Hello Hives,
To be honest, starting a poultry business these days is no longer something you can do with just a little amount of money. The cost of day-old chicks, feed, and other necessities has gone up so much that even a small setup requires a good investment.
Some time ago, I had to stop my poultry business after relocating to a new apartment because there was not enough space to continue raising birds. I have to build a small cage by myself where I kept a few broilers. It's funny how something can become part of your daily life without you realizing it until it's gone.
Recently, I decided it was time to start again, even if it's on a very small scale. I bought a total of 18 day-old chicks, made up of two different breeds. Ten of them are broilers, while the remaining eight are noilers.
Although broilers are my main focus because they grow fast and are great for meat production, I have always liked noilers too. They take longer to mature, but they eventually become good egg layers, so I see them as a long-term investment.
The prices were quite shocking. Each broiler chick cost me ₦1,170($0.85), bringing the total to ₦11,700 ($8.48) for ten birds. The noilers were ₦950($0.69) each, so the eight birds cost ₦7,600($5.51). I also bought a bag of starter feed for ₦20,700($15.00), while transportation cost me another ₦1,600($1.16).
When I added everything together, I had already spent ₦41,600($30.15) just to get started with only 18 chicks. That really shows how expensive poultry farming has become.
Before the chicks arrived, I made sure everything was ready. I cleaned the cage thoroughly and washed the feeders and drinkers to provide them with a clean environment.
As soon as the chicks arrived, the first thing I gave them was glucose water to help them recover from the stress of transportation. That's something I have always done because it helps them settle in more quickly.
The weather has not been very friendly lately. The cold has been quite intense, especially for day-old chicks, so I lit some charcoal in a coal pot to provide enough warmth. Thankfully, they responded well and soon became active and lively.
So far, everything is going smoothly, and I'm grateful for that. This time, I want to do something a little different. Instead of relying heavily on conventional medications, I plan to raise these birds using mostly organic methods and natural remedies which I will be sharing with you. I'm curious to see how they perform, and I'll be sharing my experience as they grow.
It's good to be back doing what I enjoy. I know the journey won't be easy, but every successful poultry farm starts with a few birds. Hopefully, these 18 chicks are the beginning of something bigger once again.
Thanks for Reading
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