Poultry Farming in Nigeria: A Beginner’s Guide to Getting Started

Poultry farming in Nigeria is already an established and profitable business idea. Nigeria’s economy is mainly dependent on agriculture or the agricultural sector.

Poultry farming in Nigeria can play an important role in the overall national income of the country and meet the annual nutritional requirements.

Some reports show that commercial poultry farming in Nigeria has made many people into millionaires.

So, if you are a beginner and want to get into poultry farming in Nigeria, try to learn more and more about poultry farming in Nigeria.

Read lots of books, magazines, websites and visit almost as many farms as possible to gain practical knowledge.

Why poultry farming in Nigeria?

There are many reasons to start a poultry business in Nigeria. Here I describe the major benefits of poultry farming in Nigeria.

• Poultry farming in Nigeria is a profitable business for individuals and entrepreneurs.
• Commercial poultry farming creates excellent job opportunities for job seekers.
• Poultry farming is such an important business that it will never run out.
• Poultry provides us with eggs and meat, which are an excellent source of nutritious food.
• If you want to start poultry farming in Nigeria, you don’t need to think about the marketing process. Because since ancient times there has been a suitable market for poultry products.
• There are no tribal, regional or religious taboos against the consumption of poultry products such as eggs and meat. Almost everyone loves eggs and poultry meat.
• There are many breeds of poultry. You can choose any of your choice.
• Excellent business idea with a very good return on investment. Anyone can start raising poultry for home and commercial purposes.
• Domestic poultry farming in Nigeria can meet the nutritional needs of a family. On the other hand, commercial poultry farming is an excellent source of income and employment.

If you want to start poultry farming in Nigeria, follow the step by step instructions below.

Farm location

The main thing you need to open a poultry business is suitable land. In general, a plot of 120*60 square meters is suitable for setting up a medium-sized poultry farm in Nigeria.

The size of the land depends on the number of birds you want to keep and the breeding system. Land acquisition is the most costly part of commercial poultry farming in Nigeria.

Try to buy land away from town or major cities. Choose a cool environment and a pollution-free area. It will be better if you can buy land in the countryside.

Because in rural areas, land and labor are available at a lower cost. Opening a poultry farm on a rented plot is a bad idea.

However, when choosing the land, keep in mind some important facilities such as an excellent source of water free from all kinds of animals and predators, a market next to the farm, suitable vehicles, etc.

Farming systems

Depending on the weather and climate of Nigeria, there are three profitable poultry farming systems.

1. extended system,
2. Semi-intensive system and
3. Intensive poultry farming system.

bird breeds

There are three types of breeds that are very suitable for commercial poultry production in Nigeria. You can choose one for your farm.

Modern poultry breeds are very productive and commercial farming is also very profitable. Modern laying hens produce more eggs than traditional breeds and broilers are growing faster than ever.

It’s up to you to choose the right breeds for commercial production. Before you start, decide what kind of product you want to produce. The three types of conventional and commercial poultry breeds are briefly described below.

• Layers: Egg-laying breeds of birds are used for industrial egg production. If you want to breed eggs on an industrial scale, choose highly productive laying breeds.
• Broilers: Broilers are very fast growing poultry breeds. As a rule, they gain lethal weight in a very short time and consume a certain amount of food. And they are used for commercial meat production.
• Cockerels: Roosters are another type of meat-producing poultry breeds. For some people, the rooster is particularly sought after. As a rule, they grow more slowly than other breeds. But they are very hardy and can survive and adapt in almost any type of environment.

Select the appropriate breed based on the desired production. Each type of poultry breed requires special care and maintenance.

So, choose the right breed and take good care of your birds to succeed in poultry farming in Nigeria.

Houses

Good housing is very important for commercial poultry farming in Nigeria. The breeding system depends on the breed of birds and the breeding method.

The design of chicken coops varies depending on the methods of rearing the birds. Follow the tips below when building a suitable chicken coop.

• First of all, the house must be well ventilated. A good ventilation system keeps birds healthy and productive.
• Make an appropriate system to provide enough fresh air and light in the house.
• Try to make the house from north to south.
• In the case of building several houses, the distance between one house and another house will be approximately 40 feet.
• Before bringing the chick to the farm, thoroughly clean the house and the entire farm area.
• Perform a deep cleaning of the liter regularly.
• Cheap materials like wood or rice bran can be used to make a liter.
• Keep feeding and watering equipment at a sufficient distance from each other according to the number of birds and the rearing systems. And always clean all kinds of equipment regularly.
• Make sure your birds are free from all kinds of animals, insects or predators inside the house.
• The house will be located in a calm and peaceful place, free from pollution and noise.
• In a word, the chicken coop must have all the necessary conditions for keeping the bird. And this is one of the main conditions for the success of the poultry industry in Nigeria.

some products

A good, high-quality diet keeps the bird healthy and highly productive. Good quality fresh and nutritious products are the key to success in the poultry industry.

Always give enough feed according to the number and age of the birds. In addition to feeding good food, always provide the bird with enough clean, fresh water to meet the bird’s daily needs. See poultry feed, broiler feed and laying hen feed.

Care and management

Birds are very sensitive and easily susceptible to disease. They usually suffer from various viral, bacterial, fungal, nutritional and parasitic diseases.

Proper vaccination is essential for the protection, health and productivity of your birds against disease. So, vaccinate the birds in a timely manner.

If somehow a disease occurs on the farm, contact your veterinarian as soon as possible and heed their advice.

Marketing

The ease of sale of poultry products is the main advantage of poultry farming in Nigeria. There is already an established market for eggs and poultry meat with huge demand.

This way you don’t have to think about marketing your products. You can sell your products both in local markets and in big cities.

According to the above discussion, poultry farming in Nigeria is indeed a profitable and excellent business idea. As this is already an established business, so there are all the necessary amenities here. You just need some capital and practical knowledge to start poultry farming in Nigeria.