Poultry farming can be a lucrative business, especially for small-scale farmers and in rural areas. The World Poultry Foundation (WPF) has made it their mission to become a catalyst for improving the lives of these farmers and their birds. They empower farmers in developing regions by teaching them about sustainable poultry production.

Over the next few issues, ProAgriMedia will share some of their educational content with African poultry farmers.

Dual purpose poultry

The WPF suggests that rural farmers choose Dual Purpose Poultry (DPP).
Make sure you buy your chicks from a registered brooder. The chicks must be vaccinated as soon as they hatch. They are then reared at a brooder unit until they are four weeks old.
DPP is not a ‘layer’, and it is not a ‘broiler’, it is somewhere in between, therefore it is good for producing both meat and eggs. They are more productive, and the males grow up quicker while the females lay more eggs, more frequently. These birds are also more resistant to diseases.

Start off by building a chicken house

Although it is good for your birds to roam outside during the day, they should be taken inside at night to be kept safe from storms, predators and theft. You do not need to spend a lot of money on building a house. You can use recycled materials to build the house.

The house must have a roof, and for this you can use grass. When choosing your roof, make sure to keep airflow in mind. A grass roof gives good ventilation, while a metal roof could make the chickens uncomfortable when it is too hot.

The house should be big enough to comfortably house your flock. The WPF have put together a checklist for farmers when setting up their bird houses as well as guidelines for size.

How big should your chicken house be?

According to the WPF, one of the most common mistakes is to place too many birds in one brooding unit. This creates crowding issues and can lead to losses due to heat and stress as well as stunting due to inadequate feeder and water space.

It is very important to accurately measure the inside walls of the structure to determine the correct square footage and know how many birds can be properly housed.

When measuring, you must consider any penning or posts that subtract from the overall floor space. You determine the floor space by multiplying the length of the inside wall with the width of the house. Then subtract any storage areas from the total.

If your chicken house measures 10 m by 5 m, the total floor space will be 50 m². If you then have storage of 2 m by 4 m, the storage will take up 8 m². This means the total available floor space is now only 42 m².

The WPF suggests housing 6 to 15 birds per m², so a house of 42 m² can house a maximum of 630 birds.

Things to remember

Your chicken house should be kept clean, and daily maintenance includes cleaning by sweeping up the manure and putting in new dry bedding.

The bedding should be soft, and materials like dry leaves, sawdust, dry grass, peanut shells, rice husks or wood shavings can be used. The most important thing is that the materials used must be completely dry. The old manure and bedding you remove can always be used on your crops.

Chickens need a safe place to lay eggs. By providing your chickens with proper nests you can ensure that they lay eggs regularly. They should not lay eggs on the floor. You can build boxes with wood or recycled materials like old buckets. Make sure the floor of the nest is kept dry.

Keep it cozy

A critical element of your chicken house is the temperature. This is why it is very important to place your thermometers in the right places.

Thermometers should be placed so they can measure the temperature experienced by the bird. Generally, the best locations are closest to the feeders and waterers. The thermometer should be hung on an adjustable cord or chain, high enough so the birds cannot reach them. They will have to be raised as the birds grow. The thermometers should be located far enough from the heat source to ensure it is not affected by the heat source, but measuring the temperature of the bird house.

Keep in mind:

  • The thermometer should be located approximately 30 cm from the edge of a heat source
  • Do not place thermometers on the wall of the poultry house
  • Do not place thermometers near door, curtain or window openings in the poultry house
  • Do not place thermometers in drafty areas
  • Do not place thermometers in direct sunlight
  • Do not place thermometers in corners, behind equipment or in areas not representative of the true temperature the birds are experiencing
  • Do not place thermometers too high
  • Having the thermometer at eye level may be convenient, but the temperature at human eye level does not accurately measure the temperature the birds are experiencing
  • Do not place thermometers too low. Birds are curious and will peck at and play with anything hanging too close over their heads.

Here is a checklist for your chicken house. Ensure that:

  • the house has been cleaned and disinfected
  • all necessary repairs have been made to the house
  • feeders have been cleaned and disinfected
  • waterers have been cleaned and disinfected
  • fresh, dry bedding has been placed on the floor
  • lights are working
  • heating source is in place (if needed)

Brooding chamber

  • the chamber is large enough to accommodate the number of chicks ordered
  • rounded corners have been installed (to keep chicks out of corners/smothering each other)
  • the brooding chamber is at the correct temperature (25 °C / 77 °F)
  • feed is scattered on paper on the floor
  • feed is in the zone of comfort
  • waterers have been filled and water is at room temperature
  • hands are washed before handling chicks
  • hands are washed after handling chicks
  • poultry house is locked

If you want to download the WPF educational documents including guidelines, checklists, and more, visit their website at www.worldpoultryfoundation.org. You will also find helpful videos to start up your own poultry farm. Keep an eye out for the next ProAgri, where we shall share even more valuable information with you.