Chicken farming is practiced all over the world and we discuss the 3 most asked questions when farming with chickens.
What is your Profit margin when farming with chickens.
Each farmer has a different method of farming and that mean that the operating cost will never be the same and no two farmers will have the same profit margin.
Factors that will influence your profit margin:
- At what weight does the farmer sell the chickens
- Is the farmer renting the property to farm with chickens
- Staff and Wages
- Using a bore-well or municipality water
- Making his own chicken feed or buying chicken feed
- Death and Deceases
- Transport Cost buying the day-old chicks and selling the end produce
Farming with Broilers , Your profit margin should be around 52%
What is the estimate Feed Cost to start farming with 100 chickens.
When farming with broilers (unlike layers) you have to plan your budget around a six week cycle. If you want to start farming with 100 chickens it would be advisable to start a 6 week cycle with 20 chickens per week rather than a 100 at a time. Should you decide to grow 100 chickens at once, you need to keep in mind that after 6 weeks you will have to sell all your chickens and start over again. You will not have an income for another six weeks.
Plan ahead per six week cycle as you will only start making money after six weeks. Thereafter you can decide to increase the numbers of day old chicks as you already know by this time what your weekly sales are.
That being said let’s take a look at the estimate cost to start farming with 100 chickens, provided that your coop setup and water drinking system is in place.
You are going to need:
1 Bag of Starter Feed – R420.00 ($22.05)
4 Bags of Grower Feed – R390.00 ($20.48)
1 Bag of Finnisher Feed – R370.00 ($19.43)
Total R2350.00 ($123.50)
The Chickens will be at an average weight of 2.7 kg after six weeks. If you want to sell smaller chickens you can stop feeding if their weight reaches 1.8 kg so after slaughter the net weight will be roughly 1.1 kg/1.2 kg
You can read about how to sell your chickens here
How Big should a coop be for 100 Chickens
Broiler Chickens do not require a lot of space and only require 17 cm squared to live on. That is 15 birds per square meter. This might sound cruel, but in reality they do walk around in the coop and when getting closer to slaughter they do not move much.
To calculate how big your coop should be per 100 broiler chickens you divide 100 by 15 so theoretically speaking you need a total area of 2.5 x 2.5 per 100 broiler chickens. (Our coops are 3 x 2.5 meters per 100 birds) You need to calculate the feeding and watering system in the area en ensure that the chickens have enough room to move.
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Keywords for this post:
3 Most asked questions when farming with chickens
Is chicken farming profitable
what is your profit margin when farming with broiler chickens
How much does it cost to feed 100 broiler chickens
How big should a chicken coop be
How big should a chicken coop be for 100 chickens
Am a beginner in broiler Chicken farming and I would love to learn more.e.g. Hw causes mortality in chickens which are 3weeks old and over? Hw to keep chickens weighting above 2.5kg
Pay careful attention to:
1. Temperature – must be consistent, not large differences between min and max in any 24 hour period.
2. Fresh air supply from day one to slaughter.
3. Fresh water 2 to 3 times per day.
4. As from 7 days old lights off as per program or 2 periods of 4 hours during the night.
http://www.alfachicks.co.za
Thanks very much for your information. Where can I order one day old chicks, I’m in the rural area of Port Shepstone called Izingolweni.
I will try and find out who is your closet supplier
I live in Taung Northwest province I also wish to know where can I get the day old broilers nearby pls
This is what interesting me thank u all guys with advises.
Contact me on 0814127552 my name is pierre
Do you guys offer short course for poultry farming.
Hi Edmore, sorry no we don’t, feel free to ask information and if possible, myself or someone on this blog can help you.
Good infirmation
Good evening
I am interested of starting chicken farming,I would like to find out where can I get day one Chick’s and how much do they cost and their feed.
I live in Elandsfontein close to OR TAMBO airport.
http://www.alfachicks.co.za
0125611205
Thank for this info. Highly informative.
You are welcome
Hi Malcolm, can you answer the same questions if you want to farm with layers.
Hi Nolan, I will do an article about that soon
For how many days do I feed Starter, Grower an Finisher in the 6 week cycle?
Hi I am beginner want to start with layhen chicks for eggs I have to learn a lot is
Very infomative , i beed a coop for 100 chickens, how much is it and i stay in Kew, Johannesburg
I am intending to start egg production business but I don’t have much information regarding that.
I want egg chickens how much can I spend for 200 and type of feed they want?
I also want to start egg production business but I don’t have much information regarding that. Please kindly help with more information
Informative. Thank you.
I need to start a poultry with 500 chickens in DR Congo and sale eggs. Where can I buy chick and how to start. I have a land and I can build a place for chickens.
How easy can be the transport?
Malcolm
I want to find out about layers too? Pls add me to your mailing list
Hi Lukas, you have been added.
Please, I also want to start farming both layers and broilers. I need more information. Can I be part of those who could be assisted with information. My email address is: mbongei929496@gmail.com
You are more than welcome to ask questions regarding your topic on our Q & A page
Malcolm I’m New in chicken farming just finished building my backyard chicken coop.not sure if a 5mx6m can be able to carry more than 100 chickens. Help
Hi Malcom
I find your articles very informative. Can you please add me to your mailing list
You have been Added! Thanks for subscribing
Please add to mailing list
Hi Egbert, when you subscribe you are automatically added to our mailing list. Thanks for joining our team.
Thank you this was so informative, may you please advise what is the cheapest way to build chicken houses for a medium scale producing 1000 chicken a week, and what is the process of finding the market or abattoir.
Thank you all guys by providing with answers
Hi
I have started a small chicken farm. I have bought about 200 chicken it’s 5 weeks now but they are not ready for the market, my problem is that I’m scared about food costing can anyone please advise me on how to feed them daily so I can reduce the cost thanks
Elias whatsap me your chicken here 0659416978 regarding current situation
Hi
I live 10 km outside Stellenbosch on a Forest Station.
I use to get 50 ( or less) day old chicks from a farm outside Stellenbosch.
The farm Hatchery had been taken over by COUNTRY FAIR, and they dont want to sell less than a 1000 chicks to me, not even the B grade.
What can I do, or where can I go to get such a small amount.
In a time such as this is there any where that I can
Hi Adrian,
You can try Quantum Foods in Wellington. If I remembered correctly, the minimum is 100
I want to start egg production business but I don’t have much information regarding that. Please kindly help with more information. Kindly add me to the mailing list.
I want to start egg production business as well, I do not know where to start,
please add me to the mailing list.
Hi Slie,
Thanks for joining the Farming South Africa Group. You will get updates of new post’s regarding the topic of interest.
Hi I’d like to start a business as a broiler and egg ic I’m clueless any possibility if getting training or a mentor? Your assistance will be highly appreciated
Hi I like to know a lot about chicken farming
Patric bongane shongwe just read the books then u will be hirghly educated.there is many of poultry books that u can download and read them carefully.
Or u can just leave me your email so that I can help with the book
Hie can you also add me on your mailing list interested in poutry farming too
Hi Godfrey, You already subscribed. Good luck with your poultry business
where to het fertile eggs in kingwilliamstown
Where do I buy Grade A chicks in Cape Town, preferably around Durbaville or Kraaifontein areas?
You can Try Quantum Foods in Wellington
Can you add me please
You have already been added…..:)
Good day.
Your article came to my aid at the last moment.many thanks!!!
I wish to ask how many food/water troughs do i need for 100 chickens and probably how much would it cost me.
I aslo wish to ask the important supplements and medicines that i need for the same batch of 100 and how much they cost.
Please could you add me to your mailing list regarding poultry farming .many thanks
If you have subscribed to our website to make this comment, then you are on the list.
I want to start poultry farming, what do I need to start, please add me on your mailing list nosisekod@gmail.com
You are already added….That’s why you can post….:)
I want to start backyard poultry farming and I don’t know how I can build a DIY coop and where to buy a baby chicks near me. I am based in Roodepoort. Thanks in advance.
Please add me to your mailing list