Poultry series: Layers vs Broiler which one is more profitable in Poultry farming??

We are current rounding up our Poultry series management course on
this farm our previous posts includes:

Poultry series: Layers vs Broiler which one is more profitable in Poultry farming??

Poultry series: management of day old chicks to maturity in poultry farming

 

How to start a hatchery poultry farm, incubation of eggs - production of chicks in poultry Part 2

How to start a hatchery poultry farm, incubation of eggs - production of chicks in poultry.Part 1

 

Top major areas to focus your poultry farming business on, to make money

How to start a commercial poultry farming business in Nigeria!!! - Introduction to Poultry farming 

Major farm birds you can consider in a poultry farm business

 

 Today we will be sharing
together more on the housing system to adopt in a Poultry farm for
various production systems and purposes.

 No matter the kind of
production level you are into and the kind of poultry system you run
its very important to take note and observe the housing system, in
order to have a lasting and expected result at the end of the
production year.

There are different ways people breed birds today
base on their purpose and preference, the two most common and widely
used system is Deep litter
and
Battery cage system.

Its very rampant
in most commercial and business farms.

We also have some othe housing
system like FREE RANGE SYSTEM: under which birds are allow to freely
room about in search for food by themselves, less care, they are
expose to adverse weather condition, during unfavourable condition the
birds find shelter under trees, bushes or hedges within range shed but
we won't dwell much on this as its not a system to be adopted by
commercial and business farm organizations (which is our own
concentration here).

Considering an intensive system atmosphere: under
this system the birds are confined in a building which secures their
lives and they are protected from adverse weather conditions under the
Intensive care system management of poultry farming: we have the

  (1)
DEEP LITTER SYSTEM 
and
 (2) BATTERY CAGE SYSTEM:  

 Let us consider the
DEEP LITTER SYSTEM: This is a suitation whereby the floor of the house
is made of concrete.
It is called Deep litter system because the
litter is spread on the ground in the house of the bird,  wood
shavings and saw-dust are spread on the floor to make the birds feel
comfortable , poultry sets such as feeding and drinking troughs are
placed in convenient places inside the pen.
PICTURES OF A POULTRY FARM IN DEEP LITTER SYSTEM

 Litter is normally
changed periodically as occasions demand to prevent diseases build-up.
It is often you used and effective to raising birds from day old
chicks to like four months.
Some of the
Benefits of Deep litter system in poultry farm includes:
- It increase efficiency in poultry
management.

- It mazimises the use of land for farming.

- Its good for management of large flocks of birds.
- It also maximize the use of labour.

- Birds are protected from harsh and adverse weather
conditions.

- It is widely used by most farmers.

THe DISADVANTAGES OF DEEP LITTER SYSTEM INCLUDES -:

- The cost of construction of deep
litter house is high.
- It requires large quantity of litters, adding
to the production cost.
- There is wastage of feeds by birds.

Cannibalism and pecking of eggs are common practice in layers under
this system.
 - If in anyway there is a disease outbreak it spreads
faster! In deep litter system.
- It is difficult to detect
unproductive birds in deep litter system.

- It use to be curbersome
and difficult catching birds under deep litter system.

 THE BATTERY CAGE SYSTEM: In this housing system,  a metal cage is place inside a
Building like a protective from adverse weather.

Individual cages are
divided into compartment unit containing a brid or two in a cage.

It contains a laying nest, sloping floor and feed and water troughs. It
permit ventilation and free movement of air from all sides, poultry
droppings fall in a pit ben automated, and are clean off by mechanical
scrapper.

Under proper handling and technical know-how it as ben
proven to be the best in regard to egg production, efficiency of good
conversion and reduction in mortality.


PICTURES OF A BATTERY CAGE SYSTEM

 Advantages of the BATTERY CAGE SYSTEM: 
- The system goes a longway to save labour. - There is less
occurence of parasitic diseases such as worms and coccidiosis because
the birds does not come in contact with their droppings.

- It help
Layers go gain weight even as they lay eggs because there is less of
walking up and down unlike deep litter.

 - It goes a longway to save
spaces.

- It provides the best opportunity for close individual
supervision so that the capabilities and productiveness of each birds
are guaranteed.

- Selection is made easier, birds are directly within
views and reach.

 - less noisy environment, good quality eggs and fewer
eggs with dirty shells*

  Disadvantages of thi system incliudes:
-
It is more expensive.
 - it is often use for Layers purpose only. -
there is happenings of mechanical faults and maintenance costs.
 - the
birds may be bored (as it was report in USA  t.v that this system is
as if we're imprisoning those birds).

 - tiny shelled eggs can easily
cracked.

So now you can see the two system and choose wisely anyone
you think can help your business!
Succeed.

 If you have more to add to
this Poultry series please make use of the Comment Box.