Housing and Mangement

Construction of shed to start backyard poultry business

We can plan the shed area required.

• Shed height should be 10-12 feet height in the middle and 8-10 feet on the sides.
• Enclose it with chicken mesh.
• Have proper flooring on the ground.
• Free range: There should be provision of open space near the shed for chickens to roam around.

Housing and Management of Small-Scale farming/ Backyard farming

• Birds should be kept open during day time and confined at night.
• On floor, 1 square foot space is enough for 1 bird.
• For confinement different housing amenities can be used including wooden baskets, hand build brick & mud houses, cages made of wood and net.
• Some sort of bedding material should also be used including rice husk, sand, wheat straw. The thickness of litter material shall be 3-4 inch.
• Earthen water pots / specialized drinker can be used for supplying water. Each drinker has different capacity. 1 drinker is enough for 30 mature birds.    
• These birds can be kept only in sheds or can also be provided open area to scavenge for some time but scavenging area should also be confined by netting.

Feeding

• Feeding the chickens to get good amount of meat and quality eggs is one of the most important factors. As an egg contains average of 6g of proteins. So, a good layer needs protein for body functioning and transferring into the egg as well.
• In backyard poultry farming, to fulfill the nutritional requirements, it is recommended that chickens can be offered daily kitchen waste and grains along-with free range system.
• For economical small--scale poultry farming, it is recommended that chickens can be offered 40-50 % commercial feed along-with kitchen waste, grains, lucern, spinach, barseem and cabbage.
• As far as organic farming is concerned, chickens can be reared in free range system offering variety of crops and vegetables without supplementation of any commercial feed. Organic eggs (although will be less in number compared with commercial feed) will be of good quality in terms of aroma and taste and can be marketed in good prices.

Brooding- Keeping the baby chicks warm

How to carry out brooding?

• When eggs are hatched with the help of a machine they don’t have their mother with them. Thus, they need artificial heat. This process of providing artificial heat is called as brooding in scientific language.  Day old chicks don’t have feathers on their body because of which they need artificial heat.
• They need brooding for first 21 days with very careful handling.

 

Growing stage – up to 4-5 months

• This is the growth stage of the birds.  Segregate males from the females. Sell unwanted males or keep them separate for meat purpose.
• Appropriate physical growth is very important in this period. 
• Chickens require more than 15-16% of protein content. 
• Allow them to roam freely in the open space of free-range compound.  Provide them proper nutrients and vaccines on time.

Eggs laying phase (6 to 18 months)

• Approximately after 24 weeks, hens will start laying egg.
• Our income can start at this point.
• In this period birds need a diet with 18-19% of protein content.
• Along with this 4% calcium diet should be given.
• Nest box also needs to be provided for laying eggs.
• A light duration of 16 hours is compulsory. This can be done be installing a bulb in the house and keeping it ON after sun set.