Understanding poultry farming:
Poultry farming can simply be defined as keeping chickens which majorly involves providing proper housing, looking after the birds and working economically to get some profits at the end of it all. Before starting poultry farming it is advisable you get familiar with how to house and care for your would be chickens in the best way possible, maintaining all your focus on the chickens.
Chicken needs
You should understand what a chicken is and what are its needs in terms of nutrition (feeding), health, welfare and production. Poultry farmers who are aware of these needs check on their chickens properly several times a day, making sure they cover the whole flock and not only a few birds so as to be able to respond to any irregularity and warning signs that these birds give. This is most of the time ensured by having a number of well defined routines to help out in the activity but also making sure that the work is not too time consuming, working conditions are pleasant and inventory is kept in good conditions.
Who can raise
chickens?
Anyone can learn how to keep chickens given he receives the right training from the right people on how to raise chickens. This involves learning how to observe and understand chickens better. Some people have a natural ability to observe and understand chickens, others have to go through a lot of trouble to learn but everyone improves with practice.
One of the biggest mistakes made by poultry farmers is becoming so involved in the farm that they no longer notice irregularities because they are so used to seeing them. Focus, be critical and don’t be afraid to change. The poultry sector is always changing right from the way we provide housing to how we feed the birds. Most farmers start out in free range systems but they always find themselves in situations when they have to make a choice either to go for an enriched cage or aviary system but all in all the choice always lies in the hands of the poultry farmer and it all depends on personal preference, financial goals and the environmental options one has.
It should however be noted that, each system places different demands on the poultry farmer. The more opportunity the chickens get to express their natural behavior, the more you can observe and read them. But not only that, the more you will have to manage the bird itself instead of the system it is kept in. So there is never an absolute when keeping chickens.
