wisdomline:


Dear, you have done a pretty good job. However, please, take note that day-old local chicks do not require lattern or any heating system to keep warm.

You just need to keep them in a carton relative to their size and cover the carton at night. For instance, if you have about 12 chicks, a small indomie carton would do just fine. At night, you flip the lids over - almost ajar - not completely closed, and they will be fine.

For everyone's information, I have huge experience in raising local chickens as well as cross-breeding them to attain between 2.5 - 3kg in about 6-7months. However, I often don't have time to discuss my progress on this platform. I believe I will do that someday for a fee though.

It's been one of the most fascinating learning experience for me, but the learning curve has been really rewarding.

Good luck everyone!

All day old chickens actually require a source of heat for at least two weeks. Using a thermometer is the best way to avoid any issues, and its very inexpensive to get one. The only concern with using lantern is the fumes, as that can cause respiratory diseases. But if the lantern is in good condition, then its okay to use it as a source of heat. Also, closing them up in a carton might not be the best way, as that can suffocate them, if that doesn’t, it might create a humid environment inside the carton, which is like inviting bacteria to start proliferating inside, as their poop is already there.

If you don’t mind me, you can share how you got that weight, it doesn’t have to be an in-depth explanation. So we can all learn a thing or two. Thank you.

@ Faroe, thanks for the encouragement.... Yes I will work on your advice, I will stop getting more for now and see how it goes with the one I already have, I do not think your way before, each of the nest are big enough to accommodate like 3 mature hen so I thought it’s possible they share the nest , I never think of possibility of them laying at same time, this is a good advice, thanks for sharing .

Pls, How do you feed your chick ? , as for me I feed them formulated feeds, stater for now, because the older ones in the picture are six weeks plus, while the remaining are 3&1 weeks,I give them little in the morning and also in the evening, I use my hand for measurement so I give two in the morning and allow them to free range and search for the remaining on there own, and one in the evening before they go back to rest in their nest. I Think this is important in poultry management to achieve good productivity.

I got my chicks from my mother in-law, she is rearing chicken so since I show interest, whenever her hen hatch she will call me to come and pick them up.

If I may ask, how do you get your local incubator, this is a good technology, I will love to have one too when it’s necessary. Do you get someone build it for you or you bought it ? How much dose it cost? , what are your experience so far with it ?.

Thanks and have a nice time, looking forward to read from you soon.

Make I book apartment for here o , I will rear this local chickens one day as I don't like broilers and co.

jidestroud:


The pleasure is all mine.

You'll be amazed how profit-yielding goat rearing is. No stress at all.

And of cos, I've been exploring this angle. I have been improving my locals with the help of Male Kuroilers and Male Broilers (Ross 308). It's been a wonderful experience with the outcomes I have been getting. Honestly, controlling the breeding using your stock brings out the best of your animals even in chickens.

I think you have an advantage with your goats as well. You get feed at very cheap prices. My red sokotos are voracious eaters, but I have found a way to reduce costs by including rice bran in their diet, which I get from a nearby rice mill very cheaply. I’m also planting some legume forage for them during this rainy season that I will sustain throughout the dry season.

That interesting, cross-breeding with the Ross308 strain. I’m interested to know the outcome, do the chicks maintain the same instincts like the local chicken? Like the scavenging ability, disease-resistance, that kind of thing?

jidestroud:
An interesting thread. Make I sidon here learn.

Me I don kuku carry my mat and popcorn land here.... No leave no transfer

Farouq94:
Here are some pics (I have attached only a couple pics but its saying “entry too large”

Snap, screenshot it and edit, then post..... You will have a reduced mb to allow you post as many as you like.

@farouq94, nice project I must say.

Native fowl business is cool, when work on numbers.


From farms av been to, who rear them, they usually have some good quality males, either from cockerel, hacko or noilers, even some broiler males to cross the local females. This gives them improved breeds with quick growth and moderate weight.


I also noticed ones their hen hatch it's eggs, immediately they will take them away to the brood pen, and take care of them for a 4weeks, before releasing to the growing pen.. After another 2weeks, they can start to range freely on their own.. This helps the hens, to return to laying in shorter time, rather than spending long time raising their young ones.

Farouq94:


All day old chickens actually require a source of heat for at least two weeks. Using a thermometer is the best way to avoid any issues, and its very inexpensive to get one. The only concern with using lantern is the fumes, as that can cause respiratory diseases. But if the lantern is in good condition, then its okay to use it as a source of heat. Also, closing them up in a carton might not be the best way, as that can suffocate them, if that doesn’t, it might create a humid environment inside the carton, which is like inviting bacteria to start proliferating inside, as their poop is already there.

If you don’t mind me, you can share how you got that weight, it doesn’t have to be an in-depth explanation. So we can all learn a thing or two. Thank you.

Quite true! Expectedly, virtually all day-old land mammals would require some form of heat either from their parents or as provided by the breeder because their skins are almost bare.

For native DoCs, there are two cheap strategies to keep them warm in the first two weeks:

(1) You could allow the DoCs stay with the mother hen within the first two-three weeks before weaning-off.
(2) You could collect them as soon as hatched and keep in a warm place.

I agree with you because I failed to add that I use both strategies, but prefer the latter. I usually collect almost all my native DoCs as soon as hatched. I use my laundry/Store room as brooding place. I keep them in cartons as mentioned earlier in the Store room whilst ensuring the window is closed. I stated earlier that you close the carton lids, but not completely - leaving them ajar. Corroborating your point, it's best to use a thermometer anyways.

I have raised more than 50 native chicks this way. In fact, I did synchronised hatching, and raised 36 chicks, lost one. The rest 35 are doing great. I will try share the pictures later.

Love the thread,can you shed more light on the synchronized hatching and its processes.


Quite true! Expectedly, virtually all day-old land mammals would require some form of heat either from their parents or as provided by the breeder because their skins are almost bare.

For native DoCs, there are two cheap strategies to keep them warm in the first two weeks:

(1) You could allow the DoCs stay with the mother hen within the first two-three weeks before weaning-off.
(2) You could collect them as soon as hatched and keep in a warm place.

I agree with you because I failed to add that I use both strategies, but prefer the latter. I usually collect almost all my native DoCs as soon as hatched. I use my laundry/Store room as brooding place. I keep them in cartons as mentioned earlier in the Store room whilst ensuring the window is closed. I stated earlier that you close the carton lids, but not completely - leaving them ajar. Corroborating your point, it's best to use a thermometer anyways.

I have raised more than 50 native chicks this way. In fact, I did synchronised hatching, and raised 36 chicks, lost one. The rest 35 are doing great. I will try share the pictures later.[/quote]

Our pros in the house how do we do synchronise hatching, can we look into this...

ideepaul:
Make I book apartment for here o , I will rear this local chickens one day as I don't like broilers and co.

y do u hate broilers and co

Unless I keep them for some weeks extra to mature and the drug withdrawal period to elapse, I won't eat them.

GafarOlatunji:
@ Faroe, thanks for the encouragement.... Yes I will work on your advice, I will stop getting more for now and see how it goes with the one I already have, I do not think your way before, each of the nest are big enough to accommodate like 3 mature hen so I thought it’s possible they share the nest , I never think of possibility of them laying at same time, this is a good advice, thanks for sharing .

Pls, How do you feed your chick ? , as for me I feed them formulated feeds, stater for now, because the older ones in the picture are six weeks plus, while the remaining are 3&1 weeks,I give them little in the morning and also in the evening, I use my hand for measurement so I give two in the morning and allow them to free range and search for the remaining on there own, and one in the evening before they go back to rest in their nest. I Think this is important in poultry management to achieve good productivity.

I got my chicks from my mother in-law, she is rearing chicken so since I show interest, whenever her hen hatch she will call me to come and pick them up.

If I may ask, how do you get your local incubator, this is a good technology, I will love to have one too when it’s necessary. Do you get someone build it for you or you bought it ? How much dose it cost? , what are your experience so far with it ?.

Thanks and have a nice time, looking forward to read from you soon.

For my grown chickens, I feed them a mixture of layer mash, wheat bran and rice bran. I sometimes add maize bran to it as well. And I allow them to scavenge for insects to boost up their protein level.

One of the things I’d like to find out is the optimal level of crude protein for local chickens. I find a lot of conflicting information online in published articles. Some say that a crude protein of 16% is optimal for local chicks. The starter you’re giving them will be around 21% crude protein, so if that is the case, then you’re giving them way more protein that they can utilise. I usually mix wheat bran with my starter to add to the volume, and that is a way to reduce cost too. Though you mention that you give them a little quantity, so I guess that extra protein helps to sustain them.

When you feed them pure starter, you end up spending too much. Local chickens have a point where they reach their limit of performance. So even if you’re giving them the best most expensive feed out there, they simply cannot utilize it because of their genetic limits. This is one aspect I’ll be experimenting on, their protein requirement and feed intake, and I hope to share as soon as I start having hatches from my incubator.

I purchased the incubator from the National Incubation Centre in Kano. I think they have branches in all states. They make several sizes, automatic or semi-automatic (like mine). From a hundred egg capacity to thousands of eggs. Mine is a 300eggs semi-automatic incubator, and I got it made for 75k. I can’t attest to its hatching rate as I just started using it. But so far so good. Though my only concern with it is controlling the temperature. Unlike the automatic incubator that turns off heating source when its get hot, with this one you have to have someone checking the thermometer regularly to ensure it doesn’t get above the optimal temperature.

I hope this answers your question.

Farouq94:


All day old chickens actually require a source of heat for at least two weeks. Using a thermometer is the best way to avoid any issues, and its very inexpensive to get one. The only concern with using lantern is the fumes, as that can cause respiratory diseases. But if the lantern is in good condition, then its okay to use it as a source of heat. Also, closing them up in a carton might not be the best way, as that can suffocate them, if that doesn’t, it might create a humid environment inside the carton, which is like inviting bacteria to start proliferating inside, as their poop is already there.

If you don’t mind me, you can share how you got that weight, it doesn’t have to be an in-depth explanation. So we can all learn a thing or two. Thank you.

Good analysis.

Farouq94:

Brahma’s are exotic chickens, so they are mainly kept as pets or show birds. The people that buy them are the same set of people that will spend some couple hundred thousands on peacocks in their homes. So if you have that market close to you, breeding fancy chickens can be very lucrative.

I think I’ve seen a couple of threads here advertising these fancy chickens. You can check them out. Also you can check pages like Sufypets on instagram. In any case, do your due diligence, and if you have the connect and the market, you’ll make money breeding them.

does the brahma's birds serves only as pet,if so,can you sell the product from cross breeding it with our locals as meat.secondly,

Munzy14:
@farouq94, nice project I must say.

Native fowl business is cool, when work on numbers.


From farms av been to, who rear them, they usually have some good quality males, either from cockerel, hacko or noilers, even some broiler males to cross the local females. This gives them improved breeds with quick growth and moderate weight.


I also noticed ones their hen hatch it's eggs, immediately they will take them away to the brood pen, and take care of them for a 4weeks, before releasing to the growing pen.. After another 2weeks, they can start to range freely on their own.. This helps the hens, to return to laying in shorter time, rather than spending long time raising their young ones.

These are some very useful tips you’ve shared. Yes taking away the chicks early encourages the hen to start laying early. Keeping them in growing pen for 4 weeks is actually be better than 2 weeks.

wisdomline:



Quite true! Expectedly, virtually all day-old land mammals would require some form of heat either from their parents or as provided by the breeder because their skins are almost bare.

For native DoCs, there are two cheap strategies to keep them warm in the first two weeks:

(1) You could allow the DoCs stay with the mother hen within the first two-three weeks before weaning-off.
(2) You could collect them as soon as hatched and keep in a warm place.

I agree with you because I failed to add that I use both strategies, but prefer the latter. I usually collect almost all my native DoCs as soon as hatched. I use my laundry/Store room as brooding place. I keep them in cartons as mentioned earlier in the Store room whilst ensuring the window is closed. I stated earlier that you close the carton lids, but not completely - leaving them ajar. Corroborating your point, it's best to use a thermometer anyways.

I have raised more than 50 native chicks this way. In fact, I did synchronised hatching, and raised 36 chicks, lost one. The rest 35 are doing great. I will try share the pictures later.

Okay. Thank you for clearing that out.

Are you rearing your cross-breeds on a commercial scale now?

QTCL:
Our pros in the house how do we do synchronise hatching, can we look into this...

Basically, synchronised hatching is when you get your chickens to hatch on the same day, despite the fact that they did not start laying on the same day.

Say for instance you have 3 hens, each started laying on a different day of the week. So you leave one egg in their nest which will encourage them to keep laying ( that egg should be a golf ball, or a marked boiled egg). You store the eggs you pick in a clean COOL environment and turn them at least twice a day. Don’t keep the eggs for more than 10 days, as that can reduce its hatchability. I personally don’t leave them beyond 7 days.

So even if one of the hens start to brood, it will be on that ‘dummy egg’ whilst you’re waiting for the next hen to go broody as well. As soon you have two going broody, you bring those eggs you’ve been saving, remove the ‘dummy egg’ and share the fresh eggs between them.

So they start brooding on the same day, and your chicks will hatch the same day. This will help you manage the brooding of the chicks when you take them away from their mothers, that is if you’re brooding them yourself.

I sometimes choose the biggest chicken and give her all the chicks to save from the stress of brooding.

ideepaul:
Unless I keep them for some weeks extra to mature and the drug withdrawal period to elapse, I won't eat them.

It was when I started to keep broilers that I realized the way some farmers abuse antibiotics. That thing is very alarming. Now I avoid eating broilers, and when I do, I make sure I buy from reputable farms.

coputa:
does the brahma's birds serves only as pet,if so,can you sell the product from cross breeding it with our locals as meat.secondly,

Its termed a “pet” mainly because of the way it looks and the expensive price. I’ve not kept them for over a year now so I don’t know their current price. But now it can be up 50k for a pair, so obviously people will not buy a 50k chicken and do suya with it. You get?

Local chicken can be amazing to rear and with great immunity your can have less stress. Plus you can always do your economics on Agric ecommerce platforms like "daydone" and the likes to sell your produces

Farouq94:


Basically, synchronised hatching is when you get your chickens to hatch on the same day, despite the fact that they did not start laying on the same day.

Say for instance you have 3 hens, each started laying on a different day of the week. So you leave one egg in their nest which will encourage them to keep laying ( that egg should be a golf ball, or a marked boiled egg). You store the eggs you pick in a clean COOL environment and turn them at least twice a day. Don’t keep the eggs for more than 10 days, as that can reduce its hatchability. I personally don’t leave them beyond 7 days.

So even if one of the hens start to brood, it will be on that ‘dummy egg’ whilst you’re waiting for the next hen to go broody as well. As soon you have two going broody, you bring those eggs you’ve been saving, remove the ‘dummy egg’ and share the fresh eggs between them.

So they start brooding on the same day, and your chicks will hatch the same day. This will help you manage the brooding of the chicks when you take them away from their mothers, that is if you’re brooding them yourself.

I sometimes choose the biggest chicken and give her all the chicks to save from the stress of brooding.

You got that absolutely on point.
However, I ensure about 99.5 of my eggs are hatched. By collecting the dry hatched chicks as soon as hatched, you keep the hen sitting on the rest eggs and the brooding continues, by extension, all eggs are hatched. If there is any left and the hen is out, I will put the unhatched eggs under another brooding hen, which continues the hatching.

Farouq94:


Okay. Thank you for clearing that out.

Are you rearing your cross-breeds on a commercial scale now?

Not commercially at the moment, but that is the intention in no distant future. But the scale I am now, I would say I'm still researching.

Pls what is the difference between noiler and cockerel?

jidestroud:
An interesting thread. Make I sidon here learn.

Oga jide, you don reach here?

wisdomline:



You got that absolutely on point.
However, I ensure about 99.5 of my eggs are hatched. By collecting the dry hatched chicks as soon as hatched, you keep the hen sitting on the rest eggs and the brooding continues, by extension, all eggs are hatched. If there is any left and the hen is out, I will put the unhatched eggs under another brooding hen, which continues the hatching.

I do that as well. This is something that only experience will teach you. You don’t see that written online. Some hens actually leave the nest too early, and one can assume the rest of the eggs cannot hatch when in reality they only need a day or two more.

Thanks for pointing this vital point out.

samhwande67:
Pls what is the difference between noiler and cockerel?

Noilers are a cross between broilers and cockerels.

Cockerels are mainly crosses between American ‘local chickens’. The way we have our domestic/indigenous chickens, other countries have them too. Like the black cockerel is a cross between the Rhode Island and the Plymouth Rock. So you can basically call them American local chickens.

Yesterday was Day 8 of the eggs I started incubating, I candled them to see the progress and remove any unfertilized/bad egg and I was very amazed by the process, I could see the embryos moving, and the blood vessels pumping as well. It is a very miraculous process.

This is one of the best thread so far on agric section here.
Lets talk a bit about the prices one can sell matured locals hen and cock,local cross noiler hen and cocks...kindly indicate your states and prices...at least it will help farmers like us,who are in the production of locals and local cross noiler...

QTCL:
This is one of the best thread so far on agric section here.
Lets talk a bit about the prices one can sell matured locals hen and cock,local cross noiler hen and cocks...kindly indicate your states and prices...at least it will help farmers like us,who are in the production of locals and local cross noiler...

Thats a good idea. In the North here prices vary with season. During harmattan, there is a scarcity of local chickens because of diseases, a lot of these rural farmers don’t know how to control that. Then during festive seasons prices shoot up as well.

In any case you can get a local chicken from N900-N1500 depending on size in village markets. Average price being N1000. The most I have bought a local chicken was N1800, three of them, they are HUGE fulani hens and their eggs always stand out in the farm.

Noilers you can get for N3000-N4500 depending on the above factors as well. Though they don’t have much market here. You only make money when you sell them young to these suya people as “local chickens” or when you keep and breed them, and then sell chicks or fertilised eggs.

I would love to hear from other people.

@ Farouq94 Thank you so much for bringing this type of thread to life , this is more than a thread is more of school, because me personally am learning a lot from here, and this is also giving courage to push more on my project.

Yes your previous answer to my question answered exactly what I want to know.

Thanks for sharing the process of your incubator and the egg, am eager to hear more. And want to to more about incubator and hatching of egg, other people that know more about this should kindly share.

Medication is another important aspect in poultry management, yes local birds are resistance to diseases but yet they sick sometimes. As for me I had notice blood stain in my chick poo , i think it’s sign of cocidioses , another thing that has happened to me swelling of eyes and raches around the eye.

For the blood stain poo , I treated with saint leave, bitter leave extract, pepper, ginger and garlic, I pounded pepper, garlic and ginger together and mix with the extracted leaves and it work, for the swelling eyes, I clean the surface with spirit and apply injection powder, and also give the above mixture as antibiotics, the swelling eyes treatment is still in progress but seems is working. Please, I personally needs more light on possible diseases and treat to save investment.