Broiler farming is an aspect of poultry farming. Poultry farming is among the top businesses that you can engage in today in Nigeria. This type of farming doesn’t require so much capital so you can start it on any scale depending on your ability.

There are several factors that you must consider before starting a broiler farm in Nigeria. One such factor is the best breed of broiler to invest in. Many people going into broiler farming don’t even know that there are different breeds of broilers on the market. You should find out the best breeds that do well in Nigeria so that you can get the best from your business.

Prices of the Best Breeds of Broilers in Nigeria

Finding the best breed of broilers gives you an idea of what birds to invest in. This gives you a better chance of succeeding as a broiler farmer. We understand that finding out the best breed of broilers in Nigeria is not an easy task. This is why we surveyed on your behalf to come up with the list below:

• Cornish Cross Broilers: From N10,000 for a carton of 50 day-old chicks
• Grinphield Marshall: From N17,000 for a carton of 50 day-old chicks
• Moyer’s K-22: From N12,500 for a carton of 50 day-old chicks
• Red Broilers: From N13,500 for a carton of 50 day-old chicks
• Roaster Chicks or Cornish Giants: From N14,500 for a carton of 50 day-old chicks
• Rosambro Broilers: From N15,000 for a carton of 50 day-old chicks

The prices of these birds may fluctuate depending on several factors. Principal among these factors includes the location of purchase and the vendor that you patronize. Other common factors affecting the prices of broilers in the market include the age of the birds and prevalent market forces.

Best Broilers Breeds in Nigeria

Now that we know the cost of each of the breeds on our list, let’s discuss these breeds in more detail.

Cornish Cross Broilers

Cornish Cross Broilers are the most popular broiler breed on the market. Most grocery stores sell this breed of broilers all over the country. The birds are very large and are covered in white feathers while they have red combs. They have yellow legs and feet that are very thick and strong-looking.

Cornish Cross Broilers are the fastest growing breed of the lot. The males can weigh as much as 6 pounds and the females 5 pounds at six weeks. According to studies, females grow at a slightly slower pace than their male counterparts.

While these birds grow pretty fast, they are prone to diseases. This is why professionals advise that you don’t raise them using a free-range system. Instead, you should raise them using a cage system and ensure proper care and maintenance.

Grinphield Marshall

The Grinphield Marshall Broiler breed also grows very quickly, although not as fast as the Cornish Cross. These birds can attain table size between six and eight weeks. They are also pretty common on the market.

Grinphield Marshall grows to become very tall and large. One of the major advantages of this breed of broilers is their resistance to diseases. When raised in an ideal environment, experts say that the Grinphield Marshall is the best broiler breed to invest in. You can sell them off after eight weeks or even six weeks if you raise them right. Because of this, they are recommended to small-scale farmers.

Moyer’s K-22

Moyer’s K-22 is renowned for the taste of the meat. Because of this, many chicken meat lovers prefer this breed to all others. The meat from Moyer’s K-22 is less fatty and lean making it very healthy. Asides from this, this meat also possesses a tender texture and a special unique fragrance.

Where the challenge lies with Moyer’s K-22 is that they don’t grow so fast. Unlike the breeds above, this breed gets to table size at approximately ten weeks. If the conditions are conducive and you administer the right feed, they may get there at eight weeks.

Experts recommend Moyer’s K-22 to farmers that have a pasture. As such, you can run a free-range system with these birds. They can roam freely and eat all kinds of food. However, you must be careful not to expose them to diseases. Moyer’s K-22 presents an excellent conformation with tender and plump breast meat as well as a good skin texture.

Red Broilers

Red Broilers are very similar to Moyer’s K-22 when you consider their growth rate. These birds get to table size at about 10 weeks. What they lack in growth rate, they make up for in their strength and resistance to disease.

Due to their high disease resistance, these birds are suitable for outdoor or free-range production. Red Broiler carcasses are more elongated than the carcasses of other broilers. They also feature larger legs and smaller breasts. As a rule of thumb, breeds that grow slower are better for free-range production than those that grow faster.

Roaster Chicks or Cornish Giants

Roaster Chicks or Cornish Giants have a medium-range growth rate. They get to table size between seven to eight weeks. They don’t grow as fast as Grinphield Marshall or Cornish Cross but they grow faster than Moyer’s K-22. However, when they grow, they are among the largest of the lot.

Another advantage of the Roaster Chicks or Cornish Giants is that they have very high disease resistance. Asides from this, they are also very healthy for human consumption especially if you want to lose weight. These birds have tender and plump breasts as well as great skin texture.

Rosambro Broilers

Rosambro Broilers is another medium-growth rate broiler breed. It falls into the same category as the Roaster Chicks. You can raise them to table size as early as eight weeks when you can sell them off. One of the main advantages of these birds is that they have a very unique taste.

The Rosambro Broilers are very similar to the Red Broilers in how they behave and their disease resistance. They also feature excellent conformation and great skin texture. This broiler breed has one of the sweetest meats of the lot.