If you are planning to start a new business, opening a poultry farm can be an excellent idea. The best part is that it is quite simple to find where you sell the products like meat and eggs since they are popular in every part of the world.
Therefore, you don’t need to worry about the profit. However, there are some important things to learn before you start investing in your farm. For example, starting budget and size of the farm are very important factors. Also, it is crucial to get the right equipment. If you are interested in buying modern equipment for a poultry farm, check out TEXHA.
Like with any other business, the first thing to do is to create a plan. It must include different factors like the market you are targeting, the type of birds you are planning to keep, additional tools, focus on meat or eggs, and much more. Here are some essential tips and basics that will help you to start in the right way.
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1. Choose the Right Sector
If you are not sure which type of birds are the best option, you should learn more about the required conditions. For example, you cannot keep turkey, ducks, and chicken in the same conditions since the first two must have more space, more food, and different type of care. That is the main reason why keeping chicken is the easiest solution.
However, the profit can be much bigger with other types of poultry. Besides that, you should choose between meat or egg production, or focus on both of them. Still, the facilities are quite different in this case as well. When it comes to modern machinery, it is common that egg farms have automated systems where each bird is placed in a separate space, and the machines can collect the eggs and sort them right after they are being laid.
It is easier and cheaper to set up a farm only for meat because you only need a facility where you can feed the birds and keep them safe. The type of food you are using can also make a difference. In case you are using common concentrates, the price of the meat will be much cheaper. Organic farms are getting more popular in recent years, and if there are conditions to set up such a farm, that could be the best decision.
2. Get the Right Equipment
This is the part where many people are making the mistake. In most cases, the mistakes are related to a poor selection of tools or buying too many devices that you don’t actually need. However, there are some essential tools required on any farm, such as proper ventilation, feeders, cages, water supply system, heating systems, lights, and waste disposal. Also, if you are planning to produce eggs as well, you will need to install nests, incubators, an egg tray, and a machine for sorting the sizes.
3. Focus on Health Conditions
Birds are known for requiring less attention when compared to other animals that you can keep on a farm. However, there are some important things to know that will help you to keep them in the best health conditions. First of all, the place must be clean all the time so you can prevent various diseases. Also, it should be properly sealed without any small holes where mice or rats could get.
Moreover, be sure that each bird is vaccinated since that is the only way to prevent diseases like Newcastle disease, Gumboro, Coccidiosis, and more. That is the only way to get a license and sell them on the market as well. The meat must be tested before you sell it.
4. Workforce and Safety
This is not a type of job that you will be able to handle yourself all the time, especially if you are planning to open a bigger farm. Therefore, you will have to hire a couple of people that will assist you in daily processes like feeding, monitoring, collecting eggs, packing, and more. The great thing about modern tools is that they provide more efficiency.
In that matter, you could be able to run a smaller farm on your own. You can install thermometers, cameras, sensors, and other devices that will help you to monitor various aspects and be sure that proper conditions are available for the birds all the time. That will improve their health and the quality of meat.
5. Positioning On the Market
It can be difficult in the beginning, and there are many factors that you need to be aware of. Still, we already mentioned that chicken meat and eggs are very popular. Therefore, you should be able to find where to sell it even if you are surrounded by bigger competitors.
For instance, you can rent a small shop at some marketplace, or create an online store. In case you are planning to sell meat online, be sure that you have the right vehicle for that. You will need to get a special license for distributing meat and buy a vehicle with a freezer.
6. Organic is a New Trend
Not only that it is very popular, but it is also proven that there are many health benefits of eating meat and eggs produced on organic farms. Getting a license for this option can be tricky since there are some special conditions and terms to follow. The goal of an organic farm is to provide birds with more freedom and feed them with organic food.
The Bottom Line
As you can see, starting with business is not so complicated. Also, you can always get a couple of birds to learn more about required conditions, feeding, care, and more. The most important thing is to be aware of the differences in requirements related to different types of poultry. In the end, your budget is crucial. in case you have limited funds, chicken is the best option. On the other side, you can invest more over time and expand your farm by adding new birds and equipment.