Backyard Poultry Farming

 

 

Backyard Poultry Farming

Pakistani poultry farming is as old as the country's civilization. Traditional poultry farming provided the majority of eggs and chicken meat nearly four decades ago. Typically, each family kept a few birds, which were mostly nurtured by women in addition to their other responsibilities. Birds were only given night shelter and were fed minimally' by kitchen garbage as and when it became available. They were then left to fend for themselves in gardens, village lanes, and nearby fields, eating on crop wastes, insects, worms, and greed forge. Barns and temporary homestead constructions are used to protect the bird from predators and bad weather, as well as to give a safe place to lay eggs.

Backyard poultry farming is an ancient technique in rural Pakistan that involves raising indigenous birds with low productivity. The meat and egg potential of indigenous birds are quite poor, making backyard poultry farming less economical. However, utilizing improved breeds in backyard chicken farming may easily be upgraded with better meat and egg production.

Advantages of backyard poultry farming

The following are some of the ways that rearing birds in a backyard system will aid the rural population.

Ø  In rural areas, backyard poultry farming is one of the most effective ways to ensure the availability of poultry eggs and meat.

Ø  It helps you save money on eggs, poultry meat, and fertilizers for your garden.

Ø  Poultry eggs and meat, obtained by growing hens in the backyard, are the cheapest source of animal protein for preventing malnutrition among the rural population.

Ø  Because the production is practically organic, eggs and meat from the backyard have a better taste and quality and may be sold for more money.

Ø  It employs the least amount of land labor and capital while providing a tiny but consistent source of income.

Ø  It is a valuable resource for landless laborers and people without cattle, sheep, or goats.

Ø  It does not necessitate a certain sort of housing, food, or management, therefore it can be managed by uneducated people, females, and children.

Ø  The cycle begins with a tiny investment and continues with a small investment from generation after generation.

Ø  This technique eliminates the cruelties of today's intensive poultry management systems.

Ø     Due to the triple benefits of self-employment, supplemental income, and the availability of a cheap supply of protein to combat malnutrition, poultry production is becoming recognized as a significant tool for socioeconomic betterment among the poorer sections of society.

      Here are some points to keep in mind

The following points must be under your consideration in backyard poultry farming.

1.      Raise high and standard breed of chicken.

2.      Provide the proper and balanced amount of diet according to the requirement of chicken.

3.      Particular attention should be paid to the proper choice of location and construction of the poultry shed.

4.      Special attention should be paid to vaccination and timely treatment.

5.      Find a suitable market for selling eggs or hens.

Building/Poultry Shed

Laying hens require 2-2.5 square feet of living space. Care should be taken not to spend too much money on its construction. The roof of the shed should be such that the sun cannot enter and the birds are protected from the rain. The length of the suitable shed should be east to west and the width should be north to south. The floor of the shed should be solid so that it can be easily kept clean and washed as needed. The height should be such that the shed can be cleaned satisfactorily.

Utensils for Hens

Feeders and waterers are needed for better growth of hens. The use of these utensils keeps the shed clean and significantly reduces food waste. Different kinds of utensils are used according to the age of the birds.

1.      Trough feeder: These utensils are used for chicks from one day to 5 weeks of age.

2.      Tube feeder: These utensils are used for hens from 5 weeks to puberty.

3.      Waterer: The use of the waterer keeps the water clean. One waterer is enough for 25 birds.

Dimension for Nest

Nest contains 1.5'× 1'× 1.5' boxes. One nest is enough for 5 hens. Their use protects the eggs from breaking and the eggs from getting dirty.

Chicks Hatching

There are two ways to get chicks from eggs.

1.      Natural Method: Used in rural areas by using dry hens.

2.      Artificial Method: Used in commercial poultry farming by using a hatching machine.

The Season for Chicks Hatching

Chicks should be hatched in weather that is neither too cold nor too hot so that the chicks can be protected from the extreme weather and take good care of themselves.

Selection of Eggs for Chicks Hatching

1.      Eggs should be neat and clean.

2.      Eggs should not contain any kind of dirt.

3.      More chicks can be obtained from medium size eggs.

4.      Eggs shell should not be soft so that it can easily break after little pressure.

5.      Eggs should not be stored for more than one week.

Feed Formulation for Laying Hens

According to the following formula, ten kilograms of feed can be prepared at home for laying hens.

 

Serial No	Ingredients	Quantity
1	Dry Bread	6 kg
2	Cotton seed cake	1 kg
3	Sunflower Meal	1 kg
4	Red Lentil, Green Lentil, Gram	0.5 kg
5	Wheat Bran	0.5 kg
6	Limestone	250 grams
7	Bone Meal	250 grams
8	Green Fodders	0.5 kg

 

Soak the above-mentioned ingredients in a sufficient amount of water for one hour. Then cook it for 15-20 minutes and mix it properly. Add 30 grams of salt while mixing the ingredients. When the soft paste is ready, take it off, cool it, put it in the feeders, and feed to hens. This feed can meet the daily requirement of 100 hens.

 

Vaccination

Age	Vaccine	Dose/bird (ml)	Route
Just after hatching	Marek’s	0.3 cc	Sub-cut
5-7 days	ND+IB	0.025 cc (one drop)	E/D
9 days	HPS	0.25 cc	I/M
8-12 days	IBD	0.025 cc (one drop)	E/D
18-20 days	IBD	-	D/W
21-22 days	ND (Lasota)	-	D/W
28-30 days	IBD	-	D/W
32-34 days	ND (Lasota)	-	D/W
6th week	Fowl Pox	One dip of prong	W/W
8th week	Coryza	0.25 cc	S/C OR I/M
10th week	ND+IB	-	D/W
14th week	Coryza	0.25 cc	S/C OR I/M
16th week	ND+IB+EDS	0.25 cc	S/C OR I/M
After every two month	ND (Lasota)	-	D/W

 

Note:

1.       Re-vaccinate tour birds against ND every two months.

2.      Vaccines schedule may vary depending on the nature of the disease in different areas.

        It is necessary to keep proper records on the date of vaccination and on vaccines used including type,  brand, and serial number, date of purchase, and date of use of a vaccine.

Availability of Medicine

You can get all the medicines for your birds from a veterinary hospital by consulting a veterinarian in your country.

For more guidance and consultancy feel free to reach out to me. I'd be happy to assist you.

Dr. Javaria Waheed

D.V.M  (RVMP)  Ph.D. (Animal Nutrition) 

javaria106@gmail.com