Poultry farming is the name given to the business of raising domestic birds such as chicken, geese, ducks, etc. for goods such as eggs and meat primarily. It is a part of and originated from agriculture and the farming of poultry (mostly chicken) is done in huge numbers. Chicken is the most common bird that is farmed and bred.
The name given to chickens farmed for meat is broilers and the chickens bred for eggs are called layers. But even though chickens are the birds that are farmed most extensively, other birds such as turkeys, geese, ducks, and guinea fowls can also be bred and produce different products. In India as well, poultry farming is being practiced for a long time. Some states in our country where poultry farming is popular are Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Orissa, Bihar, Kerala, Karnataka, and more. This business has various benefits, some of them being:
- First of all, to start the business, the initial investment required isn’t very high. The business can be started small and scaled eventually and appropriately into something bigger.
- It is a very profitable business, that can provide job opportunities to many and provides entrepreneurship prospects to those looking for them.
- The demand for poultry products is very high in India and can never dry up. Hence the business will keep running steadily.
- For commercial production, high-end and good quality Indian as well foreign breeds of birds are available in the market.
- Due to the various agricultural schemes that are present in the country, bank loans for starting poultry farming will be easily available to farmers.
Although the benefits are many, starting a poultry farm might not be so easy. But here are the things you can keep in mind and steps that will help you start your own successful poultry farm soon!
HOW TO START A SUCCESSFUL POULTRY FARMING BUSINESS IN INDIA
Here are some steps that will help you in starting a successful poultry farm in India:
- Location: The first and most important step to starting your own farm is choosing the land. The size of your land would depend on the number of birds you aim to farm. The better option is to start the poultry farm on your own land because rented lands have the risk of being removed. An ideal farm would be one set a little away from the city since labor is cheaper there.
- You will also have to make sure that the surrounding area is free of any predatory animals that could harm the poultry farm and your birds. A good model of transportation to and fro from the farm would be advisable. For best results, look for land that has a clean and fresh water supply, along with a pollution-free environment.
- Breed selection: The next step to a successful poultry farm is choosing the correct breed. Both, high-quality local and foreign breeds are available in India. According to the type of goods you wish to produce more, you can select the breeds. If you wish to sell eggs, then go for a high-quality layer of poultry chicken. And if you produce meat, opt for high-quality broiler poultry.
- In India, primarily 3 types of chicken are raised in poultry farms- Broilers, the chicken that is bred for and produces meat. Cockerels, another meat-producing breed. But their growth rate is slower than broilers, although they adapt to new environments easily. The last type is Layers, which is the breed raised to produce eggs. You can see the demand for which product is the highest in your locality and choose the breed accordingly. Contact your nearest poultry producer to know more about the breeds available there.
- Housing and cages: Once you’ve gotten your hands on the breeds, the next stage is to build their houses. Make sure that the houses/cages you keep them in are spacious, with enough space for them to run. A good ventilation system is also necessary since it facilitates the better growth of the birds.
- If your poultry farm is big and the number of birds is large, then it’s advisable to make many houses, with enough distance between each house. Make sure that rainwater does not reach the insides of the cages. Cleaning the houses regularly is also required, and you can make a good drainage and sewer system in the house as well, since it will help you clean better.
- Feeding: Feeding the birds a good amount of nutritious foods keeps them healthy and the product constant. There are various poultry feed producing companies available in the market that produce food for all kinds of birds on a poultry farm. You can also make their food at home. But you will have to make sure that it has all the required nutrients, in the correct ratio. Along with the food, what is also necessary is to feed them clean water, depending on their needs.
With all these steps in mind, you can definitely get started with your own poultry farm soon! All you have to do is take good care of the farm and the birds in it and keep up with the supply-demand in your local market.
Examples of Poultry farming in India
In the Indian economy, livestock plays an important role. Around 20.5 million people rely for their livelihood on livestock. As compared to an average of 14% for all rural households, livestock contributes 16% to the income of small farm households. Livestock provides two-thirds of the rural population with a livelihood.
It also provides about 8.8% of the population in India with jobs. India has huge resources for livestock. The livestock sector of our country accounts for 4.11% of the GDP and 25.6% of the overall agricultural GDP. In the poultry population, the states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana are the first, second and third, while Assam (71.63%) and West Bengal (46.34%) have the highest poultry population growth from 2012 to 2019.
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Poultry farming is the name given to the business of raising domestic birds such as chicken, geese, ducks, etc. for goods such as eggs and meat primarily. It is a part of and originated from agriculture and the farming of poultry (mostly chicken) is done in huge numbers. Although the benefits are many, starting a poultry farm might not be so easy.
We will walk you through all the basic steps one needs to follow in order to start your own poultry farm. In the Indian economy, livestock plays an important role. Around 20.5 million people rely for their livelihood on livestock. As compared to an average of 14% for all rural households, livestock contributes 16% to the income of small farm households. Livestock provides two-thirds of the rural population with a livelihood. Start now!
