The truth is this, lots of persons wants to go into poultry business but they fear a lot of things. Some of these fears include:
– those guys(chickens) can die!
– the capital required is too high
– how do I even sell those idiots?

You see, you can never start a business staying far off. You need interest and some little faith to risk something.

All of the above are not in all true. It is easy to start and its damn cheap too.

There a lot of things that add to cost of raising birds and it start from day one.
If u don’t handle things smartly u will make a lot of unnecessary expenses

1. First thing u need to do is to make sure that you are buying your doc directly from d farm. Its way cheaper that way. Those individuals you book with add their own interest you know. Get at least 2-3 reliable farms you can work with and keep in touch with their doc prices. This way you get to knw what they are selling at every time. Personally I have studied the thing. I know exactly when prices ar very low and high. So I buy more when they are very low
Let’s use agrited to do an estimate. Doc sold at 180 yesterday (Mon. 17th July) 100 doc will cost 18,000 plus a #10 tp per chick which is #1000. Total cost of doc #19,000

2. You will need to prepare d brooding space. Things required include:
a. Wood shaving – 400 for a bag. You need 1 bag. If its free at your place then you’re lucky.
b. Heat source- use charcoal stove. 1 bag of charcoal is 1200 here. Use half bag. Dts 600

Tip: Layers Poutry Farming in Nigeria

3. Usually 4 vaccines are needed within 4 weeks of your doc. 2 of Gomboro and 2 of lasota. If you administer the first 2 properly you don’t need to do the rest again unless where you find them not agile
So here we will use 2

Lasota – 100dose 600
Gomboro- 100 dose 1000

4. Other things u need are drugs and vitamins. You will need antibiotics, vitamin, coccidostat plus any other one if u observe any problem with your chicken.
Of course there are other additives if you like

So,
Antibiotics- 600-1200 depending on the type
Antiviral- 500
Vitamin-800
Coccidostat- 400

5. Feeding is the major activity in the farm and it usually takes most of the cost in production.
First thing u need here is to make sure u buy or make ur feeds in bulk. This way, you save a lot on transportation.
Current Prices of feeds in my area:

a. Top feeds -4000- 4200
b. Hybrid- 3600-3650
c. Livestock feeds-3800-3900
d. Sunseed-3650-3700
There are others

Cost of Poultry Farming in Nigeria

You will need about 12 bags of feeds for 8 weeks period.
Let’s use the least of the above feeds.
Hybrid- 3650 *4 (starter)=#14,600
Finisher-3600*8=28,800
Total- #43,400

But if u are making your own feed. You will spend #26,000-30,000
The range is dependent on the following:
a. Your target market
b. How much you’re able to learn from what I can teach you. The first time you save 15%, as you progress and master the skills 20-30% plus
c. Cost of feed ingredients in your area

Difference in price of company processed feeds and your feeds.
43,400 – 26,000=#17400
43,400 – 30,000=#13,400
* Feeds get stale after 1 month and decrease in quality.
* make feeds in bulk to save cost on transportation. 4 bags will last u first 4 weeks. Then the remaining 8bags the nxt 4 weeks
* Making your feeds puts you in charge of the nutrition your chickens get, save you cost, and helps you get better results in terms of weight and egg at even lesser time

Cost summary:
a. Doc- 19,000
b. Wood shaving-400
c. Charcoal-600
d. Vaccines-1,600
e. Drugs/Vit-2,300
*f. Company made feeds-43,400
g. Your own feed-26,000
*Transportation cost of feeds -1,500
Total -#49,900
*omitted in Total

What I have just shown you is the production cost of raising 100 Broilers.
You also need a housing for your chickens. That’s easy to do. Get a carpenter friend for a brother price to build one.
Start right at your back yard and grow big.

Remember, All you need to start that farm is only #49,900

Now, pause
I hear someone asking about profit.
Imagine selling a chicken at just #1,000
Punch your calculator. Try multiplying by 600 birds.
Oh! sorry u were supposed to multiply by 100

Written by Salami Excel Oluwafemi from Nairaland.com
09056198681