By Ifechukwu Nwobodo-Anyanwu

In the early hours of the morning, they wake us up with what we colloquially call ‘kokoroo koooo’. The correct English spelling though is ‘cock-a-doodle-doo’. For many heavy sleepers, it is only these insistent crows that jolt them from a deep slumber. Unlike the bedside alarm clock, you cannot shut them up with a flick of your fingers. These creatures are called chickens, roosters, hens, cocks, birds, fowls, cockerels, pullets, or capons as the case may be.

If you are planning on taking your role as an agricultural stakeholder to a higher level through animal farming, having a poultry farm should definitely be in your book. There are many reasons for this assertion because truthfully; what can we do without chicken? From your poultry you get healthy white meat, you get eggs that are very high protein sources, you also get feathers used for upholstery padding, pillow stuffing among other things, and you get the manure from their waste which comes in handy in the crop farms.

Starting a poultry farm does not require huge capital and a lot of land unlike some other forms of agricultural ventures. The space required could be as small as the 4 by 4 feet for a simple cage built with wood and net. The farmer could learn about poultry farming by researching online or reading a book. He can even visit a nearby farm and learn by observation and a few questions.

Armed with this preliminary knowledge, starter chicks can be purchased, drinking bowls and feed bins for the meal and he can set up the business behind his house. Chickens are mostly independent animals so they do not require a lot of attention except you live in an area where there are predators. Predators can come in the form of dogs, hawks, snakes or even human beings in which case leaving them locked up in their cage would be your best bet.

You can keep your day job while you gradually expand and increase your poultry. Many celebration seasons offer you opportunities to sell your broilers either at the market or to your friends. If your research paid off and you were able to get the right breed of chickens, you can be picking fresh eggs daily from the cage which you can either sell or utilize at home.

Many baking recipes require chicken breasts and a lot more require eggs. It can be safe to say that in over 97% of our functions and events in Nigeria and beyond, poultry products are be among the major cuisine. A visit to any of the markets in town is further proof that you cannot go wrong in raising chickens. The market place is replete with chicken sellers in their droves and all of them smile home with stuffed pockets because poultry farming produces staple products that even struggling households can afford to enjoy.

So what are you waiting for? Go ahead and get a poultry farm started and be happy you did.