Litter Management in a Poultry House

Litters are absorbent materials, typically in granular form, straw, or other plant materials used as bedding for animals. Every poultry pen floor is expected to be filled with litter, mostly deep-liter systems. These help in absorbing the moisture from the bird's pop and make the pen clean and safe from disease manifestation.

Why are litters significant in poultry management? 

It's a known fact that poultry birds take in food and water, process it in their body systems, and release it out through their vents. Once this is done, the process continues not only for one bird, but for all. To avoid air pollution and to make the pen easy to clean, litter is introduced into the pen as an absorbent and also as a layer to protect the floor from being stocked with the feces of the birds.

What are the implications of bad litter?

Bad litter causes numerous complications for the farmers in the farm house. Starting with the moisture, the pen always gets wet quickly, more like water is being poured on the floor nonstop, which will make the room uncomfortable for the birds, and likewise, the farmer, whose stress is increased with regular cleaning. Furthermore, it harbors numerous diseases, which leads to an increase in disease transmission among the birds. This happens as soon as there is ammonia buildup inside the pen.

What type of litter is best for poultry pens? 

There are several available litters being used by farmers; some are bad and some are good. Straws, sawdust, wood shavings, rice husks, shafts, and other agricultural litters are examples. All the mentioned litters being used by farmers, only one is generally accepted as the best of them all, which is wood shavings. Some mistake wood shavings for sawdust; both are different. Sawdust is harmful to birds, mostly chicks. It is observed that it causes chronic respiratory disease and also harbors numerous diseases associated with it. The rest of the litter's level of moisture retaining capacity is very low, which makes them unreliable for poultry pen floors. 

How can I get good litter?

These never require any special tactics, so find them. As stated earlier, wood shavings are the best litter for poultry pen floors. To get wood shavings, all you need to do is visit any sawmill around you. If you are finding it difficult to find one, consult your carpenter to help you out with getting it. Some sawmills will give you this free of charge depending on the quantity, while most will charge you for it per sac. 

Poor litter management is not an experience you would like to have. Once there is an outbreak inside the farm, tracing the source will be a bit difficult for the vet. To control the breakout will require tackling the litter first before any solution can be implemented to avoid recycling of the disease. If you have more questions or wish to share your experiences with us, kindly use the comment box. 

How To Raise Poultry Birds From Day-Old

Raising poultry birds from day-olds has always been an act most poultry farmers avoid. This is becoming a general attitude among most farmers nowadays. Even those that do raise theirs from a day-old are opting out of doing so. This is caused by so many challenges being faced by farmers from day-olds to the third week of their age.

Some Common Challenges Faced During the Brooding of Chicks

There are a lot of challenges encountered during the brooding of chicks, which usually lead to the total loss of the birds or the nursing of diseases among the flock throughout their lifetime. Some challenges include:

Heat Regulation: Most farmers find it difficult to get the accurate room temperature of the brooding house, which leads to the birds' clustering or running towards the wall to find a breezeway. This can lead to casualties and disease breeding amidst them.

Poor Litter Quality: The use of wood shavings has been the most common litter used in poultry farm management. Some farmers used other means like rice husks, shafts, etc. Most fail to understand the main reason behind litters in brooding, which is to absorb moisture released by the birds.

Ammonia Production: Excess moisture released by the birds through their droppings or clustering can lead to ammonia buildup, mostly if the shavings fail to absorb moisture. Likewise, the means of heat used are significant. Some use lanterns, stoves, charcoals, etc., and it's best to always check if there is no smoke produced from them.

Feed and Water Quality: The chicks need very high quality and chlorine-free water. They require regular water to avoid dehydration and a drop in their immune systems. Feeding assists a lot during this time frame. Starvation of the birds will lead to malnutrition, which is very dangerous to their health.

Lighting: It's best to give the birds a source of light for a full week to enable them to eat enough, grow feathers, and strengthen their immune systems.

These challenges are the most common issues faced by farmers during brooding, and they lead to complications. To avoid any of these issues and have a successful brood, some measures need to be established, which include:

✓ An excellent medication chart that will help to guide you throughout your production season. This is not only for the next 4 weeks, but for the whole production.

✓ Constantly check the birds to avoid clustering and to observe any changes in character.

✓ Always clean the surroundings of the feeders and drinkers to avoid any ammonia buildup. They constantly use these locations, and deposit their droppings there, leading to buildups of ammonia.

✓ Remove any sick birds or anyone acting strangely amidst them, to avoid the spread of disease and to have a good observation of what's about to come.

✓ Clean the navel of the chicks with spirit, or any mint upon arrival to avoid infection and reduce the mortality rate.

A successful poultry farm is not only in the management but also in your attitude and consistency. Your experiences and questions will be appreciated. Do share them for all to learn in the comment box.

How To Make Money From Noiler Chicken

Poultry farming consists of different breeds that are kept for meat and eggs. The most common breeds of chicken are broiler, layer, and cockerel. Noiler are a newly developed breed by Amobyn for smallholder farmers. They are known as dual-purpose birds for their meat and eggs.

Noiler is a new type of breed developed by AMO Sieberer Hatchery Limited in 2008, and the project started in 2003 with the commercial sales of Noiler chicks in 2014. The breed is raised in West African countries, including Nigeria.

To some farmers, the name Noiler is not strange to them. They are already in the system, but most have little or no idea of how profitable they are and the guiding rules for running this breed. Some concentrate on egg production, while others concentrate on meat production. The most profitable part of Noiler is the breeding purpose, which is becoming popular now.

NOILER CHICKEN CHARACTERISTICS

They are known for their high growth rate, colors, and adaptability. They have a variety of colors, which include white, gold, black, brown, and gray. Furthermore, they have some characteristics of local birds, which include adaptiveness to harsh weather and scavenging for food if placed on free-range. Likewise, they lay 140 to 160 eggs throughout their lifetime, with the first laying starting at 20 weeks to 22 weeks of age.

Making a big profit from Noiler Chicken is not from selling eggs or meat. To make it big in NOILER production, you need to focus on breeders; that is, you're going to start crossing the birds neither through natural mating nor artificial insemination. There are some things you need to follow that will help you succeed in this business.

HOUSING

In my articles, "Becoming a Successful Farmer" and "How to Set Up a Poultry Farm," I stated the importance of having a good house on a livestock farm, mostly a poultry farm. It is important to have an intensive farming system by housing the birds inside a cage or deep-liter system. A cage system is used when practicing artificial insemination (AI), while a deep-liter system is used when practicing natural mating.

BIRDS SELECTION AND PURCHASE

Depending on your level of experience in farming, going for day-old chicks of NOILER is best in order to have proper monitoring in terms of feeding, medication, and vaccination schedule. If you are not expert enough to handle a day-old chick, go for a 4 week old NOILER.

SORTING

No matter how good or experienced you are at poultry farming, you are bound to experience some having faster growth than others. Once they clock 8 weeks of age, sort the small ones from the big ones. If possible, remove all the males from the flock.

BREEDING

At the time they start laying, the ratio of male to female shouldn't exceed 1 male to 6 females to have a good result, but 1:5 is good. The standard ratio is 1:10. The results from the experience are not encouraging.

HATCHING

The reason behind putting the male in with the female is mainly for fertilization. A female will always lay eggs, whether they are mated or not. That's why fertilization is important. Ensure you observe the flock to confirm successful mating among them, and wait 2 weeks before picking eggs that will be taken for hatching. Hatching always takes 21 days, giving you the opportunity to always take the eggs to the hatchery every week, mostly on Wednesday or Thursday, depending on the hatchery you are using. You can visit a commercial hatchery, or you can set up your own incubator, which you will use to hatch your eggs if you have the capacity.

MARKETING AND SALES

NOILER day-old chicks have never required any marketing skill or connection, nor does it involve any stress. All you need to do is visit your hatchery at the time of pick-up of your hatched birds; the marketers are always there to plead for your birds. You have multiple choices for negotiation without stress.

In conclusion, making it big in NOILER production is possible, but be prepared for any unforeseen disease to avoid complications and delay in egg production. In every commercial hatchery, you pay per egg, which is not too much, and it's for renting space inside their incubator. Don't forget to share your experiences and questions in the comment box.

How To Set Up a Poultry Farm

Poultry farming is one of the most popular agricultural industries that tends to generate more income for both the investor and the farmer. The daily demand for poultry products increases daily despite the increase in the price of the commodity in the market.

On this journey into poultry farming, you need a pointer to guide you through the basics of being a successful farmer. Poultry farming is divided into different groups, which are: laying birds, which are for table eggs; breeders, which are to reproduce more birds, and meat-producing birds. There are different types of domesticated poultry birds, which include chickens, ducks, geese, quail, and turkeys. The principles and modes of practice inherent in them are the same.

STEPS TO TAKE IN STARTING A POULTRY FARM

Your foundation of poultry farming must by now be very strong, mostly the major challenges involved in the poultry business, the likes of diseases, and biosecurity measures involved. Below are some steps to be taken to become a successful poultry farmer.

STEP 1: SELECT YOUR FAVORITE POULTRY BIRDS 

It's highly important to pick a particular breed of bird you intend to venture into. It's much more advisable to start with one breed and later advance with your experience in the field. Apart from locally raised birds, there are three major types of breeds in the poultry business.

Cockerels: These breeds are majorly grown for meat production just like broilers, with a maturity time of 8–12 months; sometimes they are majorly raised to target the Christmas and New Year festive seasons. It's also used by breeders' farmers to cross their laying birds for the fertility of eggs before hatching.

Broilers: These rare breeds of birds are known for their meat production, with a maturity age of 5–8 weeks depending on the type of breed, the feed given, and biosecurity measures involved. It is well known to most people as a bird raised majorly for festivities. Nowadays, it's no longer a seasonal bird as before. The importation ban levied by the Federal Government on agricultural products increased the demand for locally produced agricultural products, mostly frozen meat, in the market.

LAYERS: These are birds mainly known for their egg production, and they start producing eggs at the age of 18wks to 20wks, provided the management scope is done correctly. They always lay for 50 to 70 weeks depending on the breed, before production drops and they are ready to be sold.

STEP 2: CHOOSE A FARM LOCATION

The location of a farm contributes greatly to the growth and success of the farm. It's advisable to consider some of these things before picking a location;

• Your financial strength.
• Accessibility of the farm
• Accessibility to good water
• Biosecurity
• Pollution-free environment

If your backyard is big enough to contain a structure that can house the amount your financial strength can carry, please do it there and manage it well to avoid air pollution and disease spread. If not, search for a suitable location. Put it in mind to make sure you have a farmhouse on your farm location.

STEP 3: PEN CREATION

A pen is a place where poultry birds can call home; it is an important factor in successful poultry farming. It shields the birds from harsh weather, be it sun, rain, floods, or predators. There is a dimension drawn for the construction of a poultry house to aid good ventilation and free movement inside the pen. The dimensions schedule for a 100birds deep liter system is 200 square feet, that is, a 10ft by 20ft rectangular-shaped house with an 8ft height.

If egg production is your dream plan, a deep-liter system can also work out. But it has its demerits, which are usually egg-breaking, pecking among the birds, and the segregation issue of laying birds from barren ones. The most common practice is the cage system, in which a unit of the cage can house 90–120 birds.

STEP 4: MEDICATION AND FEEDING

As the adage says, "Health is Wealth." This also applies to animals. A good and nutritious feed helps the birds maintain their health and immune system. A bad diet does contain mycotoxin, which will allow fungus to operate in their system, leading the weak immune system to fight any disease that may be in their system, ultimately leading to serious complications.

Every breed of bird has its own traits of disease, which leads to their customized vaccination program and medication chart to tackle it before establishment. It's advisable to have an animal scientist or veterinary doctor for a checkup when issues are sensed or possibly for prevention's sake.

STEP 5: SALES AND MARKETING

Many farmers have experienced complications with the sales of their farm produce, mostly with the middlemen, usually called marketers by farmers. Due to the perishability of farm produce, it's a necessity to have a ready market for any produce a farmer is starting to avoid distressed sales and losses due to late sales.

There is a tactic mostly employed by the marketers. Once they sense the farmer has no other alternative market and no choice than to sell their produce, they tag the produce as a distressed sales commodity, which makes them price the produce to the point where the farmer ends up losing money. To avoid all this, it's best to get more than one buyer before your products reach maturity.

CONCLUSION

Poultry farming is very profitable if you know the right channel and have a good market. Have a good cycle of successful farmers around you; it's very possible to start with #50,000 and have a return of over #150,000 in 6 months. I make 40% of my capital as profit every 6 weeks, which I believe you can also do. If you wish to share your experiences or have a question, use the comment box and let's grow together.

Becoming A Successful Farmer: What You Need To Know

Farming, as we all know, is the practice of cultivating the land or raising animals, which is mostly considered an occupation or a way of life. Everyone is aware that farming is divided into two major categories: cropping systems and livestock production.

Success is not what can be attained in a day, but through a lot of effort, commitment, mistakes, and guidance from others. To become a successful farmer, you must have acquired great knowledge about the part of farming you are envisioning.

In today's Nigeria, we can all testify to the debasement of the economy, which can be seen in the increasing inflation rate of commodities. The agricultural sector of Nigeria faces many challenges which impact on its productivity, which include climate change, land degradation, the poor land tenure system, bad roads, etc.

Why did you want to start farming?

This is a very important question, to which I believe you should have gotten an answer. However, you have still yet to answer this question. Let me elaborate a bit on this to help you in your decision-making.

There are a series of personal reasons for starting a farm, whether venturing into cropping systems or livestock production. As the farmers slogan says, "No Farmer, No Nation", this proves that, without food, no living being on earth will be able to survive for long. All reasons for starting a farm can be categorized into two categories:

Consumption: In the local region, you will observe a lot of domestic animals in free-range, which are mostly for personal consumption. There are a lot of families out there that have backyard farms that might be pot-raised plants or cultivated on land. Vegetables and plantains/bananas fall into this category, which is mainly for home consumption.

You might be wondering why they are facing this kind of stress, I will say, most of the people in this category believe in fresh foods and possibly organic foods, which we all know are very good for our health. You can also join them today.

Profit Purpose: The unemployment rate in Nigeria today is increasing every day. This is happening because we are having graduates produced every year and our job creation level is very low. Income generated from salary is no longer enough to take care of daily home expenses; savings are nothing to write home about.

They invested in farming to cover for all possible financial lapses that they might be facing, or possibly they are investing in their future, much like a retirement fund. If you fall into this category, you’ve really thought well, and I congratulate you on the great step you have taken.

Where To Start If You Have Never Farmed Before?  

Farming, as it’s been stated earlier, has been divided into two sections: cropping systems and livestock production. Decision-making is very important in every step one needs to take in life; this can’t be done without having guiding steps to take. All you need to do to "become a successful farmer" includes:

Step 1: Start If You Have Never Farmed Before

Your passion determines which aspect of life you truly belong in. you need to seek more advice on what you want to do base on the available resources, passion and motive. All agricultural practices and sector are profitable, be it family consumption or profit making.

Step 2: Reserve a Spot

No matter what part of farming you are planning to venture into, space is very important. It might be your backyard space, family land, or a rented portion of land. This will be the place to cultivate or raise your animals to success without any external negative effects until you are ready for further expansion.

Step 3: Locate a Source of Funding

Finance is the backbone of all the investments that I know. This can be done through loans, family support, or personal savings. If you are cultivating a land, you will need money to purchase all of the necessary materials, and livestock production requires money to purchase the animals and nurse them to term. Not having enough funds readily available might lead to a crisis when an emergency occur that need to be tackled immediately. Don't be deceived, issues might happen during farming. That's why we need to be prepared.

Step 4: Plan Your Farm's Success

As the adage says, "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail." Planning requires you to have a business plan, which does not necessarily have to be a professional one, depending on how big your dreams are. For a farm to become great and successful, you need to target your breakeven time.

Step 5: Plan Your Marketing Channels

In any business, marketing is one of the most important parts of their planning. Getting farm produce to final consumers has to go through some channels: from the farm to marketers, to wholesalers, to retailers, and finally, to final consumers.

You are the determinant of your success. The aspects of farming are too broad to be covered all in just one article. Likewise, expect more articles on this blog that will draw on more personal experiences from my daily activities on the farm and also from some of my partners and seniors in this field. Feel free to add more of your experiences, questions, and views in the comment section.