Factors that make a farmer decide to use a particular method of raising chickens include their ability to finance the chicken farming operation and the size of the area they have available for raising chickens. In this section, you will learn about three methods of raising chickens, which are:
Chickens are left to find their own food and water. This method is mostly used to raise local chickens. The farmer rarely gives the chickens extra food. For this type of farming, there must be a large enough area for the chickens to roam around and find food. The chickens sleep in an informal area such as the kitchen, in the barn, etc.
Its advantages
• It is an easy way to raise livestock.
• Its cost is also low.
• Chickens get enough exercise.
• Chickens receive a mixed diet that is healthy.
Disadvantages
• Chickens are at risk of being stolen or harmed by wild animals and bad weather.
• Chicken growth is slow, reaching a weight of 1.2 kg after a year.
• It damages the environment by eating garden plants and crops like grains.
• It is easy to catch diseases.
2. Keeping half inside – half outside
This is a type of farming where the chickens have a coop with a fence at the front. Here the chickens can roost inside the coop or outside the coop while inside the fence. During the day the chickens are free to roost inside the coop especially when they want to lay and when they are incubating or they can stay inside the fence outside.
Benefits of keeping chickens half indoors and half outdoors
• Chickens are safe from various enemies.
• You will be able to feed your chickens well so they will be able to increase egg and meat production (by growing faster). • It will be easier for you to control insects and parasites that can cause diseases in your chickens.
• It is easy to separate chickens into different groups and serve them appropriately.
• It is easier to identify sick chickens than free-range chickens.
• Chickens will have access to adequate sunlight and fresh air. During hot weather, they will be free to enter the coop and stay in the shade.
• Chickens will not cause damage to your crops in the field or garden and to your neighbors.
• You will find it easy to collect and deliver compost to the garden or farm.
The challenge of keeping half indoors and half outdoors
• You must have enough time to care for your chickens.
• You will also need to have a fairly large area to breed.
• You will also incur a small additional cost to build a shed and a fence and provide the chickens with additional food.
• However, the costs of time and other equipment will be offset by the additional income you will earn from raising livestock this way.
Another method is to keep chickens indoors only. In this method, the chickens stay indoors all the time. This method of farming is mostly used by modern chicken farmers. But it can also be used for indigenous chickens, especially in areas with limited space.
Advantages of keeping chickens indoors only
• It is easier to identify and control diseases.
• It is easy to control the loss of chickens, eggs and chicks.
• It is easy to provide food according to the needs of each group.
• It is easy to identify and remove non-producing hens from the flock.
Challenges of indoor chicken farming
• You need to have enough time to fully care for your chickens.
• You also need to have a large capital to build a coop and buy food for the chickens.
• Once the disease enters, it is easy to spread. Chickens can also start bad habits like pecking at each other, etc.
Which livestock farming is best suited for rural environments?
In general, the easiest and most recommended method for the average rural farmer is semi-indoor and semi-outdoor, i.e. semi-free range. This is due to its advantages as outlined earlier. By using this livestock farming system, you will avoid the disadvantages of free range farming as outlined at the beginning of this section of this book.
Also, by using the semi-free range farming system, you will be able to do your livestock farming in the best possible way within your capabilities, because you will largely be using the raw materials available in your area………………………………………………………
