The long axis of the house faced east-west direction, to avoid direct sunlight in areas which experience heat and drought in most element of the year. Though, it is not weather and geographical conditions dependent there is always a promise of yield and returns. “Too often, we see farmers producing chickens and eggs and then trying to find a market for their goods. All the nutrients required for egg production should be provided in adequate proportion. Another reason to find land far from other poultry farms is to prevent the spread of airborne diseases. Follow these rules for a successful poultry business. The birds are housed in every confinement where water and feed are supplied adequately. Transport and abattoir clusters can also be formed. The water should be clean always. Feeding must be taken seriously to run a successful poultry business. Poultry Equipment and Appliances. We interview some of the farmers who practice poultry farming in Kenya and from their amazing stories, it’s indeed true you can … To be profitable in the poultry farming production business, you have to minimize the costs and the mortality rate, as well as optimize the target weight of the broiler chickens. Poultry farming in India is a very profitable business owing to many reasons. The next step to becoming a successful poultry farmer is to scout for a suitable area to farm. Poultry farming is a wide industry. They are egg producers, not meat producers, farmers formulating their feed must have this at the back of their mind. This article was originally published in the 3 July 2015 issue of Farmers Weekly. Although each farm business operates distinctly differently in this year’s Farmers Weekly Poultry Farmer of the Year category, the finalists were united by a passion for keeping free-range hens. The road to becoming a successful poultry farmer is littered with obstacles, but it is possible. The site should be easily accessible from main roads. “In this way, your business will grow, you will employ people to help, and your salary can increase,” says Johnston. The poultry farm must have adequate, clean and fresh drinking water sources nearby. Initially, it can be started with a small flock of birds and then built up progressively. The employees of successful farmers know their bosses are disciplined and wouldn’t condone bad or immoral attitudes from them. A poultry farm house shall be located on a fairly raised and properly drained site not liable to flooding. Layers have a particular daylight requirement, which is having 16 hours. The farm shall not be located at least 100 meters from any main water drinking source and 500 meters from any other livestock or poultry farm enterprise. Mr. Reddy was born in farmer's family and was into 'IT' profession where he was not happy with his activities. Broiler chicken stock feeds are formulated to provide the protein, energy, vitamins and other nutrients necessary for health and efficient growth of the birds. Just like with day-old chicks, the kind of broiler poultry feeds you choose will have a great impact on the profitability of poultry farming business. Proper drainage or outlet for collection and discharge shall be provided for storm runoff or waste discharges (possibly explore the tenet of rainwater harvesting). The total cost of growing these birds to six weeks, including the cost of chicks, vaccines, feed, shavings, a salary and so on, averages R41. Also, if this orientation is adopted, the birds will have a sufficient inflow of air to create them healthy. Also, the site should be free of poultry enemies and predators like foxes and leopards. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The first aim is to stay in business. Choose Your Poultry Sector. It is widely known that most poultry farmers have been forced out of business when they could not be able to operate business profitably. Some may hatch their own birds, while others may order from a hatchery or buy from a breeder. “Always have cash in the bank,” says Johnston. Basically, there are two types of the farming you can choose from – broilers and layers. As I have been told by other poultry farmers, poultry farming appears easy to venture into, with success stories always played and replayed to would-be farmers, but the reality check is – a farmer can lose money quick if he/she is not careful or observant, or properly educated (farm-wise) . One of the main reasons is that unlike agriculture, this is not dependent on rain, sunlight or other weather factors. While large agribusinesses benefit from economies of scale, a small-scale poultry farmers can make more money per unit because he/she often sell directly to customers. Several entrepreneurs share their successful stories, which act as encouragement for people planning to join the business.