How to Start Poultry Farming from Scratch?

How to Start Poultry Farming from Scratch? Poultry farming is the commercial cultivation of domesticated birds for the production of eggs and meat. Farm birds are often chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese farmed for food. However, there is a global chicken industry where broilers for meat and layers for eggs are raised. Because chickens are frequently kept and bred, the word “poultry farming” refers mostly to chicken farming. Here are some pointers to keep in mind as you begin your poultry farm.

What are Poultry and its Importance?

1. Domestic or commercial poultry farming raises birds for meat, eggs, and feathers.
2. Chickens, ducks, turkeys, and geese are the most important commercial poultry birds, whereas guinea fowl and squabs are only of local interest.
3. Poultry meat is a significant source of high-quality protein, minerals, and vitamins for a well-balanced diet. Specially designed chicken breeds (broilers) with rapid growth and high feed conversion efficiency are now available.
4. Keeping chickens has numerous advantages. Poultry birds provide humans with friendship as well as sustenance in the form of eggs and meat. Aside from that, farmers enjoy displaying their hens at poultry exhibitions. Furthermore, some individuals keep hens in their backyard as pets or for fresh eggs every day.

What is The Process of Poultry Farming?

1. Developing a business plan
2. Location selection and acquisition of necessary equipment
3. Choosing a substitute bird for use in poultry farming
4. Taking the necessary procedures to maintain and operate the poultry farm.

Which One is Profitable Broilers or Layers?

Large-scale layer farming will be more profitable and provide more cash in the long run than broiler farming because the birds can be sold as meat after laying eggs, albeit at a lesser price than broilers.

What are the Problems of Poultry Farming?

1. Poultry is highly linked to foodborne and zoonotic diseases.
2. Foodborne and zoonotic pathogen elimination, eradication, and control are serious challenges for the chicken business.
3. Furthermore, public health hazards from excessive antibiotic residues in food and drink will continue to be a major concern.

How to Start Poultry Farming from Scratch?

How Many Types of Poultry Farms are There?

1. Battery Cage to Start Poultry Farming from Scratch

A battery cage poultry farm may require 4,000 square feet for the birds and an additional 2,000 square feet for farm infrastructure. The birds will be unable to move or run in a battery cage setup.

2. Free Range to Start Poultry Farming from Scratch

A free-range poultry farm will require between 12,000 and 36,000 square feet of space. The birds are let free-range in the fields, just like in the poultry system.

3. Semi-Range to Start Poultry Farming from Scratch

These chicken farms use a hybrid of free-range and cage techniques. The poultry birds are housed in a coop and given a small pen/paddock to roam in under this technique. This type of poultry farm will require approximately 8000 square feet. Two square feet of coop area plus two square feet of paddock space equals four square feet per bird.

4. Completely Wild to Start Poultry Farming from Scratch

Finally, in wild poultry systems, the birds are reared in a natural setting, such as a forest. This system will require approximately 44,000 square feet of area, with 2 square feet of coop space for the birds and approximately 15-20 square feet of free-range space.

How Much Land is Required to Start Poultry Farming?

1. Broiler Poultry to Start Poultry Farming from Scratch

Broilers require 450 cm2 of floor area, 3 cm of feed space, and 1.5 cm of water after 18 days. Birds between the ages of 19 and 42 days require 1000 cm2, 6-7 cm feed space, and 3 cm water space.

2. Layer Poultry

In the case of a deep litter system, approximately 2 square feet of floor space per bird should be provided. The floor measurements of a cage system should be 18 inches x 12 inches. This area is large enough to house three to five birds.

3. Country Chicken to Start Poultry Farming from Scratch

Deep litter baby chickens require around 280 cm2 of floor space per baby chicken. From the sixth week on, approximately one square foot of floor space should be provided. Overcrowding birds during the brooding stage can induce stress, which can lead to infection and death. The feed conversion ratio and growth rate should be proportional to the available floor area for the newborn chickens.

What are the Advantages of Poultry Farming Over Livestock Farming?

1. Poultry farming has a high rate of production.
2. It requires less investment than cow farming.
3. It aids in the provision of nutritious food to the general public.
4. As previously said, poultry farming is a rapidly expanding industry due to the rising demand for poultry products.
5. Poultry farming is a high-yielding industry. It does not necessitate a large investment. It does not require much space.
6. Obtaining a license is simple.
7. Aside from job creation, highly trained labour is not necessary.
8. Low upkeep is required.

Is Poultry Farming a Profitable Business?

1. It is currently one of the most profitable agribusinesses in the Indian market. Furthermore, starting a poultry business is a terrific way to start a successful agricultural career.
2. If you are new to the market, do not launch a large-scale chicken farming operation.
3. Before starting a business, you should conduct extensive research. Then, if there are a lot of rivals or the supply of poultry goods exceeds the demand in your area, look for another place to start your business or start another one.
4. Producers frequently control environmental conditions automatically. For example, the presence of light encourages the bird to lay eggs sooner. As a result, producers should provide a longer light period to enhance the likelihood of egg laying. In both the warm and cold seasons, egg-laying birds lay more eggs.

How Much Loan Can I Get For Poultry Farming?

1. The loan amount will be up to Rs.3 lakh for every 5000 bird farms. As a result, the maximum loan amount is Rs.9 lakh per farmer.
2. For security, the individual must take up a mortgage on the land where the poultry shed and other infrastructure will be built, covering at least 50% of the advance.

How Much Profit is There in a Poultry Farm?

1. If you start layer farming on a small scale, say with 1500 chickens, you can earn between $50,000 and $100,000 per month.
2. You must first locate a suitable location for chicken raising. Cages and equipment will cost between 1-2 lakhs. A budget of $50,000 should be set aside for the procurement of chickens.

What are the 4 Types of Poultry Housing?

1. Deep Litter System to Start Poultry Farming from Scratch

The birds are kept indoors at all times with this method. Feeding, watering, and nesting are all done inside. Birds are placed on appropriate litter material that is 3 to 5 inches deep. Litter material is typically composed of paddy husk, sawdust, powdered nut hull, chopped paddy straw, or wood shavings. This arrangement reduces the labour necessary in cleaning the faeces on a regular basis, although it does necessitate periodic agitation. Every two weeks, litter is strewn over the floor in 2-inch thick layers until the required level is reached.

2. Slatted Floor System

Iron bars or wooden wrappers are used as the floor in slatted flooring, usually 2-3 feet above ground level, to keep the slats from falling through. Along the length of the home, wood rappers or iron bars 2 inches in diameter can be utilised with 1-inch spacing between the rods. Advantages include:

1. Solid flooring systems require less flooring per bird.
2. Bedding is no longer required.
3. Manure handling is avoided.
4. Improved sanitation.
5. Savings on labour.
6. Soil-borne illnesses are under control.

3. Slat Cum Litter System

This method is often used to produce poultry for egg production, particularly by meat-type breeders. Slats cover a portion of the floor in this case. Nest boxes are typically put in the litter area of a breeder flock. Advantages include:

1. When compared to all solid floors, more eggs can be produced.
2. A slat-less litter house is more fertile than an all-slat house.

4. Cage System to Start Poultry Farming from Scratch

This approach involves growing hens in small compartments on a wire mesh floor known as cages, which can either stand on the house floor or dangle from the roof. It has proven to be quite beneficial for laying activities ranging from day-old to disposal. Currently, 75% of commercial layers are kept in cages around the world.

Except for nipple waterers, which have the piping routed through or over the cages, feeders and waterers are externally linked to the cages. In this system, self-propelled feeding trolleys and egg collection belts can also be used. Depending on the type, droppings are collected in trays under the cages, belts, the floor, or deep pits under the cages.

What is the Importance of Using Proper Tools and Equipment on a Poultry Farm?

1. Incubator to Start Poultry Farming from Scratch

An incubator is a piece of poultry equipment used to artificially incubate bird eggs. On the market, there are various types of egg incubators.

2. Egg Tray to Start Poultry Farming from Scratch

It is the tool used to arrange eggs. It is a tray-like apparatus where eggs are sampled, as the name suggests.

3. Ventilation Fan to Start Poultry Farming from Scratch

A ventilation fan is a piece of equipment used in poultry farms to provide optimal ventilation. It is also used to lower the temperature of the poultry farm during hot weather.

1. Nesting: Another piece of equipment that assists birds in laying eggs is nesting. One of the benefits is that it boosts poultry egg output.
2. Feeder: A feeder is a piece of equipment that is used to feed poultry birds. Typically, some food is placed in the feeder, and the hens begin to eat from there. Feeders made of plastic or metal are commonly used to feed hens.
3. Heater: Heat control is critical in chicken raising. Heaters, bulbs, and other heating devices can be used to heat the chicken coop.

4. Egg Handling Nest

Egg-handling nests or cages move eggs from one location to another. It lowers the danger of egg destruction during marketing transportation.

5. Brooder Machines to Start Poultry Farming from Scratch

Heat and lighting are provided for the newborn chickens using brooder equipment.

What are the Types of Poultry Farming?

In poultry farming, two sorts of chickens are typically raised. They are layer and broiler chickens. Layers are raised solely for egg production, whereas broilers are raised for meat production. Layers and broilers, in general, require the same equipment and facilities.

Which Poultry is the Most Profitable?

1. Poultry farms are generally simple to build and maintain. Poultry birds, unlike cattle and sheep, require less space to grow. They are also simple to maintain.
2. Feed demand is low on a chicken farm. Birds will consume practically everything, even leftovers, and vegetables.
3. Chickens are the most profitable poultry to raise. Raising hens will help your business because chickens enjoy meat. Turkey is a poultry bird that provides a steady source of income.

How Many Chickens Can 1-Acre Support?

1. It is advised that 50 hens per acre be kept, with a maximum of 100 for free-range, ethically raised birds.
2. You can raise 400-500 chickens per acre under very particular conditions if you rotate them.

How Can We Improve Poultry Farming?

1. Another poultry farming suggestion is to have your feed mill create the chicken feed.
2. It is not difficult to produce chicken feed. You can boost your company’s overall profit by lowering feed production expenses.
3. Improving poultry nutrition is a solution for addressing any nutritional inadequacies in feed or increasing the nutritional content of the feed.
4. Feed optimization is another crucial component that can help you maximize your profits from chicken farming.
5. Feed optimization is critical since feed accounts for a significant amount of chicken production costs. Furthermore, birds require food and water, which they transform into their bodies in order to produce meat and eggs. As a result, in order to maximize your poultry income, you must lower the cost of feeding the birds.

What is the Most Effective Way of Preventing Poultry Diseases?

1. Vaccination is one of the most efficient methods of illness prevention.
2. Vaccinate poultry birds with caution. So that they are safe from the spread of dangerous infections.

How Do I Keep My Chicken’s Disease Free?

1. Maintain cleanliness.
2. Replace the litter.
3. Be cautious when adding birds.
4. Visitors should be watched.
5. Make use of standard feed.
6. Discover more about vaccines.
7. Have a pleasant coop.

What are the Main Things to Consider Before Starting a Business?

Poultry farming is a huge industry with numerous sub-sectors. Here is a selection of industries from which to choose:

1. Choose an industry that interests you; examples include-
   • Production of meat (through broiler breeding).
   • Production of eggs (through layers breeding).
   • Poultry feed manufacturing.
   • Equipment for chicken farming must be manufactured.
   • The processing of eggs and meat.
   • Hatching of a chicken.
   • Packing and selling of eggs and meat.

An entrepreneur can launch a firm in more than one segment, depending on his or her passion and practicality.

2. Choose the poultry birds that will be raised on your farm. For meat and egg production, it is best to choose from a restricted number of broilers and layers. More bird species can be added as the poultry industry expands, depending on demand and profitability.

3. Determine the site of the poultry farm. Rather than creating a logistical nightmare and increasing transportation expenses, it is preferable to locate the commodities further away from the site of consumption. Prepare the venue ahead of time so that operations may be readily managed.

4. It is critical to name and register your farm in accordance with state legislation. Creating a logo for your company is particularly necessary if you intend to advertise your products online and ship them to distant areas.

5. Arrange your money – The poultry industry is not capital-intensive and only a small initial investment. Chickens’ money is needed for a variety of reasons, including purchasing/renting land, purchasing equipment, hiring personnel, raising poultry, managing cash flow, paying salaries, and so on.

How Many Times a Day Do You Feed the Chickens?

Ideally, divide your bird feed into two daily doses. If you are home during the day, you can make them 3-4 tiny feedings. This is because chickens prefer short, frequent meals to massive, everyday meals.

How Do I Start a Poultry Business?

1. Learn about poultry farming.
2. Choose your poultry industry.
3. Select the appropriate bird.
4. Make a logo for your farm.
5. Determine the farm’s location.
6. Prepare a business plan.
7. Take out a loan.
8. Install a high-quality poultry housing system.

What are the Important Methods of Feeding Poultry?

1. Feeding your hens does not have to be difficult. Chickens aren’t often picky eaters, and you could have more difficulty keeping them from eating things they shouldn’t than from eating things they should.
2. A nutritious diet promotes healthy egg production and boosts immunity.
3. In a huge bucket or barrel, combine whole cornmeal, soya, fish meal, maize bran, and limestone powder to feed laying hens. Then, using a shovel, mix them thoroughly so that the chickens receive nutrition from all of the components at the same time.

What are the Requirements For a Poultry Farm?

1. Choose Your Poultry Sector

There are two forms of chicken rearing in general: broilers and layers.

2. Select the Type of Bird to Start Poultry Farming from Scratch

You can start a modest chicken farm by selecting two to three birds and gradually increasing the number of birds as the business grows.

How Can I Make My Chickens Healthy?

Healthy hens have a clean living environment, good food, and clean water, and are isolated from pathogens.

1. Keep your flock healthy.
2. Allow them some breathing room.
3. Maintain their dryness.
4. Feed them properly.
5. Safeguard them.
6. Disease prevention.

What is the Proper Orientation of the Poultry House?

1. The poultry house should be oriented east-west, with ventilation windows facing south and north. To prevent solar rays from entering the chicken house, there should be no windows on either the east or west sides.
2. A small-scale poultry farm requires no additional arrangements because it merely entails the construction of a house. Medium and large-scale farms, on the other hand, necessitate particular considerations for building space on the farm grounds.

The basic Rules to be Observed for Layout are:

Visitors or outside vehicles should not be allowed to approach the birds due to the design.
The sheds should be placed such that fresh air flows through the brooder shed first, then the grower and layer sheds. This barrier prevents infections from spreading from the residences to the brooder house.
A minimum distance of 50-100 feet must exist between the baby chicken and the grower shed, and at least 100 metres must exist between the grower and the layer shed.
Rooms for the egg store, office, and feed store should be near the entrance. Only at the very end of the site should disposal pits and sick rooms be built.

What is the Best Poultry Housing System?

1. Need for Poultry House to Start Poultry Farming from Scratch

1. To protect birds from harsh weather conditions.
2. To ensure simple and cost-effective operation.
3. Creating appropriate microclimatic conditions in the proximity of birds.
4. Suitable for disease prevention and control.
5. To ensure adequate supervision.

An open-sided poultry house should be at least 30 feet wide and no more than 40 feet wide to allow for supervision. In hot temperatures, large houses will not provide adequate ventilation. Wide houses also necessitate more interior supports, which may obstruct machinery or manure removal.

2. Characteristics of a Good Poultry Housing System

1. Access is restricted.
2. Bird bedding or a pleasant floor.
3. Simple to clean.
4. Simple egg collection.
5. Excellent lighting and heating system.
6. Ample ventilation.
7. The effective garbage disposal system.
8. Distribution of birds of various ages and species.

How Do I Market My Poultry Products?

1. To begin a poultry farming operation, you must first develop a marketing plan that analyses market supply and demand as well as your target client.
2. Marketing is a system of bringing items to market and emphasising the relative benefits that distinguish the product from other products after following all of the normal measures to persuade the consumer to buy a certain product and avoid buying other products.
3. Poultry and its products are not stored for a long time, so the speed of marketing is critical, and marketing the product requires sacrifice to the extent that huge losses are required to market the product, and the company must care in dealing with customers at the time of sale as they deal in times of depression.

Conclusion

Poultry farming knowledge will assist your poultry birds in living, growing, and thriving joyfully. A profitable poultry farming business requires the establishment of processing, preservation, and marketing channels. The recommendations provided above are critical for any poultry operator or marketer looking to maximise their profits in the poultry industry.