Introduction to Poultry Keeping
Welcome to the first unit in our course on poultry farming. In this unit you learn
about the advantages and disadvantages of poultry farming, the economics of
poultry keeping and what motivates farmers to keep poultry. We shall also give you
a summary of the cost of poultry production to help you assess if the business is
profitable.
Let us start by reviewing our objectives for this unit.
Unit Objectives
By the end of this unit you should be able to:
Explain the advantages and disadvantages of poultry keeping.
Assess the viability of your poultry business.
Section 1.1: Advantages and Disadvantages of
Poultry Keeping.
As you well know, poultry is kept in many rural and peri-urban homes in Kenya either
for domestic or commercial purposes. In this section we shall discuss the advantages
and disadvantages of poultry keeping.
A pedicure on the other hand, is a beauty treatment for improving the condition and
appearance of the feet and toenails. A standard pedicure starts with sanitizing the
feet. This is followed by filing and/or cutting the toenails, and soaking the feet in
warm, soapy water to which an antiseptic is added. Once the feet are softened, the
therapist then proceeds to scrub any areas of the foot which has hardened, rough
skin. Under the nail is cleaned and cuticles are gently pushed back. Nail polish is then
applied to the toenails.
Advantages of Poultry Keeping
What are the advantages of poultry keeping? Think about it for a minute and then
complete the following activity.
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We believe your list included the following advantages of poultry keeping:
Chicken can be reared in a small space
The stocks needed to start a chicken business are readily available
Chicken can be reared throughout the year
The returns on investment take a shorter time
Many people prefer to eat chicken compared to other sources of protein
Chicken feed on by-products such as, maize germ, maize bran, sunflower
seed cake, wheat bran and wheat pollard
Market for chicken meat is wide and lucrative
Growing customer base does not require advertisement CHOLESTORAL
TAKE NOTE
Advantage of Chicken Meat
You now know the advantages of poultry keeping; let us look at the disadvantages.
Activity 1.1
Advantages of Poultry Keeping (Tme: 5 mins)
Write down at least 3 advantages of poultry keeping?
1.____________________________________________________________
2.____________________________________________________________
3____________________________________________________________
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Disadvantages of Poultry Keeping
The disadvantages of poultry are not many and include the following:
Some chicken diseases can affect humans
Chicken can die of preventable diseases like New Castle, Gumboro, Fowl Typhoid, Cholera and Cholera Pox
If not well protected, chicken can be eaten by a host of predators, like mongoose, eagles, cats and snakes
As you can see, the disadvantages of chicken are not so serious because they can all be prevented. In the next section we shall discuss the economics of poultry keeping.
Section 1.2: Economics of Poultry Keeping
Before you start a poultry business, it is important to find out if it makes economic sense. In this section we shall look at the economic value of chicken and how to cost your poultry project.
Economic Value of Poultry
A poultry business provides an important supplement to income from crops and livestock. Poultry farming helps to reduce overdependence on traditional commodities whose prices are not stable. Before you continue reading, complete the following activity.
Activity 1.3
Economic Value of Poultry (Time: 20 mins)
A. Write three reasons why chicken keeping is an important economic activity.
1. __________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________
3. ____________________________________________________
B. Use the space provided below to write down one compelling reason why you are interested in chicken farming.
Compare your answers with the information given in the following section.
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The economic value of poultry is one of the reasons why farmers take an interest in poultry farming. The following is the economic value of poultry keeping:
Provides income from the sale of chicks, meat and fertilized and unfertilized eggs;
The feathers are used to make stuffing for pillows mattresses and quilts
It supplement other incomes from livestock and crops
Poultry droppings are used as livestock (ruminant) feed, as it is a rich source of non-protein nitrogen and provides protein
Poultry manure increase soil fertility and can be sold as fertilizer
Poultry droppings make excellent slurry for biogas production plants
The by-products of a hatchery are used to make livestock protein supplements.
It can generate foreign exchange earnings through the export of poultry products
Used for recreation and also in poultry competitions and shows. In some communities they are kept for their crowing ability.
Use in special festivals, traditional ceremonies, as a gifts, and in traditional medicine.
We hope you now appreciate the economic value of poultry. Let us now estimate the cost of poultry production so that you can determine its profitability.
Economics of Poultry Production
Before you start a poultry business, it is important to determine whether it is profitable and sustainable. There are two costs of production that you should take into consideration. These are:
Fixed costs
Variable costs
Your profits will be greatest if you are able to keep your variable costs to a minimum. Let us look at each type of cost in further detail.
Fixed costs
These are the costs that remain constant throughout the management of one flock. These include the following:
Cost of day – old chicks (approximately 12%)
Housing depreciation
Depreciation of equipment
Depreciation of birds (laying birds) this does not apply to broilers.
Miscellaneous e.g. insurance of building and equipment
Variable costs
These are those costs that vary depending on the number of chicken you have. They include the following:
Feed costs – is the major item that takes 73% or over
Labour cost – 7%
Mortality – 5% throughout the growing period
Fuel for brooding and litter – 2%
Veterinary and pharmaceutical costs – 3%
Transport and marketing costs – 10%
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To help you understand how to calculate the profitability of your poultry project, we have worked out the production cost of 100 layers in Table 1.1 below.
Table 1.1: Estimated cost of 100 layer birds
APPENDIX III: ESTIMATE COST OF 100 LAYER BIRDS ITEM QUANTITY COST (Kshs) Cost of Chicks @ Ksh 100 10,000 Day 1 (vitamins + antibiotics + liquid + glucose) 800
Feeds Day 1 - 8wks. Feed with CHICK MASH 1 chick takes 2kg for 8wks (2kg x 100) = 200kg = 3 bags 9450 9th wk - 18th wks. Feed with GROWER MASH Average feed intake is 7kg for 2.5 months 7kg x 100 = 700kg/70 = 10bags A bag costs ksh 2650 = 10 x 2650 26,500 From 18th week Feed with LAYERS MASH 1 bird takes an average of 150g/day = 100 x 150 = 15kg/day For the birds to feed themselves we give them an allowance of 1 month. If 15kg /day, 1 week = 15 x7 = 105kg/70 = 1.5bags per week For 1 month = 1.5 x 4 = 6 bags x 2850 17,100
Vaccines Day 1 Gumboro Day 7 Gumboro Day 14 Gumboro Day 21 NCD + 1B Day 28 Gumboro Day 35 NCD + 1B 8 – 10 weeks Fowl pox F/Typhoid 380 380 380 350 380 350 420 400 3,040
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Miscellaneous {Estimates} Feeders Waterers Wood shavings Source of heat Labour Vitamins & drugs 10,000 TOTAL COST FOR 100 LAYERS 76,890
In addition to costing your project you should keep the following points in mind:
To succeed in poultry farming you must make decisions based on sound economic principles.
To achieve a good profit in layers each bird should produce 200-220 egg per year.
In both broiler and egg production you should keep the mortality of birds as low as possible.
You should organize and manage your labour well in order to achieve the highest possible income returns.
You have now come to the end of this introductory unit. We hope you now understand the advantages, disadvantages and economic value of chicken farming.
Unit Summary
In this unit we have learnt that poultry keeping has many advantages. We saw that poultry keeping is requires a low investment, does not require a big space and has good returns on investment. We also considered the disadvantages of poultry keeping which included the risk of diseases and predators. Lastly, we looked at the economic value of chicken farming and noted that it includes income from the eggs, meat, feathers and chicken droppings, among others. We also looked at the costing of a chicken project.
In the next unit we shall discuss poultry housing.
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Unit 2
Poultry Housing
Introduction
Poultry housing is a very important part of your poultry farm as it protects the birds
from predators and rough weather conditions. A comfortable poultry house is also
important for efficient production and convenience of the poultry farmer. In the last
unit you learnt about the advantages, disadvantages and economic value of poultry
keeping. In this unit you will learn the requirements of a good poultry house, how to
identify a suitable location for a poultry house, and the different types of poultry
house systems that you can adopt. As usual, we shall start by reviewing our
objectives for this unit.
Unit Objectives
By the end of this unit you should be able to:
Describe the requirements of a good poultry house;
Identify a suitable size for a poultry house and a good site for construction
Determine the most suitable poultry production system for your project.
Section 2.1: Requirements of a Good Poultry
House
The following are the requirements for a good poultry house:
a) Protection: ensure that the poultry is protected from extreme weather
conditions, such as, high winds and droughts. Also protection from
predators, e.g. hawks, owls, mongoose, wild cats etc.
b) Good Ventilation: the house should have good ventilation, that is, able to
supply oxygen and remove carbon dioxide and dampness. A damp
atmosphere favours the development of pathogen and retards the activity of
the birds. High temperatures may cause deaths or drop in egg production,
low shell quality, and reduced weight gain. A combination of high
temperatures and high humidity may kill young chicks. To protect birds from
the cold, you can use old feed bags as curtains to cover the chicken wire at
night.
c) Ease of cleaning: it should be easy to clean and facilitate parasite and
disease control. All the interior fittings should be removable or easy to clean.
d) Sunlight: this is in order to maintain the heat of the flock (VHD). The sun also
has disinfecting value and is important to the birds.
e) Economical construction: it should use cheap, durable and locally available
materials.
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f) Accessibility: the house should be convenient in relation to other buildings in the surrounding area. It should be tall enough for a grown-up person to work in there.
g) Spacious: always ensure that your poultry have enough space to run around. This will help you to avoid frequent loss of your birds due to suffocation and contamination.
h) Safe: ensure that your poultry house does not have sharp edges that can injure the birds;
i) Floor: the floor should be cemented or made of concrete for ease of cleaning;
j) Disinfection: a disinfectant dip should be placed at the door of each house
The economic value of poultry is one of the reasons why farmers take an interest in poultry farming. The following is the economic value of poultry keeping:
Provides income from the sale of chicks, meat and fertilized and unfertilized eggs;
The feathers are used to make stuffing for pillows mattresses and quilts
It supplement other incomes from livestock and crops
Poultry droppings are used as livestock (ruminant) feed, as it is a rich source of non-protein nitrogen and provides protein
Poultry manure increase soil fertility and can be sold as fertilizer
Poultry droppings make excellent slurry for biogas production plants
The by-products of a hatchery are used to make livestock protein supplements.
It can generate foreign exchange earnings through the export of poultry products
Used for recreation and also in poultry competitions and shows. In some communities they are kept for their crowing ability.
Use in special festivals, traditional ceremonies, as a gifts, and in traditional medicine.
We hope you now appreciate the economic value of poultry. Let us now estimate the cost of poultry production so that you can determine its profitability.
Economics of Poultry Production
Before you start a poultry business, it is important to determine whether it is profitable and sustainable. There are two costs of production that you should take into consideration. These are:
Fixed costs
Variable costs
Your profits will be greatest if you are able to keep your variable costs to a minimum. Let us look at each type of cost in further detail.
Fixed costs
These are the costs that remain constant throughout the management of one flock. These include the following:
Cost of day – old chicks (approximately 12%)
Housing depreciation
Depreciation of equipment
Depreciation of birds (laying birds) this does not apply to broilers.
Miscellaneous e.g. insurance of building and equipment
Variable costs
These are those costs that vary depending on the number of chicken you have. They include the following:
Feed costs – is the major item that takes 73% or over
Labour cost – 7%
Mortality – 5% throughout the growing period
Fuel for brooding and litter – 2%
Veterinary and pharmaceutical costs – 3%
Transport and marketing costs – 10%
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Page 11
To help you understand how to calculate the profitability of your poultry project, we have worked out the production cost of 100 layers in Table 1.1 below.
Table 1.1: Estimated cost of 100 layer birds
APPENDIX III: ESTIMATE COST OF 100 LAYER BIRDS ITEM QUANTITY COST (Kshs) Cost of Chicks @ Ksh 100 10,000 Day 1 (vitamins + antibiotics + liquid + glucose) 800
Feeds Day 1 - 8wks. Feed with CHICK MASH 1 chick takes 2kg for 8wks (2kg x 100) = 200kg = 3 bags 9450 9th wk - 18th wks. Feed with GROWER MASH Average feed intake is 7kg for 2.5 months 7kg x 100 = 700kg/70 = 10bags A bag costs ksh 2650 = 10 x 2650 26,500 From 18th week Feed with LAYERS MASH 1 bird takes an average of 150g/day = 100 x 150 = 15kg/day For the birds to feed themselves we give them an allowance of 1 month. If 15kg /day, 1 week = 15 x7 = 105kg/70 = 1.5bags per week For 1 month = 1.5 x 4 = 6 bags x 2850 17,100
Vaccines Day 1 Gumboro Day 7 Gumboro Day 14 Gumboro Day 21 NCD + 1B Day 28 Gumboro Day 35 NCD + 1B 8 – 10 weeks Fowl pox F/Typhoid 380 380 380 350 380 350 420 400 3,040
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Miscellaneous {Estimates} Feeders Waterers Wood shavings Source of heat Labour Vitamins & drugs 10,000 TOTAL COST FOR 100 LAYERS 76,890
In addition to costing your project you should keep the following points in mind:
To succeed in poultry farming you must make decisions based on sound economic principles.
To achieve a good profit in layers each bird should produce 200-220 egg per year.
In both broiler and egg production you should keep the mortality of birds as low as possible.
You should organize and manage your labour well in order to achieve the highest possible income returns.
You have now come to the end of this introductory unit. We hope you now understand the advantages, disadvantages and economic value of chicken farming.
Unit Summary
In this unit we have learnt that poultry keeping has many advantages. We saw that poultry keeping is requires a low investment, does not require a big space and has good returns on investment. We also considered the disadvantages of poultry keeping which included the risk of diseases and predators. Lastly, we looked at the economic value of chicken farming and noted that it includes income from the eggs, meat, feathers and chicken droppings, among others. We also looked at the costing of a chicken project.
In the next unit we shall discuss poultry housing.
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Page 13
Unit 2
Poultry Housing
Introduction
Poultry housing is a very important part of your poultry farm as it protects the birds
from predators and rough weather conditions. A comfortable poultry house is also
important for efficient production and convenience of the poultry farmer. In the last
unit you learnt about the advantages, disadvantages and economic value of poultry
keeping. In this unit you will learn the requirements of a good poultry house, how to
identify a suitable location for a poultry house, and the different types of poultry
house systems that you can adopt. As usual, we shall start by reviewing our
objectives for this unit.
Unit Objectives
By the end of this unit you should be able to:
Describe the requirements of a good poultry house;
Identify a suitable size for a poultry house and a good site for construction
Determine the most suitable poultry production system for your project.
Section 2.1: Requirements of a Good Poultry
House
The following are the requirements for a good poultry house:
a) Protection: ensure that the poultry is protected from extreme weather
conditions, such as, high winds and droughts. Also protection from
predators, e.g. hawks, owls, mongoose, wild cats etc.
b) Good Ventilation: the house should have good ventilation, that is, able to
supply oxygen and remove carbon dioxide and dampness. A damp
atmosphere favours the development of pathogen and retards the activity of
the birds. High temperatures may cause deaths or drop in egg production,
low shell quality, and reduced weight gain. A combination of high
temperatures and high humidity may kill young chicks. To protect birds from
the cold, you can use old feed bags as curtains to cover the chicken wire at
night.
c) Ease of cleaning: it should be easy to clean and facilitate parasite and
disease control. All the interior fittings should be removable or easy to clean.
d) Sunlight: this is in order to maintain the heat of the flock (VHD). The sun also
has disinfecting value and is important to the birds.
e) Economical construction: it should use cheap, durable and locally available
materials.
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f) Accessibility: the house should be convenient in relation to other buildings in the surrounding area. It should be tall enough for a grown-up person to work in there.
g) Spacious: always ensure that your poultry have enough space to run around. This will help you to avoid frequent loss of your birds due to suffocation and contamination.
h) Safe: ensure that your poultry house does not have sharp edges that can injure the birds;
i) Floor: the floor should be cemented or made of concrete for ease of cleaning;
j) Disinfection: a disinfectant dip should be placed at the door of each house to prevent entry of diseases agents into the flock house;
k) Storage: a separate room should be constructed to keep feeds and other equipment in a safe place protected from weather and contamination by humans and rodents.
Perches
Perches are timber frames on which birds perch for rest. They are important for chickens to rest on during the night. It is the natural behaviour of chicken, such as layers and indigenous table birds to sleep above the ground in trees. A one meter perch can roost five adult birds. The perches should be removable to facilitate cleaning. Perches are best made of bamboo or round sticks to accommodate for the size and structure of the birds’ feet. If the sticks are too big or too small, the birds may fall. Perches can also be square and flat: 5-10 cm broad. Figure 1.1 below shows a picture of a perch.
Figure 1.1: Chicken perch
Nesting Boxes
Chicken need areas where they can lay their eggs. You should allow one nesting box for 4-5 hens. The nests should be large enough to make the birds comfortable. They should be placed in a dark and private place in order to discourage egg eating and cannibalism. The floor of the nest should be covered with soft dry grass or wood shavings to prevent egg breakage. The advantages of laying nests are:
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Eggs laid in the next boxes are cleaner
It reduces the problem of egg breakage
Egg eating by the hens is reduced
Removal of eggs by the farmer is easy and time saving.
The nests for brooding must be individual and should be placed in a dark and quiet place. They should also be easily removable. Figure 1.2 shows an example of nests.
Figure 1.2: Nests for laying and brooding
You are making very good progress! Before you continue, review what you have learnt by completing the following activity.
You now know the requirements of a good poultry house. Next we shall look at sizing and location of a poultry house.
Activity 2.1
Qualities of a good poultry house
Which of the following are NOT good qualities of a chicken house? Identify them with a circle.
Well ventilated house
Dark and dump
Easy to clean
Difficult to access
Economical to construct
Leaking roof with big open cracks in the walls
Compare your answers with those given at the end of this unit.
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Section 2.2: Sizing and Location of a Poultry House
Sizing a Poultry House
The size of a poultry house is very important as it helps you to avoid overcrowding. Overcrowding results in vices such as cannibalism and stress due to discomfort. An ideal poultry house is open-sided to allow natural ventilation and has an east-west orientation to minimize the amount of sunlight directly entering the house. The house should be rectangular in shape and the walls not higher than three feet (3ft). The walls of a poultry house can be made of off-cuts, iron sheets or bricks. While the windows should be covered with wire mesh or chicken wire. To reduce the risk of rodents gaining entry into the poultry or flock house, you should clear all the vegetation around the flock house.
Figure 2.3: A model poultry house for 500 chickens
The house should provide adequate space for the flock. The ideal stocking density is one square foot per bird. When calculating the floor space, consider the internal fittings such as the dropping boards, perches, nest- boxes, feeding troughs, etc. Table 2.1 below gives you the minimum floor space per bird.
Table 2.1: Minimum floor space per bird
Number in flock Light breeds Heavy Breeds 10 – 50 4 Sq. ft 5 sq.ft 100-150 3 ½ sq.ft 4 ½ sq.ft 100-150 3 4 150 and over 2 ½ 3 ½ Broilers 1sq.ft/bird NB: The larger the flock the less is the relative space requirement per bird.
Foot bath
Iron sheet roofing
Wire mesh windows
20
50
12
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Location of a Poultry House
A poultry house should be located on well drained land and should also be protected from high winds.
As a way of reflecting on what you have just learnt, complete the following activity.
You have come to the end of this section on poultry house sizing and location. In the next section we shall discuss poultry management systems.
Section 2.3: Common Poultry Production Systems
1. Extensive or Free Range System
This is the simplest and oldest method of rearing chicken. Birds are allowed to move freely in a fenced ground which has a simple house to provide shelter at night, see figure 2.4. The Laying nests are located inside the house while the feed and water troughs are placed outside under a simple shelter to protect them from rain.
Figure 2.4: Free or extensive range system
Activity 2.2
Sizing a Poultry House (Time: 10mins)
The floor space of a poultry house should allow 3-4sq feet per bird. If you want to keep 1000 birds, how much floor space would you allow in your
