How To Start Poultry Farming Business In Nigeria (2024)

This is a guide on how to start poultry farming business in Nigeria this 2024. If you wish to venture into this business and you have the time, energy and patience to make it big in poultry farming, this information will point you to the necessary steps to take in order to establish your own business of rearing chickens and other domestic birds in any part of the country where you may be located.

Poultry farming as we can see from our opening paragraph is all encompassing and it is not just limited to the rearing of chickens alone as it also involves the raising of other domestic birds such as turkey, ducks, geese, Guinea fowl, to mention but a few, for their eggs and meat. This type of farming may be done in two ways, either small scale or large scale but if you want to really make it in your poultry farming business, it is advisable that you favour the large scale rearing of domestic fowls.

POULTRY FARMING IN NIGERIA: A BRIEF OVERVIEW

Domestic fowls are loved by millions of Nigerians for their eggs and delicious meat which are a high source of protein, ensuring that the demand for poultry products in the country is always ever increasing; and because this demand is directly proportional to the ever growing population in Nigeria, with over 200 million people, it makes poultry farming one of the most sort after in the agricultural sector and one of the fastest growing businesses adding significantly to the country’s economy.

Presently, on the African continent, Nigeria’s poultry egg production is second to none, and the only other country that comes close in this part of the world is the Republic of South Africa. The Federal Government of Nigeria banned chicken importation in 2003 with the exception of day-old chicks, and this coincided with the massive growth being witnessed today in the poultry section of the country’s agricultural sector.

Many Nigerians still practice poultry farming on a small scale but if you are a very ambitious farmer and you want to make it big in this business, you should consider raising your domestic birds on a really large scale, that is where the money is.

HOW LUCRATIVE IS POULTRY FARMING BUSINESS IN NIGERIA?

Poultry farming business is one of the most lucrative businesses in animal farming in the country today and seeing that many people love to consume poultry products in Nigeria, you should expect to make it in this business if you are dedicated to it.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO START POULTRY BUSINESS IN NIGERIA CURRENTLY?

You can start up your own poultry farming business with as little as ₦50,000 – ₦100,000 if you want to start small and grow from there. This amount helps you to cover the cost of buying your day-old chicks and feeding them. With dedication to this business, you can get your return on investment in about six months time or even less, and this should help you purchase more birds for your poultry farm.

On the other hand, if you want a large scale poultry farm, you should make available a higher amount for this. It may cost you anywhere between ₦300,000 – ₦1 million or more to start up a medium to large poultry farming business as the money covers the cost of purchasing your birds, their feeds, the land you are leasing, operational costs for at least three months pending when you start getting your return on investment, poultry farming equipment, and other related expenses.

STEP BY STEP GUIDE ON HOW TO START POULTRY FARMING BUSINESS IN NIGERIA 2024 

Below is a guide on how to start your poultry farming business in Nigeria this 2024:

STEP 1: DETERMINE THE TYPE OF POULTRY BIRD YOU WANT TO REAR 

Before setting up your poultry business, it is very necessary that you choose from the outset the type of poultry birds you want to rear. Is it chickens? Or you prefer turkeys or Guinea fowls? These are very important things to consider when you want to go into poultry farming. If you have decided on rearing chickens, then it is very important to know the type of poultry breeds that you will like to rear. You should target the one that lays a lot of eggs. You should also be able to know if you want to rear layers or broilers.

STEP 2: FIND A SUITABLE FARM SITE FOR YOUR POULTRY BUSINESS 

The location of your poultry farm especially for commercial purposes is very important as it can to a large extent prove to be the reason why you succeed or fail in this business so take out time to look for a place that has the potential to give you the customers that you need in order to sell your poultry products consistently. If however, you have a large piece of land in your compound and you wish to start there, by all means do but ensure that you dedicate time to your business.

You should also supply your poultry farm with enough clean water for your birds to drink and make sure that the farm clean at all times and that it is free from predators that may attack your birds and jeopardise your business. Your poultry farm site should have access to good roads so as to ensure the easy transportation of farm products when they are ready for sale.

STEP 3: PROVIDE GOOD SHELTER FOR YOUR POULTRY BIRDS

Good shelter is necessary and determines the survival rate of your poultry birds; so endeavour to provide good housing for your domestic fowls that should suit the needs of the particular breeds of birds that you are rearing. The shelter should have enough space to allow for free movement of your birds. It must also be be well aerated and protected from the sun.

STEP 4: FEEDING AND MEDICATION OF THE POULTRY BIRDS

Your birds must be well fed with quality, nutritious feeds to enable them develop without any issues and proper medication and vaccination from time to time should be observed. This will reduce the mortality rate of your birds and help them grow and develop properly, earning you good pay when you finally sell them in the market.

Ensure that you change their feed and water from time to time as contaminated feed and water when consumed can affect their health adversely. Also keep your feeding materials clean at all times and make sure that your poultry environment is neat as well. This helps in keeping your birds healthy and free from bacterial and viral infections.

STEP 5: SELLING THE POULTRY BIRDS 

This is the part where you advertise your business across various social media platforms to increase your list of customers and potential customers. Interested buyers will surely contact you if the need arises. You can also take your products directly to the markets around you to sell and make huge profits. Target fast foods, hotels and restaurants around you if you are selling in commercial quantity and with time, your business will flourish if you become their main supplier of poultry products.