by Oluwatomilayo Lala
Poultry farming according to English dictionary is the practice of breeding domestic birds for their meat, eggs, or both (including chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks, and quails).
Profit making is the goal of every poultry farming, everywhere in the world today, poultry farming is a successful industry (this is undeniable), because of the high demand for poultry products in Nigeria (West Africa)
Due to public demand for poultry goods, it is a highly profitable business in Nigeria (WestAfrica) (meat and egg).
SAHEL reporter was chanced to visit one of the popular Poultry farm in Ayepe a community in osogbo, Osun state Nigeria. A poultry that has been in existence for more than two decade now.This reporter was welcomed by the awful odour of birds poo, at the poultry building surroundings.
Moving closer and carefully observing the environment, at the entrance of the farm, there were different big Storex ,water drums and bowls which are full of clean water.
Front view of the poultry, the reporter sighted some greenish leaves that resemble vegetables,and while others look like okro plant, and reddish pepper that was growing outside of the poultry building.
The reporter straightly walked through the main door and met the owner of the poultry examining his breeds at the moment.
After skimming through the cage inside the poultry building, this reporter saw more than 500 layers birds, arranged in 4 rows inside a thin weaved metal cage. These layers breeds were busy cocking and picking feeds as if their life depends on it, simultaneously some were stretching their neck to drink water from the upper end of their cage,where the waterer was fixed to their cage.
The cages was fixed at the right and left side, inside the poultry building and each row of the cage is long enough to accommodate 150 birds, and their feaces was smelly as it scattered the floor.The owner of the poultry farm was busy examining his birds, early on that Saturday afternoon when this reporter moved closer to start a conversation with him.
The owner popularly known as “Baba eleyin Layepe” should be in his mid 40s, putting on a native attire and a dirty rubber slippers, he looked satisfied and comfortable watching the way his birds were rushing to eat their feed.
This reporter covered her nose with her handkerchief because of the odour that was coming from the poultry, ” But why can’t they sweep away all this poo away, it’s so disgusting” this reporter thought aloud, Baba Eleyin quickly switched his eyes to the voice he just heard and he replied with a squeezed face ” look at you!! ,this poo you’re covering you nose and mouth from na money o, I’m waiting for my boys to come and pack it and use it as a manure and fertilizer to enhance the growth of my plants, infact I like it, when it produces magot, those magots can be given to fish to eat.
This young reporter was surprised to hear this reply, but yet she wasn’t satisfied with the question, he long to know more. The reporter walked closer to the layers birds, seeing how grown they appear, and how old the building looked.
The poultry farm was full of only Layers birds, and she asked the man again “But Baba, among all poultry farming that exists, why did you choose to breed Layers alone?”Layers breeding is the most profitable in Nigeria today.
The only thing is, after feeding and taking care of them from a day old to 6 months old, these layers birds will start providing money for you and to feed themselves. Baba carefully explained”Wow,how amazing,” the reporter said.
Poultry farming :Most lucrative farming to practice in Nigeria
” These birds you’re looking at will be one year old next month and I will sell them off at the rate of #3,000 each when they clock two years old. By then I’ll buy a day old layers birds”. Baba Eleyin proudly saidThis reporter fixed her gaze on these eggs and ask if it’s possible for these eggs to become layers bird again.
“There’s a breed named parents stock, these breed are majorly meant for Laying eggs that will be taken to incubator in the lab and after some weeks it become a layer bird. After I buy these day old layer, we keep them inside a warm room and we set fire at the center of the room so that it can produce heat for these day old layers. Baba Eleyin added.
This reporter was taken to a room where a day old layer breeds were kept, the room was dark and cool. at the entrance of the room there was a bag of charcoal,firewood,matches.
Entering into the room,it has two windows but it has been covered with thick window blind, there was coalpot at the middle of the room,which was producing a very hot heat in the room.
“This is how we care for a day old layer breed. As this states the beginning of their life journey, it also state the beginning of how my 135,,000 is being made every month.
