Poultry-Layers
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.
- Cage System
- Deep litter system
- 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:
- Its cheap
- Birds get a balanced diet
- Less stress
- More strength of body and muscles
Disadvantages:
- Less monitoring of birds as they loiter in the neighborhood
- Prone to disease contamination
- No security as they can be easily stolen

400 birds
3 Million
Atleast one person per 1000 birds
Minimum 150,000/= depending on your burgaining power
1000000
Water, feeds, vaccination
water
Feeds
Vaccination
Labour
Preferably in a spacious place with adequate water supply since the 400 birds will consume atleast 6 (20litre) jerrycans per day (120litres) at laying stage
Almost every where market for Eggs is available. One tray of Eggs costs on average UGX Shs 9,000/=
A tray currently costs between 8500/= to 9500/= market price.
Poultry Start-up Initial Costs based on 400 Birds:
Initial Start-up Costs Minus Setting up brooder house: Stock taken on 16th November 2018.
|
Item # |
Item |
Units |
Cost+- @ |
SubTotal(UGXShs) |
|
1 |
Chicks |
400 |
5000 |
2,000,000 |
|
2 |
Brooder Paper |
2 |
6000 |
12,000 |
|
3 |
Amino Acids+Vitamins(Amilyte) |
1kg |
100000 |
100,000 |
|
4 |
Glucose |
10 packets |
500 |
5,000 |
|
5 |
Feeds(Broilers Mash Starter) |
70kgs |
|
105,000 |
|
6 |
Egg Trays |
10 pieces |
600 |
6,000 |
|
7 |
Coffee husks |
3 bags |
12000 |
36,000 |
|
8 |
Charcoal |
2 Sacks |
85000 |
170,000 |
|
9 |
Charcoal Pots |
4 |
5000 |
20,000 |
|
10 |
Disinfectant (Noro Cleanse |
1 bottle |
16000 |
16,000 |
|
11 |
Spray Machine/gun |
1 |
60000 |
60,000 |
|
12 |
Jerry cans |
4 |
10000 |
40,000 |
|
13 |
Water Drum |
1 |
80000 |
80,000 |
|
14 |
Water Drinkers |
20 |
5000 |
100,000 |
|
15 |
Wooden Feeders |
10 |
3500 |
35,000 |
|
|
|
|
TOTAL |
2,785,000 |
Feeding costs excluding the first 1 month of broiler Starter feeding(Exclusively buy already mixed feeds from recognized , & trusted Feeds company- Say VET Feeds);
Date |
Cost of feeds |
cost of Maize Bran |
Sub_total(UGX Shs) Remark |
3rd Dec 2018 |
110000 |
N/A |
~110,000 Fully mixed Feeds-Starter |
10th Jan 2019 |
281200 |
300000 |
~600,000 Started Mixing for own-self |
22nd Jan |
280000 |
300000 |
~600,000 |
2nd Feb |
280000 |
300000 |
~600,000 |
13th Feb |
280000 |
300000 |
~600,000 |
4th Mar |
300000 |
300000 |
~600,000 |
28th Mar |
300000 |
300000 |
~600,000 |
CALCULATING THE ESTIMATED FEEDS COST BASED ON TH ABOVE TABLE:
From the above Table 2:
- its assumed the total expenditure on feeds(Maize Bran + Nutrients) for the 20 days is ~=UGX 600,000/=
- So in 1 day the 400 birds consume 600,000/20 = UGX 30,000/=
- In one month (approx 30 days) = 30,000 * 30 = UGX 900,000/= ,1 birds consumes roughly UGX Shs 75 /=
- So 100 birds consume 75*100= UGX Shs 7500/=
- 100 birds at laying optimum lay 3 Trays of eggs daily.
- 400 birds at optimum lay 3*4 =12 trays daily
- 1 tray of Eggs currently costs between UGX 8500/= & 9500 depending on burgaining power.
- Assuming we sell at worst 8500, then 12 trays fetch 12*8500= UGX 102000/= per day. Which comes to 714,000/= per week , & UGX 2,856,000/= per month.
- Profit per month = Total sales per month - Feeds expenditure per month = 2856,000-900,000= UGX 1,956,000 excluding other expenses
Hint:![]() |
Note:
1. The above calculations are computed basing on the current (2018) financial rates.
2. It recommended that one has to create a 2X2 Sq feet per layer bird deep litter poultry house.
Layer Vaccinations:
Day |
Disease/Vaccination |
Method |
|
Mareks + IBD Vaxxitek |
Intramuscular spray |
1 |
NCD + IB Live Vitabron |
Spray |
12-14 |
NCD + IB Live |
Eye drop/drinking water |
15-18 |
Gumboro Booster |
Mouth Drop/drinking water |
|
NCD killed or NCD _ IB Live |
Intramuscular /Drinking |
WK6-8 |
Fowl Typhoid |
Intramuscular |
|
Fowl Pox |
Wing Tip |
WK 8- 10 |
Fowl Cholera Optional |
Subcutaneous injection |
WK 12- 14 |
Fowl Typhoid |
Intramuscular / Injection |
|
NCD + IB Live |
|
WK16 – 18 |
De worming |
Drinking water |
WK 35 |
De worming |
|
Vaccine Costs :
- Gumboro vaccine currently costs 15,000/= for 1000 birds
- NCD/IB costs 16,000/=
- OTC costs 10,000/=
Feeds Constituents Based on 58 kgs of Maize Bran for Grower’s Mash
Qty (Kgs) |
Particular |
58 |
Maize Bran |
12 |
Maize Broken |
8 |
Sun Flower |
6 |
Cotton Seed cake |
3 |
Soya Meal |
5 |
Shells(Amasonko)/Lime |
0.5(or 0.75) |
Premix (General) |
0.25 |
White salt |
0.25 |
Brown Salt |
100g |
Toxin Binder |
100g |
Lysine |
100g |
Methonine |
100g |
Salinomycine |
100g |
Salcrub |
Theft, price fluctuations, constant supply of feeds, water, Price fluctuations of feeds ingredients. Poultry needs not be established in noisy areas as this affects the laying process of birds.