Diversify with poultry production (AGRIMONITOR)

Poultry production, specialising in the rearing of layer hens to produce fresh table eggs, offers farmers a great diversification option to increase farm income.

Agribank’s technical advisor for crops and poultry Hanks Saisa said the starting point when one intends to venture into the production of fresh table eggs is to register as a producer with the Poultry Producers Association of Namibia, which is affiliated with the Namibia Agriculture Union (NAU).

It is then important for the farmer to conduct market research to determine input suppliers from which they can source chicks or hens, feed, veterinary medicines as well as housing materials such as chicken wire mesh, fencing poles and other equipment, he said.

“Moreover, it is crucial for a famer to determine the possible target market and costs associated with the production of eggs.”

Once adequate market research is conducted, a famer can commence with the construction of the chicken coop, he said.

According to Saisai, during construction, it is essential for the farmer to construct a rough concrete floor inside the chicken coop for easy cleaning and maintenance of hygiene.



Reputable supplier

Another consideration is procuring chicks or hens from reputable suppliers.

He said farmers can buy popular Lohman Brown day-old chicks that cost N$22 per chick on average. Day-old chicks offer the cheapest option to a start-up farmer and if raised correctly, the farmer has an influence on the quality of hens and their production timespan.

Saisai said the main disadvantage associated with raising day-old chicks is that they take about four months before egg production can begin, which implies that a farmer has to incur feed and vaccination costs without any income during this time.

Alternatively, farmers can procure point-of-lay hens at an average cost price of N$130 each.

These offer the advantage of immediate production after purchase, or a week or two for egg production to begin.

“Furthermore, the farmer does not incur the cost of feed to raise the chicks and mortalities are less when compared to buying day-old chicks.”

According to Saisai, there are, however, some disadvantages such as the price per hen, which is higher than the cost of day-old chicks, as well as limited control in terms of the quality of hens and the possibility of hens bringing diseases if sourced from unrepeatable suppliers.



Right feed

Once the chicks or hens are procured, it is essential to ensure that they are fed with the right type of feed for their respective age groups, he said.

Saisai added that day-old chicks must be fed with pullet starter mash, while chickens between one and four months old must be fed pullet grower mash.

Between four and five months old, the chickens are fed layer mash, which is necessary to stimulate egg production. At this age, it is recommended that farmers provide each hen with about 110 to 120 grams of layer mash per day and each hen must have access to light for approximately 16 to 17 hours per day for optimum egg production in the 12-month production cycle, he said.

It is recommended that light intensity should be 30 lumens per square metre, and therefore, light bulbs of 30 lux are necessary as hens are very sensitive to a change in lighting.

“Moreover, water must be provided in adequate amounts to all hens to ensure uniform growth and egg production.

“Lastly, when venturing into egg production, another crucial consideration is the documentation and maintenance of records on egg production, feed utilisation and vaccination against infectious diseases such as Newcastle Disease, Infectious Bursal Disease (Gumboro) and Infectious Coryza.”

Saisai noted that this will help the farmer to make informed decisions when entering the second production cycle and ensure their egg production enterprise has good returns on investment.