By Umar Nsubuga
Samuel Oyo, a resident of Mirongo village Butiiti subcounty in Kyenjojo district and a famous chicken farmer says layers are good money makers, and he gives tips.
He says if you have money and are looking for an investment, then layers will make you smile all the way to the bank.
However, they require huge startup capital. A day-old layer chick costs sh2,800.
He says layers feed on chick and duck mash for the first two months.
Within this period, each bird will consume at least 2kgs, with a kilo on average costing sh1,200-sh1,400.
From two to five months, they feed on growers’ mash. During this period, each bird will consume at least 6kg.
A kilo of this feed costs sh950-sh1,000. From production (when the chicken starts laying) at 20 weeks, the chicken are fed layers mash.
When production of eggs falls below 60%, a farmer is advised to dispose of the chicken. When it comes to vaccination, 500 layers will cost about sh155,000. Vaccines include Newcastle, infectious bronchitis, Gumboro, fowl pox and fowl typhoid.
They are administered at different intervals, as directed by a professional extension or veterinary officer. On average, 500 birds will produce 14 trays of eggs per day, for 40 weeks. A tray of eggs costs sh8,000.
Layers will give you a production capacity of 85% and each bird will produce between 300 and 320 eggs throughout her laying cycle.
The market for eggs is available in many trading centres around the country. Good feeding must not be substituted for anything, because layers give as much as they eat.
Challenges
The labour, the cost of raw materials used for processing feeds; fake poultry dealers and diseases are the major challenges for such a project.
It is not easy to get trusted workers, sometimes workers are lazy and they need to be ‘pushed’ before they do any work, another challenge could be the thieves.
The cost of ingredients, such as mukene, and cotton seeds, keeps increasing, which sharply cuts into the profit margins. Sometimes it’s good to cultivate maize.
