Adexawo farm's

11/07/2024

HOW TO CONSTRUCT A POULTRY HOUSE:

Commercial chicken farming requires a high-level of expertise, understanding and commitment to be successful.

Whilst it’s important to emphasize the need for excellent flock management at all times, something that comes with experience and aptitude, adopting the correct housing techniques and equipment will set a firm foundation for success of your poultry venture.

The following is a guiding checklist for poultry house construction:

"A poultry house should provide the birds with a comfortable environment and protect them from the extremities of the prevailing weather (rain, wind and sunshine).

"It should have adequate space for the flock to be kept in the house. The ideal stocking density is:

👉Layers: one square metre for 6 birds.

👉Broilers: One square metre for 11 birds.

"It should be open-sided to allow natural ventilation with an east-west orientation to minimise the amount of sunlight entering the house directly. Its not good for sun rays to strike directly into the poultry house.

"It should be rectangular in shape and have a wall not higher than three feet on the longer side. The widith should be at least 7-9 metres, but for the length you are only limited by your land. Avoid building poultry houses in a square form.

"The wall can be made from stones, iron sheets, timber, silver boards or bricks

"The rest of the side of the wall should have a chicken wire mesh. The wire mesh on the sides of the house should be of a small gauge to prevent entry of wild birds, dogs and rodents. This normal chicken mesh is not long lasting.....within a few months it rusts and gets off the house. its better to use a plastic quoted mesh.

"The roof of the house should have a reflecting surface and pitched with overlaps to ensure that the house is comfortable and well ventilated. There should be enough gap between the birds and the roof to avoid heat stress. The pin of the house should be 8 metres from the ground, and the sides should

11/07/2024

11/02/2024

*MARKETING IN POULTRY*

Poultry industry has two divisions which are;

*1.* Poultry meat production
*2.* Egg production.

The layers are mainly for egg production but after the production span, they are sold out which would also serve as source of meat.

Broilers are mainly reared for their flesh *meat production**

10/06/2024

The 3 Most Important Things You Need to Know Before Keeping Backyard Chickens:
‘Chicken math’ and how to plan the size of your coop (10 Votes)
Common chicken illnesses and how to treat them (8 Votes)
How to protect your chickens against predators and rodents (6 Votes)

10/06/2024

So, what are the actual food items that you should mix into your feed to meet your chickens’ nutritional requirements?

Well, to get you started, here is your first recipe for chicken feed:

Ingredients:
Create your base:

8 lbs Corn: Corn is great…in moderation. It’s affordable and can be found anywhere. Chickens love corn, giving them the carbs (and fats) they need.
8 lbs Field peas: Field peas are also fairly easy to come by. Adding peas gives your chickens more of the protein they need to get them through the day.
6 lbs Wheat: May improve digestion and help prevent coccidiosis. Wheat also provides chickens with carbs and protein.
1 lb Oats or barley: Oats and barley provide chickens with protein and are interchangeable. You can use either oats or barley, depending on availability. Some people even sprout their own fodder from barley to give their chickens some extra greens (think: vitamins and fiber).

10/04/2024

Why some poultry farmers fail in their projects

Poultry farming is a science that needs many role players as well as many different management procedures, which forms the parts of a successful poultry enterprise. If the role players or management procedures are not correct the poultry farmer is bound to fail.

Due to the increasing demand of chickens and eggs and also quest for self employment, many people are interested in turning their career to the poultry farming with mixed results. Some have succeeded while due to the poor planning, others become failed. They become failed due to their failure to the plan.

Below are some of the major reasons why poultry farming projects fail.

1.Insufficient knowledge (lack of know-how):

Most rush to farming after seeing their neighbors harvests. They don’t take their time to learn about market dynamics and demand and supply curve.

2.Lack of persistence:

Most want instant gratification.They want to be millionaires overnight.They don’t want to face disease challenge or market challenge. All they want is more and more profits. I am sorry to burst your bubble but farming doesn’t work that way.You’ve to toil and sweat. Nothing comes easily.

3.High cost of feeds and poultry equipment:

This has been a pain in the neck. Cost of production has gone over the roof in recent times due to this. I always advise farmers to use creativity and improvise these things e.g buckets in place of drinkers and feeders. Proper feeding management without any wastage is also very important.

4. Insufficient knowledge on marketing:

This is demoralizing at the same time heart breaking.

5.Lack of professionals:

Farmers have to make do with trial and error .Due to this they are left at limbo not able to fight challenges e.g diseases and they really lose a lot.

6.Disease outbreaks:

A very serious problems due to insufficient knowledge on disease managenent.Most farmers don’t follow strict vaccination programmes and biosecurity therefore the bir

10/04/2024

Starting a small-scale poultry business for egg production can vary based on location, scale, and specific requirements, but here’s a rough estimate to guide you:

1. **Capital Requirements**:
- *Housing*: KSh 50,000-100,000 for constructing a suitable poultry house.
- *Chickens*: Approximately KSh 300-500 per layer chick. For a starter flock of 50, this would be KSh 15,000-25,000.
- *Feeding*: Budget around KSh 40,000-60,000 for quality feed for the first few months.
- *Equipment*: Basic equipment like feeders, drinkers, and nesting boxes could cost KSh 20,000-30,000.
- *Health*: Allocate KSh 10,000 for vaccinations and veterinary supplies.

2. **Total Estimated Startup Cost**:
- Approximately KSh 145,000 to KSh 225,000, depending on choices made.

3. **Operating Costs**:
- Ongoing costs should be factored in for feed, health care, and utilities, which might run around KSh 30,000 monthly.

For a more extensive exploration of starting and managing a poultry business, I recommend our course on Business Planning & Financial Management

What stage are you currently in your poultry business planning? Do you have a specific

10/03/2024

The best *species* for egg production in poultry farming is the *layer chicken*, specifically breeds such as:

1. **White Leghorn**:
- Known for their high egg production capacity.
- Can lay about 280-320 eggs per year.
- Adaptable to various climatic conditions.

2. **Rhode Island Red**:
- Hardy and can also produce a good number of eggs (about 250-300 per year).
- Good for free-range systems due to their foraging abilities.

3. **Plymouth Rock**:
- Known for both meat and egg production.
- Average egg production is about 200-250 eggs per year.

4. **Australorp**:
- Highly productive, with up to 300 eggs per year.
- Calm temperaments make them good for backyard farms.

5. **Bovan Brown**:
- High egg-laying efficiency; can produce around 350 eggs annually.
- Excellent feed conversion ratio.

Choosing the right species greatly influences your farm's success in egg production. If you're interested in more in-depth knowledge about layer farming, consider the Layer Chicken Course: https://academy.elengo.co/courses/layers-farming

What type of chickens are you currently raising? Or do you have specific production goals in mind?