Any poultry farmer out there would attest to the fact that the greatest challenge facing the poultry industry right now is the astronomical rise in the cost of DOC broilers and pullets. These hatcheries hold us by the balls and are cashing out heavily on our misfortune. This is also coming at a time when the broiler market is heavily saturated and the demand for matured bird are lower, due to the economic condition. It is now very difficult, even as a small holder farmer, to make a profit of ₦300 per bird. When u pay ₦580 for a day old bird, and spend (using a best case scenario estimate) and average of ₦1100 to bring that bird to market size at 8 weeks, it is still quite difficult to get the market women to pay above ₦2000 for such bird. This is very disheartening and farmers, without knowing it are gradually eroding their capital and driving themselves out of business.
I think it is high time we farmers put on our thinking cap and start figuring out how to fight for ourselves and survive. I think farmers should come together in groups of 10 or less.........(People who can muster considerable funds) to pool resources and establish breeder (parent stock) farms and solar powered incubators. The main aim should not be to sell DOC but just to get enough chicks to stock their individual farms regularly.
I shud assume that a 1500 capacity parent stock farm can service 10 farmers of 700 broiler (x 2 pens) capacity each, if they take turns of 3 farmers per batch every week to take up the hatched eggs and stock their farm. That way, each of the 10 farmers is guaranteed a regular 3-weekly supply of DOC at a highly reduced cost. Any farmer that lack adequate capacity to take up and stock his quota of DOC is free to sell it off to outsiders.

I know a lot of expertise is required to run a breeder farm, but with the right network, and enough capacity that comes from the combined resources, everything is possible. To ensure fair play, the combining farmers can form a new company and draw up an iron clad agreement. Internal controls like web based CCTVs can also be installed and viewed by all partners from the comfort of their phones to monitor daily proceedings in the farms.

We need to rise to the challenge and fight these companies ripping us off in the name of DOCs.

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Good advice

Vl3ly:
Good advice

I actually believe this is worth doing. If I can identify 5 farmers (of equal capacity like myself) in my state of residence willing to undertake this project, then I will definitely be the 6th. And we will give it a shot

obstead200:
I actually believe this is worth doing. If I can identify 5 farmers (of equal capacity like myself) in my state of residence willing to undertake this project, then I will definitely be the 6th. And we will give it a shot

how much can this process cost each farmer

Vl3ly:
how much can this process cost each farmer

Bros I don't know. I just shared a thought to encourage farmers to come together and tackle a common problem. When farmers who are interested come together, they can commence a detailed feasibility study of the project

obstead200:
Bros I don't know. I just shared a thought to encourage farmers to come together and tackle a common problem. When farmers who are interested come together, they can commence a detailed feasibility study of the project

OK thanks for the good advice

Nice

apt info.... I'm in