Layer Poultry Farming in Nigeria (9 Steps to start + Free practical training

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Let\’s discuss layer poultry farming in Nigeria.

You\’re welcome to the Africa Business Classroom (ABC).

Today we\’ll be sharing with you how to start a successful layer farming business in Nigeria

Not just that.

I\’ll be showing you how you can visit one of our associates\’ farm for a FREE practical training on the farm

I\’m Steve Olorun-Ni. I started my first business before I was a boy of 15. Today I run my company in Lagos and operate in different states of Nigeria.

Make sure you read every word of this post.

After reading this post, you can attend our FREE practical poultry farming training which will give you the opportunity to visit our nearby associate\’s layer poultry farm.

If you really want a detailed and practical layer farming training, we can give you the opportunity to visit our associate layer poultry farmer close to you.

Click Here to see how you can be part of our practical training.

In agriculture, there is always an opportunity for making it big because it is not an easy thing to feed a whole nation be it big or small.

Layer Poultry farming in Nigeria is one popular investment that has been on for many years.

One important thing in agriculture is that every business investment be it, layer farming, cattle farming, rice production, goat farming, cucumber farming and even grasscutter farming has its contributions to the nation and society at large.

So if you are investing in agriculture, have a rest of mind that you will have your gain provided that you follow the right majors.

Poultry farming in general is an act of rearing birds either boilers, turkey and so on.

Layer poultry farming is an act of raising or producing eggs from layers poultry birds for the purpose of commercial egg production.

Different from boilers, layers chickens or birds are special birds which produces eggs that are been consumed all over the world.

This chicken needs to be raised from when they are one day old to their maturity dates of laying eggs.

Nigeria has been doing well in layer poultry farming business for many years, as individuals or farming who have engaged in it, they have worked so hard and have acquired high technically and professionally competent guidance which are available to fellow farmers.

They therefore have made provision of High quality chicks, equipment, vaccines and medicines that will aid in the frequent production of layers birds and eggs respectively.

Depending on the size of your farm, layer poultry farming can be a main source of family income or can provide subsidiary income and gainful employment to farmers throughout the year.

Since egg is among the highly consumed food items in Nigeria and also around the world simultaneously, engaging in layer poultry farming is a business opportunity for anyone who is interested and also determined to make it in it.

One thing you should know is that, no matter the amount of people rearing Layer birds for egg production, it won’t still be enough for the high amount of people consuming it; there is an extreme large open market for it.

To make it big in layer farming business, you should not look at your business as little or in any anyway belittle it; you should bear in mind that you will be setting up a “commercial layer poultry farming business”.

This is because commercial layer poultry farming business entails having layer birds that will be producing eggs in frequent and higher quantity to meet up with the market demands because you are not producing eggs for the sole aim of you and your family consumption.

And this will be the situation whereby you will sought for modern methods, employ the help of a veterinarian, improve the well being of your birds through the use of properly recommended medications, do a thoroughly research and might even employ addition laborers to assist you because it would be exhausting doing it alone.

Do not worry; this article will cover every major step you need to follow in other to succeed in your layer poultry farming business.

Different Between Layers and Boilers Birds

Broiler birds are birds that are grown for meat consumption but the layers birds are well known for producing eggs in higher quantity which is why they are called “layers”.

For commercial egg production, we use the layers birds.

They can also serve as a source of meat.

Though the boilers are well known for serving as meat immediately it reach its maturity age, but the layers birds cannot be used for meat immediately it mature instead it starts laying eggs and then be sold as a meat, after 2-3 years of egg production depending on how strong the chickens are.

Nutrition values of eggs to the body

Egg is an inexpensive popular food which is a source of high quality protein.

The inside of the egg is divided into the white part and the yellow part known as the egg yolk.

The white part is known for its high source of protein, vitamin B2 and minerals such as zinc, iron and copper which are the more reason older individual prefer taking the egg yolk.

The egg Yolk; which is the yellow spherical part of an egg that is surrounded by the albumen that contains more calories, fat, cholesterol, fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K and Lecithin (which is the compound that enable emulsification in recipes such as hollandaise or mayonnaise.)

Though some eggs now contain omega-3 acids but this depends on the kind of feed the chicken was fed.

Having looked on the nutritional values of egg, let’s now move on to how to set up a layer poultry farming business in Nigeria.

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If you really want a detailed and practical layer farming training, we can give you the opportunity to visit our associate layer poultry farmer close to you and go through our FREE practical training on the farm.

Click Here to see how you can be part of our Free practical training.

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How to Set Up a Layer Poultry Farming Business in Nigeria $\"Poultry$

Make good research

Remember how I wrote that if you intend to set up profitable layer poultry farming business, then it should be a commercial layer poultry farming, this will require you to do a thoroughly research because the chicken you will have will be many probably 500 in quantity or greater than or probably below (depending on your pocket).

You have to lay your hand on every available material or guide that will guide like this one you are reading right now.

Even after you have set up your layer poultry farming business, you still have to keep on learning, go to seminars, request for counseling, and consult reputable experienced owners of layer poultry farms or those who can provide the service

Set up a business plan

Our first step is to set up a formal business plan which will be a well planned documentation of how you intend to set it up.

It should include on how you intend to start whether big or small, the amount you intend to start with, the size of the land you will need, the type or method you will be using etc.

Remember if you have a well documented business plan it will help you to acquire a faster loan if you intend to acquire one and it will also give you a good idea of what your business will look like.

Selecting a perfect land and location

You should select a land location on an accessible area where it will be easy for the movement and transportation of eggs and bringing of feeds or equipment.

And also the land location should be easy to locate and should not be within the neighborhood so that people who live around there will not be complaining about air pollution.

So your farm should be a bit far from the neighborhoods or crowed areas where people are living.

The area should also be a place where there is provision of electricity and clean water because you will need them a great deal in the management of your chicken.

And the area should not have or be a water logging and flooding area or nearby it.

Construction of your layer pen.

In constructing your layer poultry house, you should look for a constructor who know how to do it well.

The house should be well ventilated, comfortable, easy to clean, enough entrance of light and should provide sufficient area for the comfort of the birds which will enable the good growth of the chicken and efficient production of eggs.

The layer’s house should be constructed in such a way that the end walls faces the East- West direction and the side walls faces North-South direction, so that rain fall will not enter into the house.

You should build the house so that the temperature should be 20-25 C.

The roof of the house should be strong and water resistant and there should be hard concrete flooring for easy cleaning.

Construct house/sheds in such a way that predators like cats, dogs, snakes, flies and mosquitoes will not enter into the house/pens.

Also ensure to avoid entrance of rats by constructing rat proof pens/house.

Depending on what you want, but know that the height of the house should be 3-4 feet from the foundation to the roof of the house.

And also, do not forget to build a room or space for brooding

System of the layer housing

This is the method or system you will use in rearing your chickens in the poultry house, its either cage system or deep litter system.

I will explain them.

Since you will be setting up a commercial layer poultry farming business; so therefore it will be an intensive system and not a back-yard system because your chickens will be many and you don’t want them wandering up and down. The intensive comprises of battery cage system and deep litter system.

Battery Cage system; this system includes organized cages in the chicken house that will separate the water, feed and how the eggs will stay when laid.

Deep litter system; this system involves when you cover the concrete floor with saw dust, rice hulks or chopped wheat straw and hang the feed and water containers to the reach of the chickens

Selecting the breed for your layers

There are some breeds which are known for lay white eggs and some breeds which are known to lay brown eggs.

The breeds that lay white eggs or eggs with white shell are;

Isa White
Lehman White
Nikchik
Bab Cock BV-300
Havard White
Hi Sex White
Sever White
Hi line White
Bovanch White etc

And the breeds that are known to lay brown eggs or eggs with brown shell are;

Isa Brown
Hi Sex Brown
Sever 579
Lehman Brown
Hi Line Brown
Bab Cock BV-380
Gold Line
Bablona Tetro
Bablona Harko
Havard Brown etc

There are also other good commercial chickens like; white Leghorn, Kalinga Brown, Coloured Layer and Cari Gold.

If possible when purchasing the chicks asked for the best product.

Brooding your chicks and Caring for all stages

Brooding also known as incubating is the caring of the chicks from day 1 -88 weeks of age or to the Growers age.

This is done so as to prevent chick’s mortality and provide good growth by providing warmth to the chicks.

Brooding can be done in two different ways;

Natural brooding; this is when the mother hen directly provides the chicks with warmth.

Artificial brooding; this is when you provide warmth artificially to the chicks in the absent of the mother hen.

It is highly recommended since you are setting up commercial layer poultry farming.

It is usually done in deep litter housing for best result.

Brooding your little chicks; before the arrival of the chicks, you should prepare where they will be staying because they need to be handled with care.

And also employ the help of a veterinarian.

The room/space, walls, ceilings and equipment should be thoroughly washed, and disinfected.

The water lines and channel should be clean and ready.

Design the brooder so it should be in a circular form. You can use thick nylon to get the best results of the room temperature.

Heat up or warm the room to a degree of 90-95 F. And make sure there is sufficient and constant electricity or light.

Spray clean saw-dust or chopped wheat straw on the floor of the brooder room.

After the arrival of the chicks, you should take highly good care of them to avoid mortality because they are fragile.

The chicks will be in this stage for 0-8 weeks, before taken to the grower stage.

Measures to take in caring for the chicks are;

Caring for the young chicks (0-8 weeks);

Always inspect them daily to know their condition.

Put the water and feed to the chicks reach and always wash the equipments every day.

There should always be constant light or electricity.

The room should start with a temperature of 95 till a constant temperature of 75 is attained.

You should de-beak them at the 3^rd week of age or when recommended by the veterinarian. This is to prevent them from breaking or drinking their eggs when they start laying eggs.

Multivitamins and recommended medication by the veterinarian should be given to them.

Starters feed should be given to them as recommended.

Any died chicks should be disposed off immediately

Caring for the Growers (9-20 weeks); this is the middle stage of the chicken, at this stage, they are no longer chicks or either layers; they are growers.

De-beaking can be done, if it hasn’t be done.

They should be transferred to the grower’s house if you have one.

There should be a provision of light at least 12 hours a day and there should be controlled ventilation.

Feed them growers mash.

Multivitamins and recommended medication by the veterinarian should be given to them.

Feed and water should be at their reach and always wash the equipment every day.

Any died growers should be disposed off immediately

Caring for the layers (21-72 weeks); at this stage, the chickens have passed the chicks and growers stages and it’s now ready to start laying eggs.

Enough ventilation should be provided for them.

Layers mash or feeds should be given to them.

To avoid damage; Inspect and collect their eggs 4-5 times per day (depends on their level of production).

Enough water and feed should be given to them, to encourage high production and the water and feed equipment should be leveled to their reach.

Change the litter or used saw-dust when necessary and put another new ones to avoid the sprayed of disease. Know that you can sell this used litters to farmers as compose manure; this can serve as an additional income to you.

Always wash the feeding and watering equipment.
Died layers should be disposed off immediately.

Feeding and medication

In layer poultry farming business in Nigeria and in other countries, feeding and medication is one of the things that costs too much.

These feeds and medication are highly required by the layers for good production of eggs.

There are different types of feeds for all stages. Feed your layers well with water and medications as recommended by the veterinarian.

Diseases that can affect your layers

I have always mentioned that you need to employ the help of a veterinarian and this is because layers can be affected by different diseases which could be as a result of fungi, bacteria, cold or virus etc. without the help of a veterinarian, you might be confused on what to do at first or which medication to use.

Know that, as times goes on, you will be learning a lot from the veterinarian.

Examples of disease are;

New castle disease

Marek’s disease

Salmonellisis

Fungal Disease
Colybacillosis etc…

Marketing and selling your eggs

After picking your eggs, arrange them neatly in creates ready for customers.

Though you should have marketed your eggs when your layers started laying eggs to encourage customers and selling fresh eggs; take a little quantity of the produced eggs and market them to the market women, supermarkets, hotels etc.

Every business needs hard work to succeed, if you intend to make it big in layer poultry farming business in Nigeria without hard work; then I’m afraid you are as well trying to fill a basket with water.

Know that, if you are truly determined, hardworking and practice the required method, then soon enough you will be counting your huge profits.

If you really want a detailed and practical layer farming training, we can give you the opportunity to visit our associate layer poultry farmer close to you.

PS; This post could be downloaded as PDF (How to start a Layer Poultry farming business in Nigeria)

Click Here to see how you can be part of our FREE practical poultry farming training on the farm.