Introduction to Poultry Farming – SS1 Livestock Farming Lesson Note (Second Term)

Poultry farming is the keeping of birds such as chickens, turkeys and ducks for eggs, meat, manure and feathers.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. state four reasons why poultry farming is important;
2. name the main types of poultry birds and the purpose of each;
3. describe the deep litter and battery cage housing systems;
4. list the key design features of a poultry house;
5. name the equipment used in a poultry house and state what each is for;
6. state three rules for good poultry management.

What is poultry farming?

Poultry farming is the rearing of domesticated birds for eggs, meat, manure and feathers.

• Poultry: domesticated birds kept by farmers for products they can use or sell.
• Common poultry birds: chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, guinea fowl, quail and pigeons.
• In Nigeria: chickens are the most widely kept poultry birds, in villages and in cities.
• Why it is popular: birds grow fast, need little space and give quick returns.

Why is poultry farming important?

Poultry farming is important because it provides food, income, manure and raw materials.

• Quick protein: eggs and chicken meat are cheap, good sources of protein for growth and health.
• Fast money: broilers can be sold in about 6 to 8 weeks, while cattle take years to mature.
• Waste as fertiliser: poultry droppings are used as organic manure for vegetables and maize.
• Feathers for industry: feathers are used for pillows, mattresses, traditional decorations and shuttlecocks.
• Employment: the business gives jobs in farming, feed selling, egg and meat trading.

What are the types of poultry birds?

The main poultry birds kept in Nigeria are broilers, layers, cockerels, turkeys and ducks, chosen by what the farmer wants to sell.

Broilers

• Purpose: meat.
• Feature: they grow very fast and carry a lot of flesh.

Layers

• Purpose: eggs.
• Feature: hens bred for eggs, which start laying at about 5 months old.

Cockerels

• Purpose: meat.
• Feature: young male chickens that grow more slowly than broilers.

Turkeys

• Purpose: meat.
• Feature: much larger than chickens, and in high demand at Christmas and New Year.

Ducks

• Purpose: meat and eggs.
• Feature: they love water and are hardy birds.

The table below compares the five types.

What are the systems of keeping poultry?

There are three systems of keeping poultry: free range, semi-intensive and intensive.

• Free range: birds roam freely in the open and find part of their food. It is cheap but exposes birds to predators, theft and disease.
• Semi-intensive: birds have a house for the night and a fenced run for the day.
• Intensive: birds stay inside the house all the time. Deep litter and battery cage are intensive systems.

What are the housing systems for poultry?

A poultry house is called a pen, and the two common intensive housing systems are deep litter and battery cage.

What is the deep litter system?

The deep litter system keeps birds loose on a floor covered with litter.

• Litter: dry material such as wood shavings, sawdust or rice husks spread on the floor.
• Use of litter: it absorbs droppings and moisture and keeps the floor dry and the birds warm.
• Bird movement: birds walk about freely, like in a big bedroom.
• Care: the litter must be turned or changed when it becomes wet.

What is the battery cage system?

The battery cage system keeps birds in rows of metal cages, mostly for layers.

• Egg collection: eggs roll out of the cage automatically, so birds cannot break or eat them.
• Space: many birds can be kept in a small building.
• Cost: cages are expensive to buy.

How should a poultry house be designed?

A good poultry house keeps birds dry, cool, safe and easy to clean.

• The roof: it should have a wide overhang (extending past the walls) to stop rain from blowing in.
• The walls: the bottom 2 or 3 feet are blocks, and the rest is wire mesh to let in plenty of air.
• The floor: it should be concrete so it is easy to wash and disinfect after the birds are sold.
• Space: birds must not be overcrowded.
• Security: the wire mesh also keeps out rats, snakes and other predators.

What equipment is needed in the poultry house?

Poultry equipment is the set of tools that feed, water, warm and shelter the birds.

• Feeders: long trays or hanging plastic buckets for feed, made so birds do not step in the food.
• Drinkers (waterers): they give clean water, and may be automatic or simple plastic fountains.
• Brooders: heat lamps or charcoal pots that keep baby chicks warm until they grow feathers.
• Nests: wooden boxes with soft grass where layers feel safe and lay eggs.
• Perches: bars or poles where birds rest or sleep off the floor.
• Egg trays: trays for collecting and carrying eggs without breaking them.

What are the rules for good poultry management?

Good poultry management rests on three rules: bio-security, clean water and ventilation.

1. Bio-security: do not let every visitor enter the poultry house, because germs on shoes can spread disease through the flock.
2. Clean water: if you would not drink the water, do not give it to your birds.
3. Ventilation: fresh air keeps birds healthy, and a smelly, stuffy house leads to sick birds.

Other good practices

• Feeding: give the right feed for the age and type of bird.
• Vaccination: vaccinate birds on time to prevent disease.
• Sick or dead birds: remove them quickly from the house.
• Records: keep records of feed, eggs, deaths and sales.

Evaluation

1. Which type of poultry bird would you buy to sell meat in about two months?
2. What is the purpose of litter on the floor of a poultry house?
3. Name two housing systems used in poultry farming.
4. State two ways in which poultry farming is useful.
5. What is the use of a brooder?

Assignment

Draw a simple poultry house in your notebook. Label the wire mesh, the concrete floor and the roof.