
optimize the Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) and consequently increase the weight gain of
broilers in a very short time.

230
MATERIALS NEEDED:

Aloe vera leaf

Weighing balance

Knife

STEPS

STEP 1

Get some aloe vera leaf weighing 340g and extract the gel.

STEP 2

Extract the gel and serve 4 ml in 4 litres of water .

Note: Please give them a quantity they can finish within one hour (just like vaccine) as aloe
vera gel works better when exposed in the shortest possible

I KNOW YOU MAY BE ASKING, HOW DO I EXTRACT THE GEL?

 Before you start to harvest any aloe vera gel, you'll want to be sure you're working
with a matured plant. A mature and healthy aloe plant is recognized by its large,
green leaves
 They should be about 8" (20 cm) long.

 Cut off some aloe vera leaves,

 depending on how much aloe vera you need and number of your birds
 Cut off one of the outer most leaves of an aloe vera plant using a sharp knife at the
base of the plant.
231
 Be sure that your knife is sharp to cause minimal damage to the plant.

 Depending on the size of your aloe vera leaves, you might find it easier to extract
the gel by cutting the thick portion of the leaf into additional pieces.
 Remove the spines:

 Before you can get at the gel core of the leaf, you' ll need to remove the hard, spine
edges on either side of each leaf.

 Carefully cut them away

 Be sure that the aloe vera leaves are also dry before you begin this portion of the
cutting as a slippery leaf could lead to ones injury.
 Make your cut as close to the spines as possible so that you don't lose a lot of gel in
the process.
 Carefully slice away the skin of the aloe vera leaf. This will be the thin,

 outer green layer you see. Run your knife between it and the thick, clear gel at the
center, and repeat this process for the remaining top layer by flipping it to the bottom

You can over come all this process by simply using a fruit peeler instead.
Remove and store the gel.

 At this point, you should have slabs of clear aloe vera gel. If you see any bits of leaf
left on them, trim them off .
 Please ensure to rinse the aloe vera gel it self 2-3 times when you' re finished to be
sure that it 's free of any aloe latex residue.
 Use a spoon to scrape up any excess gel left over along the skin.

 Store all of the gel extract you get in a new glass or bowl separate from the water
you used to wash the leaves with.
 Your gel is ready

232
 NB: It is best used up immediately but if you must store in the refrigerator,
store for up t o 6- 8 days

TREATMENT OF COCCIDIOSIS AND INTESTINAL WORM

MATERIALS NEEDED

Cheese cloth

Bitter leaf

Weighing balance

Cayenne pepper

Bowl

PREPAPRATION

 Get 500g of bitter leaf and 150g of cayenne pepper.

 Extract bitter leaf juice by squeezing the bitter leaf solution.

233
  Add 200ml to a litre of water and serve to birds for 5- 6 days  Use 300ml in severe
cases..

NOTE: THE FRESHER THE BETTER

HOW TO TREAT DIARRHOEA

Get equal amount of Scent leaf +Bitter leaf ,

Squeeze to extract juice

Add 30 ml for prevention and 40ml for cure

Give for 3 days and 4 days in severe cases.

THE FRESHER, THE BETTER

234
PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF IB, IBD & CRD

 Get equal quantity of ginger and garlic and cayenne pepper.

 Blend and add equal quantity of water to the blended herbs and use within 24 hours.

 Serve 30ml per litre of water for 3 days

 4th day fresh water

 5th and 6th day Scent leaves extract

 Serve 40ml to a liter of water

HOW T O TR EAT SALMONELLA AND FOWL TYPHOID

MAT ER IALS NEEDED

Clove+Ginger +Garlic extract

HOW TO GET CLOVE (zobo pepper) EXTRACT

235
  Get clove of say 500g,

 Soak inside twice the quantity i.e 1000ml of wat er .

 Soak clove inside water for 3 days, covering with breathable mesh

 On the 3rd day, extract clove water and mix with ready garlic and ginger extract

 Serve for 3 days for prevention,  And 4- 5 days for treatment.

Note: This also boosts semen quality in breeder farms

E-COLI TREATMENT AND PREVENTION GINGER +GARLIC+SCENT LEAF

EXTRACT

MATERIALS NEEDED

 Get ginger, garlic and scent leaf of equal quantity

 Squeeze to extract juice.

 Add half quantity of water

 For instance if the total g is 1000g for the above leaves,

 Add 500ml of water.

 Serve in drinking water for 3 days and 5 days in severe cases.

 Use 30ml for prevention and 40ml treatment

236
HOW T O TREAT FOWL POX

Scrape the affected area with blade

Clean with neem oil/lime, apply

until lesions disappear

Give lime water or palmoil for 3 days orally especially for wet pox

TREATMENT OF FOWL POX USING ONLY BASIL LEAF

METHOD OF TREATMENT

Get some basil leaf called Effinrin in Yoruba.

Scrap the pox growth with a new razor blade.

Extract the liquid content of the basil leaves by squeezing them in small quantity of water.

Apply it on the scrapped spots.

The following morning, the bird would be left with just the scare.

237
PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF FOWL POX, FOWL CHOLERA, E.COLI
(3 IN 1)

MAT ER IALS NEEDED

Basil/ginger /black pepper /cayenne pepper

Cheese cloth

Weighing balance

Knife

340g of basil 340g of ginger

2 table spoon each of gr inded black pepper and cayenne pepper blend all together .

Add equal quantity of water of the extracted concoctions. For instance if the total extracted
blended solution is 500g, add 500ml of the same product.

Your solution is ready to use

Administration: Add 40ml of solution into a litre of wat er and serve f or 4- 5 days.

238
NEEM EXTRACT FOR TAGIRI REPLACEMENT TO MAKE NEEM SEED
EXTRACT :

MAT ER IALS NEEDED

Neem seed

Wat er Bucket

Cheese cloth

PROCEDURE

Get 500g of neem seed and mash, grind, or pound with mortar and pestle.

After mashing, put it in a cheese cloth and add 100ml of water while it's still in the cheese
cloth or breathable mash

Suspend it under a bucket to collect the extract.

ADMINISTRATION: Add 30ml to a litre of water with garlic+ginger extract to replace

tagiri.

Give 2-3 times weekly as it burns fat

PREPARATION OF ACV

Apple Cider Vinegar for poultry is a cheaper and proven way to prevent disease out break
in the farm, this substance is natural and nontoxic. It is rich in vitamins, minerals and
potassium.

239
BENEFITS OF ACV

 It improves digestion
 Breaks down minerals and fats
 Assist the animals to assimilate proteins
 Aids in feed conversion ratio (FCR)
 Improves stamina
 It is a good stimulant in egg formation in early life of pullets (do not give to laying
hens)
 It enhances growth
 Prevents disease outbreak
 Reduces intestinal and feacal odours in the farm
 It lowers the pH of the digestive tract which will make the environment less-
favorable to pathogens therefore, will reduce common infections and increase
resistance t o disease.
 Improves fertility.
 It is a great over all tonic that will improve the general well-being of the livestock.
 It aids early feat hering in poultry.
 And don't forget it combines with other herbs in combating coccidiosis.

PREPARATION OF ACV

MATERIALS NEEDED:

 A Red apple with a corresponding 1 liter of water

 Glass or plastic jar
 Rubber band

 Breathable mesh
 Water
 Wooden spoon

240
PROCEDURE

 Buy red apple,

 Peel off the back (as it contains a lot of wax),
 Slice thinly,place sliced apples into jar with water.

 Cover with breathable mesh and use rubber band to hold

 Stir once a day with a wooden spoon, apples above will grow fungi if you do not stir
it.
 Use wooden spoon because other metals can react with fermentation  Do not use
chlorinated water please.

 Once the sliced apple sink you can either take them out of the jar, or leave them in
there, that should take about 2 t o 3 weeks.
 Total fermentation is 6 weeks

241
  Dosage: 1ml =1liter of water
 Do not top solution with water please

CAUTION

 Apple Cider Vinegar burns fat, so do not give your birds often
 Twice a week is good enough
 Do not tamper with the fermentation process, only stir with wooden spoon. Do not
give to laying birds
 Note: After 4 weeks, don't open the cover straight away because the gas (CO2) may
injure your hand.

You can use needle to make a little hole beside the plastic bottle to allow the gas to dissipate
before you open the cover.

Remember ACV is acidic and you should only put it into plastic water container stop revent
corrosion.

ORGANIC METHOD OF WEED CONTROL

 Use of Sodium chloride and vinegar Sodium Chloride (Table Salt )

 Sodium chloride, or common table salt , prevents plants from growing.
 Dissolve 1 part salt in 8 parts of hot water (it can be made stronger , up to 1 part
salt to 3 parts water )
 Add a small amount of liquid dish soap like mama lemon (to help it adhere to the
leaf surfaces), and pour into a spray bottle.
 To apply, cover or tie back any near by plants you don't want to kill, then spray the
leaves of the weeds with the solution.
 Multiple applications may be necessary. It 's more effective during sunny days

242
USE OF VINEGAR TO CONTROL WEED

This vinegar mix is good for drying out weeds too, though you may have to apply it multiple
times.

1 gallon 5% white household vinegar

1 cup table salt

1 Table spoon of dish soap

PROCEDURE

Mix into a spray bottle and spray directly onto your weeds,

Ensure to avoid the plants you want.

It works even better in full sun just like Salt solution

If you use 20% or 30% vinegar, this formula will work much better,

Remember, vinegar is so acidic, you will need to use gloves and goggles to ensure any
spray doesn’t blow back and burn your skin or eyes.

ORGANIC METHOD OF GETTING RID OF RATS ON FARMS AND AT HOME

Mix baking soda + f lour + sugar at equal ratios 1:1:1.

PROCEDURE

Mix thoroughly dry.

Put them in small containers and place them at the corners of your store. They' ll eat it and
never return to disturb you again.

243
If you have a small bowl of that size, you can also use it. Rats love flour and so will go

for it.

Secondly, the ' bomb' is sweet due to the sugar.

Thirdly, baking soda has a funny taste that makes the rodent eat more. They will consume
it.

Now this is how it works.

Baking soda will react with the acid in the stomach of the rodents to create carbondioxide.

Unfortunately rats and mice can't burp or fart it out. This inability will lead to their death.

Because the inability and internal blockage will cause ruptures, which consequently will
lead to their death.

ORGANIC REMEDY OF WARDING OFF SNAKES FROM YOUR FARM.

Get equal quantity of onions, garlic, bitter kola, & camphor.

PROCEDURE

Blend all together, please blend camphor separately with perhaps hammer (do not allow it
get in contact with any edible substance).

Put the blended materials in a can & add 2 times of water and allow it to stay undisturbed
for 1 week.

244
After 1 week, strain the water out of the solution into a sprinkler And

spray at any hole or crevice you think snakes come out from.

Apply once or twice monthly. This can serves as an insecticide t oo.

CAUTION

Do not spray the close to the birds drinkers or feeders else you want to count your losses

Other ways of eliminating snakes in your farm Cultivate the following plants

Garlic

Onion

Tobacco leaf (ewe tab)

Lemon grass

Marigold

245
CHAPTER EIGHT Required Crude Protein For Different Ages, Strains Of Poultry Error!
Bookmark not defined.
Identifying Feed Ingredients With Anti- Nutritional Factors 252
Feed Ingredients Suitable For Broilers And Layers Production 254
Feed Formulation Formula (Do It Yourself) 257
Lacto- Feed Fermentation 263

246
REQUIRED CRUDE PROTEIN FOR DIFFERENT AGES, STRAINS OF
POULTRY

WHAT DO YOU FEED YOUR CHICKENS WITH?

There is no magic to feeding chickens. As a small flock producer, you can choose from
many brands of feed produced by several manufacturers. These manufactured feeds are
computer formulated by company nutritionists to provide optimal nutrition for the particular
type and age of chicken being fed.

The formulation of these feeds, which is similar to commercial feeds, is based on years of
research on commercial chickens. They are considered a complete diet, containing all of
the nutrients required by chickens. In most cases, supplemental vitamins are unnecessary if
these feeds are fed exclusively.

Feeds are formulated and manufactured for chickens to meet their nutritional needs at
specific ages and production characteristics.

• For example, starter feeds are fed to chicks from hatch to a few weeks of age.
• Grower and developer feeds are fed to “adolescent” growing chickens, while layer
or breeder feeds are fed to chickens that are producing eggs.

The ingredients in these different types of feeds are similar; however, the proportions vary
to provide the proper level of nutrition for the particular birds being fed. Each sack is labeled
with its specific use. It is important to feed egg producing chickens the appropriate feed

247
from hatch through their productive years to maximize their productivity. Feeding
improperly at any stage can result in poor egg production. Whether they are, white or brown
egg layers, all chickens’ requirements for protein, carbohydrates, fats, fiber, vitamins, and
minerals are similar.

Your birds rely on you to provide them with proper feed. If you do, they will produce many
high quality eggs for the family and customers.

Following a few simple feeding rules can lead to a healthy and productive flock.

Commercially raised layers hens receive three diets during the growing phase: starter,
grower, and developer/layers mash. Most feed stores sell only one or two types of feeds for
raising replacement pullets.

STARTER FEEDS

Feed your newly hatched chicks a starter diet until they are about 6 weeks old. Starter diets
are formulated to give proper nutrition to fast growing baby chickens. These feeds usually
contain between 18 and 20 percent protein.

It is not necessary to feed “meat bird starter” to young layer chickens. Diets formulated for
starting meat chickens are higher in protein (22 percent) to maximize growth, which is not
necessary or desirable for egg laying chickens and is higher in cost.

248
GROWER AND DEVELOPER FEEDS

Once the birds reach about 6 weeks of age, substitute a grower feed for the starter.

Grower feeds are about 15 or 16 percent protein and are formulated to sustain good growth
to maturity.

After about 14 weeks of age, you can substitute the grower feed with developer feeds if they
are available. These feeds are lower in protein than grower feeds (14 to 15 percent) and are
formulated to prepare young chickens for egg production.

Note: These two feed types are virtually interchangeable; either one can be fed to chickens

between 6 weeks of age and the beginning of egg production.

LAYER AND BREEDER FEEDS

Once your chickens begin laying eggs, you can choose between layer and breeder feeds.
Your choice of feed at this stage depends on how the eggs will be used.

Layer feeds are formulated for chickens that are laying table eggs (those used for food).
Layer feeds contain about 16 percent protein and extra calcium so that the chickens will lay
eggs with strong shells.

Start feeding layer feeds at about 20 weeks of age or when the first egg is laid, whichever
occurs first. Breeder feeds are formulated for chickens that are producing eggs for hatching.

These feeds basically are layer feeds containing slightly more protein and fortified with
extra vitamins for proper chick development and hatching.

249
However, use of breeder feeds is somewhat questionable for the small flock farmer, since
the increased cost may not be justified by the potentially slight increase in hatchability.

You also may give both laying and breeding chickens access to ground oyster shell.

Some high-producing laying birds may require the extra calcium provided by oyster shell,
even though the prepared diet is a complete feed. The need to feed oyster shell can be
determined by shell quality

If eggs are laid with thin shells that are easily cracked or shells that are rough with almost
a sandpaper feel, oyster shell may help to increase shell strength and quality. When feeding
oyster shell, provide a separate feeder allowing free choice feeding on oyster shell.

MEDICATED FEEDS

Most commercial starter diets are medicated to prevent common yet serious diseases in
chicken flocks. Medications are less common in grower or layer diets. Feeds that contain
medications are labeled as such.

Check the label for warnings concerning the medication used in feeds. Withdrawal dates
will be indicated on the label if there is a risk of the medication’s presence in the eggs.

Feed medications are highly researched and regulated, so you can be confident that the eggs
are safe to eat if you follow the label instructions.

250
WATER

Water is the single most important nutrient that chickens consume. Therefore, it is
necessary to provide adequate amounts of clean, fresh water daily during growth and egg
production.

Chickens will drink between two and three times as much water by weight as they eat in
feed. Their consumption of water increases in warm weather.

FEEDING MANAGEMENT

The mechanics of feeding are nearly as important as the feed itself. Supply enough feeder
space so that all the birds can eat at the same time. When space is limited, some birds don’t
get enough to eat.

Keep feed available for the birds constantly (ad libitum). Restricted feeding (giving a
limited amount of feed several times each day) can reduce productivity if not managed
carefully.

Place feeders and waterers so that the trough is at the level of the birds’ backs. This practice
reduces feed spillage, which encourages rodents, wastes feed, and costs money. Store feed
for a maximum of 6 weeks, with pellets and keep it in a cool, dry place.

Some moulds that grow in damp feeds are dangerous for chickens, and old feeds can lose
some of their nutritional value.

Making your own quality chicken feed at home to cut costs

251
Summarily, poor quality feeds lead to a slow growth in chickens, low egg production,
diseases or even death.

Making poultry feeds on the farm is one of the best ways to maintain quality.

Except for a few feed manufacturers who keep to the standards in poultry feed formulations,
many feed companies in the country make very poor quality feeds, a situation which has
led to huge losses.

IDENTIFYING FEED INGREDIENTS WITH ANTI- NUTRITIONAL FACTORS

THE COMMON INGREDIENTS ARE

WHOLE MAIZE (Yellow one has more nutritional components than the first)

252
WHEAT OFFAL

SOYA BEAN MEAL

FISH MEAL.

253
LYSIN

Each category of chicken has its nutritional requirement.

For example, if we want to make feed for layers, the feed should have at least 18 per cent
crude protein. If one was to formulate feed for layers, then they would have to calculate the
percentage

of DCP in each of the ingredients they want to use to ensure that the total crude protein
content is at least 18 per cent.

FEED INGREDIENTS SUITABLE FOR BROILERS AND LAYERS PRODUCTION

TO FORMULATE FEEDS, YOU HAVE TO USE THE SUBSTITUTION METHOD,

TRIAL AND ERROR METHOD, PEARSON SQUARE METHOD

In this method, the digestible crude protein (DCP) is the basic nutritional requirement for
any feed preparation for all animals and birds.

Now, assuming that you want to make feed for your chicken using this method, you have
to know the crude protein content of each of the ingredients you want to use to make their
feed.

254
The following are the DCP values for each of the common ingredients used in feed

Whole maize — 8.5-10%

Soya — 45%

Fishmeal (omena) — 55%

Wheat offal— 17%

In addition, you need to add several feed additives (micronutrients, minerals and vitamins)
to make sure their chicken have a balanced feed that meets their daily nutrient requirements.

Material is available cheaply, especially after the harvesting season. Depending on the cost
of raw material, those who make their own feed at home save between 30 to 50 per cent for
every 100kg bag of chicken feed, depending on the source of their raw materials.

This means that if as a farmer, you are able to make your own feed, you make great savings
on feeds which take up to 80% of the production costs.

Therefore to produce your own feed, there are so many things you have to put into
consideration.

It's only economical you produce your own feed if you have above 500 birds or you're
staying closer to source of raw materials (For our Northern brethrens)

This is because, the feed millers try to sell raw materials the same price or even above the
cost of getting a 25kg of feed

255
For instance, if you purchase a bag of feed at #3500, when you try going to feed mill to
purchase raw materials, you will find out you will be spending close to
37003900(depending on the season) getting the same 25kg of feed which adds to ur overall
production cost

Again, many feedmillers raw materials are not reliable, in that their raw materials stay
longer than necessary which reduces its nutritional value and sometimes grow mould

• Sometimes even, the sell fake or even low quality feed stuffs just to make gains.
• Some even sometimes readjust the scale to their favour

• So to produce your feeds, one has to identify a reliable feedmiller to purchase feed
ingredients

That's why I said it's economical to produce your own feed if your stock is above 500 so
you can order for raw material directly by yourself and save yourself costs and loss

256
FEED FORMULATION FORMULA (DO IT YOURSELF)

WE WOULD START WITH DCP CALCULATION TO CHECK WHEN YOU

HAVE MET WITH THE DCP REQUIREMENT OF YOUR BIRDS

Therefore, to make a 100kg bag of feed for layers, a farmer would require the following
ingredients:

47kg of whole maize

16kg of soya

9kg of fishmeal

15kg of wheat offal

9kg of lime (as a calcium source)

To find out if all the above ingredients meet this standard of 18% crude protein, a farmer
can do a simple calculation as follows:

Whole maize — 47kg x 10% ÷100 = 4.7 %

Soya — 16kg x 45% ÷ 100 = 7.2 %

FM — 9 kg x 55% ÷ 100 = 4.95 %

Wheat Offal - 14kg × 17% ÷100 = 1.36

Lime — 8 kg x 0% ÷ 100 = 0.00%

Total % of crude protein = ???

257
To ensure the chicken gets all they need in terms of nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and
amino acids, you need to add what we call additives & micro nutrients in their standard
quantities.

But unfortunately, most of these additives and trace elements are adulterated. The rate of
the adulteration has soared high in recent times. In fact some of them are not in the market
anymore but sellers would give you another micro nutrients for them.

So to avert this, I think you should go by concentrates.

Note: Concentrate is a mixture of vitamins, trace minerals, medicaments, feed supplements

and diluents. It's a value added solution for feed with sustainable safety and quality.

Personally I use Hendrix 5% concentrate. It has proven to give high performance in egg
production.

But if you still want to do your own feed with those micro nutrients in the market, I would
still make it even simpler for you by TEACHING YOU such that all you need is to buy the
ingredients and mix them

LET’S GET STARTED

BROILER STARTER FEED (1-4 WEEKS)

58kg of whole maize

3kg of Wheat offal

6kg of fishmeal

24kg of soya bean meal

258
3kg of bone meal

5kg of Brewers’ Dried Grain (BDG)

TRACE ELEMENTS

250g of starter premix

250g of lysine

250g of methionine

250g of common salt

BROILER FINISHER FEED (4-8 WEEKS)

55kg of whole maize

8kg of Wheat offal

3kg of fishmeal

18kg of soya bean meal

4kg of bone meal

5kg of Brewers’ Dried Grain (BDG)

6kg of Palm Kernel Cake (PKC)

TRACE ELEMENTS

250g of Finisher premix

250g of lysine

259
250g of methionine

250g of common salt

MAKING A 100 KG LAYERS OF LAYERS CHICK MASH (1-4 WEEKS)

Growing chicks require feed with Digestible Crude Protein (DCP) of between 18 to 20 per
cent. The following formulation can be used to make a 100kg bag of layers chick mash:

INGREDIENTS

47kg of whole maize

23kg of wheat offal

22kg of Soya bean meal

2.5kg of fishmeal

3kg of limestone

200g of salt

250g of layer chick premix

100g of tryptophan

100g of lysine

100g of methionine

100g of Threonine

250g of enzymes

250g of coccidiostat

250g of toxin binder

260
MAKING A 100 KG BAG OF GROWERS MASH (4 TO 8 WEEKS)

Growers (pullets or young layers) should be provided with feed having a protein content of
between 16 and 18 per cent. Such feed makes the young layers to grow fast in preparation
for egg laying:

40kg of whole maize

24kg of maize bran

14kg of wheat offal

13kg of soya meal

3kg of lime

1.5kg of bone meal

3.5kg of fishmeal

Micro nutrients

200g of salt

250g of coccidiostat

250g of Layer grower Pre-mix

250g of zinc bacitracitrach

250g of mycotoxin binder

261
MAKING A 100 KG BAG OF LAYERS’ MASH (18 WEEKS AND ABOVE)

Ingredients

53kg of whole maize

20kg of Soya

5kg of fishmeal

11kg of wheat offal

9.5kg of lime stone

Trace elements

250g layer premix

200g lysine

200g methionine

100g Threonine

150g tryptophan

250g toxin binder

NOTE. Layer feed should contain a Digestible Crude Protein (DCP) content of
between 16-18 per cent. The feed should contain calcium (limestone) for the formation
of eggshells (laying hens that do not get enough calcium will use the calcium stored in
their own bone tissue to produce eggshells).

You can get all this materials at any feedmill near you

Layer feed should be introduced at 18 weeks or at first sight of egg drop

262
NOTE: For those who have more than 500 chickens, it is advisable to make 1 ton of feed at
once (There are 40 bags of feed in one ton).

Therefore, to make 1 tonne of feed, all a farmer needs is to multiply each of the ingredients
by 10. Ensure that all the feed you make will last for 3 weeks and not longer —this ensures
the feed remains fresh and safe for your chickens.

Any feed that lasts more than one month may deteriorate in quality and can affect your
investment.

IMPORTANT TIPS ON FEED PREPARATION

When making home made feed rations, it is important to do experimental trials, by isolating
a number of chickens, feeding them and observing their performance. If the feed rations are
right, the broilers will grow fast and layers will increase egg production (at least 1 egg after
every 27 hours).

Buy quality fishmeal from reputable companies. If FM (Fish Meal) is used, the farmers
must be sure of its quality; most of the FM in the open-air markets may be contaminated.
You are advised to go for soya meal if they cannot get good quality FM.

Always mix the micronutrients (amino acids) first before mixing them with the rest of the
feed, preferably with maize to serve as a carrier. For mixing, farmers are advised to use a
drum mixer (many welders can make one).

263
Try not use shovel to mix feed because the ingredients will be unevenly distributed, if you
must, please you have to mix properly & thoroughly.

Please Note: To improve on the feed quality, those making their own feeds should
always have it tested to ensure the feed is well balanced.

WHERE TO BUY INGREDIENTS? (Very Important)

Those who need raw materials for feed making including feed additives (pre-mixes and
amino acids) can order them from agro veterinary shops or a reliable feed mill nearest to
them.

Lest I forget, try not to use white maize for your layers, the CP is low and it will affect shell
colour and yolk

NEXT

LACTO-FERMENTATION OF FEED

Fermented chicken feed is probiotics for your birds, just like LAB. It's simply a wet
mash/feed created by lactic acid fermentation which contains all the bacteria that is good
for your birds.

I used to ferment my birds feed before now, but stopped because my birds would not want
to have break on the feed.

264
SO THE BIG QUESTION BEGGING FOR ANSWER NOW REMAINS; HOW
DOES LACTO-FERMENTATION OF YOUR CHICKEN FEED WORK?

The 1st day of soaking the feed greatly improves their digestibility by reducing the phytic
acid and enzyme inhibitors found in all grains, seeds and legumes.

By the 2nd day, lactic acid bacteria begins the process of fermentation by eating up the
sugars in the feed and multiplying in great numbers, hence producing lactic acid.

The lactic acid so produced, in turn, makes the environment unsuitable for bad/pathogenic
bacteria, leaving behind only beneficial microbes.

The feed will remain edible for a long time as long as the grains stay submerged in the lactic
acid bowl/medium though there comes a point when the feed can become too sour and
hence not very tasty.

WHY DO YOU HAVE TO FERMENT OUR CHICKEN FEED?

• Lacto-fermented foods are beneficial to humans hence to the birds since we maintain
the same monogastric stomach system.
• Lacto-fermentation is an anaerobic process that preserves and enhances food.
• Lacto-fermented food contains live Lactobacillus.
• Lactobacillus is a beneficial bacteria that helps normalize the acidity in our stomach,
provide digestive balance, aid in the absorption of nutrients, neutralize toxic
compounds, and strengthen overall immunity.

265
 • Fermented feed has been found(personally) to increase egg weight, shell weight and
shell thickness
• Boost the chickens intestinal health by forming a natural barrier to acid-sensitive
pathogens like E.coli and Salmonella
• Fermented feed also reduces the level of anti-nutritional factors found in the grains
and seeds, and greatly improves the bioavailability of vitamins and minerals during
digestion.

• Fermented feed does not only preserve the vitamins in the grains, it also creates new
vitamins, primarily B-complex vitamins
• In short, fermenting your birds' feed leads to better eggs, better hen health, and lower
cost of production.

Now to the REAL DEAL

HOW TO FERMENT YOUR CHICKEN FEED

You can ferment any feed you currently give your chickens, whether its crumbles, mash,
pellets, scratch, or whole grains and seeds.

The higher the quality of your feed, the more your chickens will gain from lacto
fermentation.

MATERIALS NEEDED

Big bowl with lid/cover

Feed
Water

266
Let's start; Easy step

STEP 1

Fill your bowl about 1/3 to full with the quantity of feed of your choice.

You want to leave room for the feed to expand.(i.e why you shouldn't fill to the brim)

STEP 2

Add enough dechlorinated water to cover the feed by a couple of inches.

STEP 3

Cover the bowl and leave it out at room temperature for 3-4 days.

At least once a day, or whenever you remember, give the feed a stir and add more water as
needed to make sure they stay submerged in the bowl.

• When you start to see a layer of bubbles on the surface of your liquid, you
have lacto-fermentation in process.
• The bubbles are the expulsion of carbon dioxide by lactic acid bacteria.
267
The water will appear cloudy and the top layer may seem filmy and foamy, but be rest
assured these are the normal effects of all that bacteria at work.

If it was properly fermented, the feed will actually smell good. That sour smell indicates the
presence of lactic acid.

If your fermented feed has an unpleasant odour,a rotten smell, it means you should discard
the grains and start over again.

An alcoholic smell means you can actually save your feed from spoiling

When your fermented feed is mouldy, it is a sign of air exposure, do not feed to your
birds please.

So always make sure your grains are completely covered in water and your container
is sealed properly to avoid mouldy feed

STEP 4

By 3-4days, your feed should be fully fermented.

You can confirm by this by bubbles and by smell. When it takes on a strong and sour smell,
you can scoop out and strain the appropriate amount of feed for your chickens and feed it
to them wet.

268
Bubbles signifies good fermentation process

HOW TO KEEP MULTIPLYING YOUR LACTO-FERMENTATION?

Anytime time you strain an amount of fermented feed from your bowl, add the same amount
of dry feed back into it. Give a stir, recover with a lid, and strain more feed the next day.
This is the easiest way to keep your lacto-fermentation going without starting over.

Please note: You can keep reusing the same liquid, especially since it already has all
that good bacteria floating around in it, which speeds up the fermentation of new feed.

269
Also note: If your liquid becomes slimy, sludgy, or stinky , it means a side effect of oxygen
killing the good bacteria and introducing the bad bacteria, you should start again with fresh
water.

I have never used a starter-culture to start the lacto-fermentation, and you dont have to
either.

Lactobacilli is already present in the air and on the surfaces of the grains, and in the right
environment they will multiply before you know it.

At most, your feed will be fermented by day 4.

270
CHAPTER NINE

How To Conduct Market Research For Your Poultry Farm 272

Marketing Strategies To Increase Profitability In Your Farm 275

271
HOW TO CONDUCT MARKET RESEARCH FOR YOUR POULTRY FARM

Are you one of the farmers who are like "but its poultry farming, why do I have to conduct
a market research?" Well, I will advice that you drop that belief while I tutor you why it is
very importantt to conduct market research for your poultry business.

I would also teach you how to conduct market research for your poultry farm cheaply, so
that you can save some money for your self in the process.

Let’s take this analogy,

Okay, If you have no driving skills or experience and you are fortunate to buy a car, would
you just hop into it and start driving without learning all there is to learn about the car? If
you get into the car and start driving without learning and thoroughly understanding the
functionality of the vehicle; what would happen?

Well I will tell you what would happen in some hours; you would endanger your life and
wreck the car. That’s not even the worse that could happen.

I just gave the illustration above for you to know how important it is to learn the ropes of
any business one wants to go into and not just poultry farming alone. If you fail to do so,
you would end up losing your money, your customer credibility and maybe even
endangering the lives of those who patronize you.

272
NOW TO THE REAL BUSINESS

So what does market research mean in poultry farming?

It simply means understanding your market. It involves thoroughly understanding the

people you would sell to (potential customer or customers) and how to reach them.

It involves gathering of valuable information that would help to boost sales. People buy
eggs everyday but the market is already very competitive.

Therefore, you must learn the techniques to win customers over to your side especially if
you are new in the business.

WHAT POULTRY MARKET RESEARCH DOES FOR YOU?

It helps you to understand consumer behaviour. You would be able to understand what you
want, who your customers are, how they make their buying decisions, and how they react
to changes.

It would give you ideas on how to expand your poultry business. You would be able to learn
ways to increase your income.

Proper market research also properly positions you to beat your competitors.

It helps you to "spy" on your competitors so that you can develop a better strategy.

Market research also helps you with pricing your products.

You may not be able to penetrate the market if your products are not priced properly.

273
Highly priced products can be a turn off for consumers while products that are too low in
prices would also raise suspicions of quality and become a turn off to customers too. There
is the need to find a balance and you need adequate research to do this. (I remember when
I decided to start my farm, I had to visit farms, conduct search, research, survey through
online, attended seminars, visit experts just to understand what I need do so I can get great
results without stress).

You would also be able to discover trends and best practices in the industry to adopt so as
to make your business prosper.

HOW TO CONDUCT MARKET RESEARCH FOR A POULTRY FARMING

BUSINESS

Conducting a standard market research is expensive and really time consuming.

You would need to engage the services of experts who may charge you thousands to get the
job done but the good news is that there are cheap ways to conduct a market research for
your poultry business by your self without hiring experts (I save a lot doing my market
research myself).

SOME VERY CHEAP WAYS TO DO IT INCLUDES- :

BUY REPORT: There’s no knowledge without a source, if you are not connected to
someone, to get the right information will be difficult. Google can help but getting it from
a notable source is key to better understanding. You got this report because of something
known to you, by now if yoou’ve not learnt anything new, please call me and I will return
your money to you.

274
You should look out for already written research reports by other people. There are a lot of
websites that have such reports if you are willing to search. But if you are using a market
research report written by other people, here are some important points to note- :

The reports must suit your own market. For instance, you can’t use an American report for
a Nigerian Market because the culture, taste and preferences of the American people are
different from those of Nigerians.

You must check the dates to ensure that it is a recent report. A market research done in
2014 would most likely be useless in 2019 because a lot of things would have changed.

Ensure that it is from a reputable site; preferably a government owned institution and/or
website so that you can be sure of authenticity and genuine information.

LEARN FROM OTHERS

Another way to conduct market research for your poultry farm is to learn from others who
are already in the industry.

You can learn a lot from the experiences of other people. Join poultry unions/groups, read
industry publications, network, and ask questions from other people while you use their
opinions as a basis to form your own opinions.

PERSONAL RESEARCH

Another cheap method is to conduct personal research. Buy some very good foot-wears,
fuel your vehicle and be prepared to move around. A camera, a voice recorder and a
notebook to record your findings is also a necessity.
275
What you would do is to visit stores where poultry products are sold and observe how buyers
make their choices, what products attract the highest buyers? What is unique about that
product and why are people choosing it? How is the product priced? How does the
packaging look? What is written on its label?

When you do these for some days, you would be able to draw your conclusions and have
an idea of how to package and price your products to attract buyers.

PERSONAL INTERVIEWS

You can also learn a lot from potential and existing consumers by talking to them. Visit
people’s homes and offices and talk to them about exist ing poultry products.

What they would rather have differently? What they feel about prices?

How they would react to new products and what they f eel about price increase and
decrease?

These questions when answered would help you under st and consumer behaviour better.

The internet is also a good place to conduct a market research for your poultry products.
You can find a whole lot of information on the internet that would guide you in making
informed decisions BUT NOT EVERYTHING THERE IS RELIABLE.

276
PRODUCT TESTING

This is a practical way to conduct market research. It involves producing small quantities
of your products to observe how it would go in the market.

If you want to produce eggs for example, you can start with few birds so that you can
produce small quantities and release it t o the market for sale.

The way the product is received would give you an idea of how to improve the products
and whether you should go commercial or halt the process.

SURVEYS AND QUESTIONNAIRES

You can also use surveys and put out questionnaires to further understand consumer
behaviour. It works most times

SOCIAL MEDIA

A lot of people flock around social media and a lot of companies have been getting
impressive results from conducting market research through social media. Websites like
LinkedIn, Twitter,WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook are very good for conducting market
research.

277
MARKETING STRATEGIES TO INCREASE PROFIT ABILITY IN YOUR FARM

The ultimate goal of every poultry farmer is to make great sales at each harvest and
unfortunately, a lot of us get stucked at this point. Some of us here spend months raising
and feeding birds; and when it’s time to sell, we don’t achieve much results. Not because
there is a shortage of demand for your eggs or meat; but because you have not really paid
attention to the sales and marketing aspects of your business.

As a poultry farmer, you should not be too caught up with the operational aspects of your
business so much that you now neglect the sales aspect. If you ask me, I would say that the
sales and marketing aspect is even more important after all, you are not rearing chickens
for family consumption. If you are into poultry farming to earn profits, then you must pay
attention to the marketing aspects of this business.

I want to reveal the methods that you can use as a poultry farmer to increase sales and
expand your income from your poultry business. Some smart ideas include-:

BY PASSING THE MIDDLEMEN

Most of us rely on middlemen to help sell their products. They sell in bulk to other people
who in turn sell to the consumers. If you want to sell faster, then you should sell both in
wholesale and retail quantities. You can sell in retail quantities if you have your own sales
out let. Look f or a good location to rent a store and then use it to stock eggs and chicken
meat from your farm so that in addition to selling to wholesalers, you can also sell to
retailers.

278
TAKE YOUR BUSINESS ONLINE

How you got the advert of this book speaks more about using the internet for sales of
products and service. Everybody hangs around the internet these days. A large percentage
of people make use of the internet around the world daily and if you want your business to
thrive, you cannot close your eyes to the internet. Your social media account is a very good
place to promote your business and increase awareness for your products.

I have a lady that I am following on Facebook who regularly posts pictures of her business.
She has a lot of followers and people keep asking her where they can get her products. In
fact she added me up on facebook herself meaning she understands the importance of
facebook marketing.

If you want t o sell your products faster , you should have a strong internet presence so
that people can order for products online and even those t hat do not order online would be
able to recognize and buy your products when they see it in super markets or grocery
stores.

Sites like OLX, jiji, facebook groups, Whatsapp groups e.t.c can be of great help in your
eggs and chicken meat marketing.

I' m sure you have not forgotten how you learnt about this BOOK.

BECOME A SUPPLIER TO HOTELS, FAST FOOD AND RESTAURANTS

Write a brilliant proposal with clearly thought - out incentives that you can offer and send
it to managers of hotels and restaurants. Offer to be their major supplier of eggs and chicken
meat.

Hotels and restaurants always have foods with eggs or chicken on their menu and they have
to get their eggs and chicken meat from somewhere.

279
You can help them to have access to a regular supply of fresh eggs and chicken without
stress. Note that a lot of hotels, fast foods, and restaurants already have people supplying
them, so you should think of how to out smart these people by offering mouth- watering
incentives.

Check around you, your locality, vicinity, you would surely find an upcoming fast food or
restaurant you can supply your products. It's just around you, make proper research after
now.

EMPLOY MARKETERS

Marketers? For a poultry farm? Yes, marketers for your poultry farm can increase your sales
by more than 30%. Just employ some commission based marketers who would earn a
certain percentage from the sales they make.

FEED YOUR BIRDS WELL

Yes, this is a marketing idea too. When you feed your birds well, t hey pr oduce big and
good quality eggs and meat which are what the consumers want. I said earlier, there's no
shortcut to feeding your birds or cutting corners in poultry.

If you want your products to be top choice for consumers, then you have to pay attention to
the quality of products you generate and in poultry farming; that means paying attention to
the type of feeds you feed your birds with because good feed equals good eggs and quality
meat.

280
HAVE YOUR OWN ABATTOIR

Don’t just stop at selling to other companies to package; nothing stops you from having
your own abattoir too where you can package and brand your own products for sales and
supply.

ADVERTISE YOUR PRODUCTS

You should also engage in advertising and promotions. You don’t buy what you don’t know
or from people you haven't heard of, do you? People mostly buy products they know or
have heard about (CHI & AGRITED are good examples best Day old chick seller) and
when you advertise your products, it helps to increase awareness and subsequently, demand
for your eggs and meat.

TRY HOME DELIVER Y SERVICES

I have mentioned some thing like this in the 22 tips of becoming a successful poultry famer.
Home delivery services work too. This is because a lot of people are often too busy to make
trips to the grocery store and then a lot of people love their eggs and meat fresh. You can
take advantage of this to offer home delivery services to people who prefer to buy fresh
eggs or people who find it easier to order for stuffs from the comfort of their home. You
could also serve senior citizens, the physically challenged or sick people who cannot make
trips to grocery stores to buy eggs and meat.is works especially when you are just starting
or have a sales representative

281
USE ATTRACTIVE PACKAGING

Packing determins how much they will buy, what they will and if they will buy at all. When
designing packaging materials for your poultry products, you must ensure that it is attractive
and stands out from every other product in the market.

GOOD PACKAGING CAN ATTRACT MORE BUYERS.

Another thing you must know is that people look now out for nutritional information when
they buy food items. So, you should consider adding some information about your products
like calorie contents, protein, vitamins and all other information that health conscious
people would want to know about.

CONCLUSION

Take action now. Get out and find out. You cannot possibly find out everything you need
to know about poultry farming through the internet. The reason is because, places, time and
situations are different.

If anyone gives you every cost, expectations and details about this business online, most of
those information will be incorrect because of the time and location differences.

Do you know? Even people in the same city are buying the same things at different prices.

Now, you get what I am saying.

You have a work to do. Get out in a weekend and meet with different kind of people.

Start where it is easy…the poultry equipment and feeds sellers near to you.

282
Ask them as much questions as you can about their feeds, equipment and just any other
things. They may even tell you about any poultry organization, association or regulation
(which I can`t possibly know about in your environment).

One more step. Get their mobile numbers and let them know you may call them whenever
you have any other questions.

What I am about to tell you is very important…. Get a mentor, someone who has started a
poultry farm for at least two years. If you cannot get in your immediate environment
because they see you as a competitor, try and travel to the next town.

There are so many good people out there who will lovingly accept to guide you, but if you
cannot find any, don`t mind if you have to pay someone.

This is very important because someone who has done something before is having a lot of
experience and whenever you encounter any problem you give him a call.

That is how I operate. I have mentors in every important area of my life and business. I have
their mobile line with me and get connected with them on the social media. Whenever I
have a question or get a problem or incase I want to write an ebook, I simply reach out to
anyone I think is having experience in that line.

With a call I get answers to my questions. This way, you`ll grow faster.

Thanks for taking your time to read this guide. Am still writing more and more business
guides that will nourish you in your business endeavors. Always keep in touch with me on
whatsapp 07067668182 to get more of my business guides.

Also whatsapp me and give me your feedback about this BOOK, your feedback is my
selling point.
283