Brief Introduction:

Poultry Farming is one of the many rewarding businesses in Uganda. It Can be done anywhere from rural to urban areas. Many poultry farmer do small scale rearing at the backyard of their homes in a space not exceeding 20feet by putting decked structures.

There are basically 3 common poultry rearing systems in Uganda depending on one's income ,space availability etc.

1. Cage System
2. Deep litter system
3. Free range

I. Cage system:  The cage system of rearing birds has been considered as a super intensive system providing floor area of 0.6-0.75 sq.feet per bird.  In cage the birds are kept in one, two or three per cage, arranged in single or double or triple rows.

Advantages
1. Greater number of birds is reared per unit of area
2. Facilitates correct maintenance of records
3. Helps in identifying poor producers and prompt culling
4. Control of vices of poultry cannibalism and egg eating
5. It helps in production of clean eggs
6. Removal of stress factors
7. Easy control of parasitic disease like coccidiosis and worm infestation
8. Prompt steps to control feed wastage.
9. The cage method of housing is ideal for the area of moderated climate conditions where the day temperature in summer does not high and temperature does not fall too low.
10. Egg production of caged layer was reported to be more then those kept in deep litter system.
11. Feed efficiency and egg weight were better in caged birds than the laying flock under deep litter system.

Disadvantages:
1. Difficulties in ensuring proper ventilation to birds especially in summer season and under very high densed conditions.
2. Incidence of leg problem, cage layer fatigue, fatty liver syndrome, flies and obnoxious gases in the house will be on increases
3. Hysteriosis of chicks

II. Deep litter system:  Deep litter system is commonly used in Uganda. Its abit cheap but takes time to set the up the structures.

Advantages:
1. It is an economical
2. Hygienic, comfortable and safe to birds
3. Built up litter supplies vitamin B12 and Riboflavin to the birds
4. Controls diseases and vices
5. It increases the efficiency of production
6. Materials such as paddy husks saw dust, dried leaf, chopped straw and groundnut kernels depending upon the availability can be used as litter materials.

Points to be considered while adopting deep litter system
1. The deep litter system should always kept dry.
2. Only right numbers of birds should be housed
3. The house should be well ventilated
4. The litter should be stirred at least once in a week-wet litter if any should be replaced immediately with new dry litter and birds must be   fed a balanced ratio.
5. The time starting deep litter system should be in the dry period of the year as it allows sufficient time (At least two months) for bacterial      action.
6. Placing of water should be given due attention to keep litter dry.

III. Free Range system. Its the most practiced mode of poultry farming in Uganda especially rural areas.

Advantages:

1. Its cheap
2. Birds get a balanced diet
3. Less stress
4. More strength of body and muscles

Disadvantages:

1. Less monitoring of birds as they loiter in the neighborhood
2. Prone to disease contamination
3. No security as they can be easily stolen