Layers Keeping Guidelines - Farm Enterprise Setup

Poultry keeping is a delicate enterprise and before engaging in production, it is important to have knowledge regarding husbandry aspects such as hygiene practices, disease control, vaccination program, feeding systems, housing detail and other related factors which work together to realize a profitable venture.

Information in the following areas is handy to guide on what is expected hence prepare for the challenges that may lie ahead.

Operational costs

A farmer needs to know the costs to be incurred before venturing in this business.

The major costs include: -

1. Housing
2. Essential farm facilities,
3. Cost of the foundation stock,
4. Feeding costs,
5. Vaccination costs

Animal production in either small or large scale if not properly handled can lead to large losses due to the delicate nature of the enterprise. The owner should personally get involved in management and supervision or if the objectives are to be realized, the one who takes care should have shared interest.

Life stages

Every animal has developmental stages with specific requirements which a farmer should know and attend to accordingly and separately.

Feeding Plans & Costs 

Feeding costs are single major contributor the costs of faming. Feeds should be purchased from a reputable company. The feed should be of good quality with right proportions of the required nutrients depending on the stage of your animal. And costs such as transport may be put into consideration.

If a farmer cannot afford or if has the raw materials, with good training, he can assemble ingredients in right proportions and process them accordingly. Farmers can get trained on feed formulation in livestock production centers in their respective districts. The aim is to reduce the feed costs as much as it is practically possible and hence increase the profits.

Housing

The housing should be done right depending on the ecological conditions of where one is living to reflect the climate of the place. If not correctly done poor housing may lead to failure and frustrations due to high losses, frequent disease outbreak, below bar production level, overcrowding and poor ventilation.

The house should have a right height depending on the system adopted, right roofing, this means not construction of an expensive house but whichever structure built should have enough space, be well ventilated, capable on shielding birds from harsh weather conditions

Enterprise profitability

BUDGET 250 BIRDS LAYERS

Deep litter floor system

Density – 4 – 6 Birds/m2

ITEM UNIT                    QUANTITY               UNIT PRICE(Kshs)                TOTAL(Kshs)

Income 

Sale of egg Eggs             65,520                         10                                    655,200

Sales cull Birds                250                              300                                  75,000

Saleof bags Bags             50                                50                                     2,500

Sales of manure Tons      20                                2000                                40,000

Gross Income                                                                                        772,700

Expenditure 

Day old chicks No.          250                                100                                 25,000

Chick/Duck mash            70 kg bag 7                    3,200                               22,400

Growers Mash                70kg bag 25                    2,900                               72,500

Layers Mash                  70kg bag 18                     3,000                               54,000

Medication Birds              250                                  60                                 15,000

Kerosene                      Litres 36                            100                                  3,240

Labour                       18 months MD 300               200                                 60,000

Egg trays                          6                                   30                                       180

Charcoal                           6                                   850                                   5,100

Cost of construction                                                                                     150,000 

& equipments 

Miscellaneous                                                                                                30,000

Working capital                                                                                       392,780

Interest on Working capital                                                                             58,917

Total cost                                                                                                  451,697

Gross Margin                                                                                          321,003

Capital Recovery

Fixed Capital – Ksh. 150,000

Recovery Period – 10 years

Interest rate – 20%

Annual Capital Cost – Ksh150,000 x CRF

Ksh 150,000 x 0.2385

Ksh.35,775

Total Variable Cost Ksh.392,780+ 58,917+35,775=Ksh.487, 472

Expected Net Income – Ksh.772,700– 487, 472 = Ksh 285,228

Break Even Price/egg = 7.44

Remarks

When family labour is used Net income will Improve

12 months productivity period has been adopted

Eggs/bird to be 255 per year - Laying percentage to be 70%

Chick and Growers mortality rates to be 5%

Layers mortality to be 1%

Fowl pox vaccinate at 10-12 weeks once.

Fowl-typhoid – vaccinate at 6-8 weeks once

New Castle – vaccinate 1 week – 2-3 weeks, 8-10 weeks and every 2-3 months.

Infectious bronchitis – 1 week, 2-3 weeks

Gumboro – 1-2 weeks, 3-4 weeks

NCD + IB + 1BD (killed) – 18 – 20 week

Profitability will be realized After 2 years holding other factors of production constant