Azarina:
Hello beautiful people
I'm sad for not discovering this lovely thread as at the time I started my local hen farming

And I'm so happy, I discover this thread when I'm starting to see this hobby as a business.
I sincerely appreciate every beautiful minds here, i had thought I'm the only person on earth seeing a vision in the local hen farming
Not knowing I'm just a learner. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge without holding back anything

My journey
I bought my first hen at the market (24th August 2019)at #800
It laid 12eggs(oct)and hatched 10(nov)

I kept the mother and chick in the cage and gave broiler starter. At wk2, I noticed dropping feathers and stunted growth. I gave them herbal medication, it wasn't working

I let down out of the cage to scavenge in order to self medicate. No improvement .the mother was always coming home to ask for broiler starter
Eventually, I lost 6
The surviving 4 are 3 females and a male

After 6 months (July 2020).the mother and 2 daughters collectively hatched 13 chick's. I lost all to this same strange disease and they also had coryza and pox. The mothers are having fighting for custody of the chicks

I've sold 4 chicken (the mother she is so bossy and fight with others #1000, 2 cocks #1500 to the market women, 1 laying hen knocked down by a car, i vex collect 1500)

I have 3cocks to sell by September

I will try the neem and aloe gel extract, i pray it will help combat this strange disease. I always have this outbreak each time I cage them

Im very happy to be here. Next, I'm going to buy 1 female noiler and 1 Fulani breed

Welcome! And thank you for sharing your experience.

First off, make sure your environment is very clean. Bio-security is very underrated when it comes to poultry, you need to take it serious. And before you keep new chickens in that cage, please disinfect it with bleach.

And try the neem-aloe extract. Its benefits are a lot.

QTCL:

From my experience so far on this local chicken and noiler commercialisation,i have thought about it, that one cant rely only on the local hens for hatching of eggs,like for example in my farm,my noilers poduces far more fertilised eggs than the local hens and getting them broody at each point to hatch all the available eggs have been a challenge as the local hens dont go broody all at once.
This as brought me to the conclusion that an incubator is needed despite having more than 40 local hens or else no commercialisation.
Can you show us your battery setup,my incubator is 160watts and am in need of a setup that can un constantly to powe the incubator.

I honestly got tired of doing that synchronized hatching. It was too much effort for not enough reward. So I opted for an incubator.

160w? It sounds like you have that small automatic incubator? The only thing that requires electricity with my incubator is the fan, and its 6amps only, about the energy consumption of one white bulb, so thats why a 50amps battery can power it.

The source of heat in my incubator is a kerosene lamp, and currently I estimate around 93 naira kero burn rate per day, which I think is very okay for its capacity.

I decided to keep the incubator at home, as we have constant light and I won’t have to spend additional money setting up in the farm. So I didn’t end up buying the battery and the panel.

You can ask a solar technician for an estimate to set up your incubator 24/7/365.

mojid22000:
I love this thread
I actually made a kerosene lantern incubator using cartons out of curiousity
One hen abandoned her eggs so I was really curious if I could hatch the eggs after reading about the kero incubator
To God be the glory I hatched 2 eggs out of 4.
One egg got spoilt and maybe i was too excited not to candle the other egg well. When disposing it it had a dead chick in it
Though I love the experiene and will incubate again in the future
My two chicks hatched on the 19th day, I think most local hens do that cos of the small size of the eggs cos my broody hen hatched all nine eggs on 19th day too
Though she didn't get up much cos I had food and water by her side
My incubator chicks are 3 day old now

Well done!

Egg size does not affect the length of brooding period, temperature does. So if its hot around your area, you can expect an early hatch. During harmattan, some chickens take up to 22-23 days to hatch.

SoftHeart:
Greetings all,
I noticed that my Noilers (about 15 weeks old now) doesn't like to eat formulated feeds, I have tried several brands (Top feed, Vital, Chikun, and one other feed that I couldn't remember the name at the moment).

They always ignore the feeds. Say I give them feed in the morning when I come back in the afternoon, it will still be there, almost untouched, so I will be forced to take it to the broilers in the cage.

When we bought them, we restricted their movement for two weeks and fed them formulated feeds, which they actually eat to a reasonable extent. Thereafter we released them to free range in the backyard and ever since they've been avoiding formulated feeds. They eat more of kitchen food waste, which I believe is not always enough for them, they eat leaves too (bitter leaves, water leaves and some other leaves).

I'm worried because I think they may not grow well, so I've been searching for an alternative, I gave them some millet and guinea corn, it seems they love it as much as they love eating kitchen food waste. So we bought some, but I noticed that both millet and guinea corn is more expensive than formulated feeds when I compared the price per kilogram.

Has anyone experienced this situation with their Noilers?
Is there anywhere I can get millet and guinea corn at a cheaper price?
The price here is about N200 per kilogram.

Wow. Never experienced this before. Maybe they are not used to eating formulated feed.

I had similar issue whenever I will buy a local chicken from the market. They will shun the feed at first, but they always come back to eat later on.

NativeChicken:
Good day All. Its given we all agree that our local chicken breed can be commercialized for good profit.
Its also given that we can improve their meat & egg production capacity by crossing them with other breeds like Noiler, Layer, Fulani etc for improved efficiency.
What with now need to discuss , i believe are 3 major factors that will enhance productivity and profit :-
1. How do we handle Health - Vaccination & Antibiotic treatment??
2. What are the standard management processes we need to employ?
3. How do we cut down feed cost without inhibiting production??

These are some salient issues we need to address for our local chicken business to thrive

I think we’ve all touched on this roughly. We just need to put it into practice.

Btw do you or anyone here have access to duckweed and azolla? I need to get some to culture and experiment with them.

Farouq94:


Wow. Never experienced this before. Maybe they are not used to eating formulated feed.

I had similar issue whenever I will buy a local chicken from the market. They will shun the feed at first, but they always come back to eat later on.

It's strange to me too, but they eat millet and guinea corn very well, as well as kitchen food waste. I'm worried they would have grown bigger [and heavier] if they had accepted formulated feeds.

At about 15 weeks, the average weight is approximately 2.4kg, the biggest rooster is 3.3kg while the smallest hen is 1.9kg.
I'm new to farming so I don't know if this weight range is okay for their age.

Farouq94:


The Brahma cross breeds I have weren’t an intentional effort. It just happened. And I noticed that their offspring laid much more eggs than the local chicken, and thats part of the reason I started this project.

So if this project proves successful, the goal is to pick the best performers from their offspring, get the black cockerel and start my commercial operation from there.

You need to get as many eggs as possible from these local chickens.

good job/effort

is this what the Fulani Ecotype looks like??

[quote author=sodeeqsulaimon88 post=91894900]is this what the Fulani Ecotype looks like??

SoftHeart:

It's strange to me too, but they eat millet and guinea corn very well, as well as kitchen food waste. I'm worried they would have grown bigger [and heavier] if they had accepted formulated feeds.

At about 15 weeks, the average weight is approximately 2.4kg, the biggest rooster is 3.3kg while the smallest hen is 1.9kg.
I'm new to farming so I don't know if this weight range is okay for their age.

Their weight is very okay, so you don’t have any thing to worry about, save for the needed calcium when the hens start laying. Try mixing in maize offal with the millet.

Redman44:



I have attached a picture of the Fulani chicken to this post I am making. This is how the fulani breed of chicken looks like . They are usually biger than the southern Nigerian local chicken. They also have very bright colours. Cheers.

The ones you posted are brahma chickens. This is what the fulani rooster looks like @sodeeqsulaimon88

Farouq94:


Their weight is very okay, so you don’t have any thing to worry about, save for the needed calcium when the hens start laying. Try mixing in maize offal with the millet.

All right. I will do that.
Thanks very much.

Termites as an Alternative Protein Source

If you’re free-ranging your birds, you still need to make sure that they get the most nutritive feed nature has to offer. Black soldier fly larvae, termites, duckweed, the fauna that thrives in composts...etc. All these are nutritious protein sources that you can use to supplement the protein requirement of your local chickens, at a very cheap rate.

My first go-to would’ve been the BSF larvae, but because my location is not its natural habitat, growing them will require extra costs and attention, and I prefer a self-sustaining model with minimal input. So I’m going for termites. My chickens love them and we have their colonies in abundance.

This is what their larvae look like, their colonies are usually underground and getting a good pic of them is difficult as they do not like light.

Farouq94:
Termites as an Alternative Protein Source

If you’re free-ranging your birds, you still need to make sure that they get the most nutritive feed nature has to offer. Black soldier fly larvae, termites, duckweed, the fauna that thrives in composts...etc. All these are nutritious protein sources that you can use to supplement the protein requirement of your local chickens, at a very cheap rate.

My first go-to would’ve been the BSF larvae, but because my location is not its natural habitat, growing them will require extra costs and attention, and I prefer a self-sustaining model with minimal input. So I’m going for termites. My chickens love them and we have their colonies in abundance.

This is what their larvae look like, their colonies are usually underground and getting a good pic of them is difficult as they do not like light.

Read a lot about black soldier flies too.
Do we have them here on Nigeria?
I hv actually experimented with house flies,
Was partially successful but need conscious efforts, space and rotten foods

Farouq94:


I think we’ve all touched on this roughly. We just need to put it into practice.

Btw do you or anyone here have access to duckweed and azolla? I need to get some to culture and experiment with them.

I have azolla in my farm. Message me on Whatsapp 08139720309

omojacobu25:


I have azolla in my farm. Message me on Whatsapp 08139720309

And the duckweed? I’m more interested in that.

mojid22000:


Read a lot about black soldier flies too.
Do we have them here on Nigeria?
I hv actually experimented with house flies,
Was partially successful but need conscious efforts, space and rotten foods

Yes we have them in Nigeria. Depends on your location but a lot of farmers in the south see their larvae in dungs and other farm waste.

I placed some plank in my pen knowing fully well that, it will invite termites cos they almost destroy my pen some months back. After like a week, i will go and remove the planks. The chicks already know that, there is food under the plank. They eat like kilo de. They really enjoyed the termites. Now, im beginning to see results. They are becoming really big now. I fed them today. Tomorrow is another day.

babyboy4every1:
I placed some plank in my pen knowing fully well that, it will invite termites cos they almost destroy my pen some months back. After like a week, i will go and remove the planks. The chicks already know that, there is food under the plank. They eat like kilo de. They really enjoyed the termites. Now, im beginning to see results. They are becoming really big now. I fed them today. Tomorrow is another day.

Its like meat to them lol. They love it!

Farouq94:

You are on the right path already. You can actually attain a good weight cross-breeding with noilers. I’m also crossbreeding with them right now and their chicks gain weight faster than the normal local chick. So you don’t need the Brahma.

My only advice to you is to start small learn the process. You don’t necessarily need more than 10 chickens for a start, as you already know that local chickens are prolific breeders. When you have too many hens in one place and you don’t manage them well, you begin to have 2-3 hens sharing one nests, so one might lay 10 eggs, the other seeing too many eggs in the nest might lay one a few and then start brooding. So instead of you having say like 30 eggs, you’ll end up having 15 and that has already reduced your productivity.

Having many chickens sharing one nest will the bane of your breeding. You will have chickens abandoning their nests as soon as a couple of chicks start hatching, and leave the rest of the clutch causing chick death even before they hatch. I’ve had this issue too many times.

So even 5 hens and a male noiler are enough. Have enough nests for them and watch your chicken population grow. I started with less than ten, and I have over a hundred.

Btw your chickens look great. They have beautiful features- height, plumage..everything. Where did you get them?

where can I get this noiler bird here in Nigeria. plus if you don't mind, can you drop your WhatsApp number?

Good day everyone, I will say big thanks for everyone for the big share knowledge in this thread, and also to our Oga’s For there continues efforts in research making and helping others.

@native chicken,please, how do you make your organic calcium and multivitamins?

I got 15 noilers and they are of 9 days today and I wish to strict all medications to organic.

Treatment so far, glucose for the first two days, to relax there system from transportation stress,neem leave extract in day 3/5 as antibacterial to treat them with any infection they may have come with, ordinary clean water again at day 6, day 7 I noticed bloody and brown poo , I administered bitter leave, saint leave extract , ginger, garlic, dried pepper and aloe Vera extract.....situation is normal now, but am thinking either to continue this medication until 5days or to stop today after 3rd day, I had prepared tagiri , garlic , ginger extract about 3weeks before their arrival as remedy for vaccination. I feel they need some multivitamin to easy them of previous medications so they will not get too stress, and also some calcium will be good too, but I feed them formulated feeds only , Am not sure if the calcium in the feeds is enough for now? .

Please, what am I doing wrong? , hope fear of losing any birds is making me to over medicate them? . Yes 2 of the birds looks week since arrival and not eating like others, but I noticed some changes in them today but yet they are not strong like others and still cannot rush feeds like others..... what can I do?

I forgot to include the bio security measures so far, I washed my brooding cage 3weeks before arrival and apply some kerosine, when I noticed the blood poo I wash the cage again and apply kerosene and also put wood shavings, meanwhile I do not apply wood shavings until I notice the strange poo, but I clean the cage every morning .

GafarOlatunji:
Good day everyone, I will say big thanks for everyone for the big share knowledge in this thread, and also to our Oga’s For there continues efforts in research making and helping others.

@native chicken,please, how do you make your organic calcium and multivitamins?

I got 15 noilers and they are of 9 days today and I wish to strict all medications to organic.

Treatment so far, glucose for the first two days, to relax there system from transportation stress,neem leave extract in day 3/5 as antibacterial to treat them with any infection they may have come with, ordinary clean water again at day 6, day 7 I noticed bloody and brown poo , I administered bitter leave, saint leave extract , ginger, garlic, dried pepper and aloe Vera extract.....situation is normal now, but am thinking either to continue this medication until 5days or to stop today after 3rd day, I had prepared tagiri , garlic , ginger extract about 3weeks before their arrival as remedy for vaccination. I feel they need some multivitamin to easy them of previous medications so they will not get too stress, and also some calcium will be good too, but I feed them formulated feeds only , Am not sure if the calcium in the feeds is enough for now? .

Please, what am I doing wrong? , hope fear of losing any birds is making me to over medicate them? . Yes 2 of the birds looks week since arrival and not eating like others, but I noticed some changes in them today but yet they are not strong like others and still cannot rush feeds like others..... what can I do?

I think you might be over-medicating them. Try and stick to maximum of three organic extracts. Even two will be okay, and only give for 2-3 days only.

Also, you do not need any additional calcium. Calcium is mainly for development of bones in chicks and eggs in grown chicken. If you don’t see any leg defects, you don’t need to add calcium to your feed.

Have you ever had coccidiosis outbreak before? I highly doubt your birds will have coccidiosis at Day 6. If they do, then it must be from the hatchery you got them, and you’ll see some symptoms early like pasty vent.

West2North:


where can I get this noiler bird here in Nigeria. plus if you don't mind, can you drop your WhatsApp number?

Ask any seller of chicks, they can link you up.

This weeks hatch came in at Day 20/21. I tried maintaining the temperature at 37C/37.5C, which is why they’re hatching earlier than my previous batch. Hatch day has fast become my favorite day of the week. There is this inexplicable joy I get every time I open up the incubator and find fluffy chicks chirping.

The birds from last week’s hatch are doing great, and a total of 43 chicks consumed less 1000g of feed. Looking forward to comparing notes with this weeks batch. So far about 53 chicks have hatched.

The first batch of chicks, from my maiden hatch. They clocked four weeks and seeing how fast they’ve grown is really encouraging. I am beginning to see the feasibility of this project! They won’t be out to free-range until they are 2 months.

Farouq94:

Ask any seller of chicks, they can link you up.

alright boss. thanks

Re: Termites as Alternative Protein Source

Last week, I bought clay pots, chopped sorghum stalks, added some rice straws, then wet all the media and buried them in the ground.

I have no doubt that I’ll capture termites. I’m trying to raise these chickens with as low cost as possible without compromising on quality. The question remains how infinitely scaleable this system is, and if I can supplement my chickens protein requirement even if its by 25%.

I guess I’ll find out when I see how many termites one pot can trap.

Re:

Well done everybody, we have a lot of educative and innovative information here. I don't know if you have heard about cricket farming before. Cricket will also serve as a good source of non conventional protein for the birds. Everybody should try and do research on it.

Farouq94:
Re: Termites as Alternative Protein Source

Last week, I bought clay pots, chopped sorghum stalks, added some rice straws, then wet all the media and buried them in the ground.

I have no doubt that I’ll capture termites. I’m trying to raise these chickens with as low cost as possible without compromising on quality. The question remains how infinitely scaleable this system is, and if I can supplement my chickens protein requirement even if its by 25%.

I guess I’ll find out when I see how many termites one pot can trap.

@Farouq94 - Your efforts are quite commendable!

I like that you are trying to provide alternative, organic protein for your local poultry. I guess, it would be of immense insight to share my personal termite-hunt experience.

Simply, I place used flattened carton or cardboard over the most moist area (especially where I had noticed few insect/termite holes) in my yard. I do this in the evenings. The idea is, by the following morning, you will find termites under the carton. My fowls know this, so they usually cluster around the carton, and start their feast as soon as I remove it.

[/b]Similarly, I rear worms as alternative protein for my local poultry as well[b]. I use waste wood-shaving-litters for this process. There is a part of my little farm where I dump used litters. All you need to do is to add water to the heap of the used litters. In fact, I dispose dirty water from my poultry water-cans and drinkers to the dump site. As a result of decomposition, which is accelerated by poultry dungs, water and heat from sun, worms naturally start breeding underneath the decomposing used poultry-litter dump. You would see hundreds of huge, huge worms when you turn the litters with a shovel or rake. Local fowls like this sumptuous delicacy - which can be achieved at almost no extra cost.

An

Adeoye007:
Well done everybody, we have a lot of educative and innovative information here. I don't know if you have heard about cricket farming before. Cricket will also serve as a good source of non conventional protein for the birds. Everybody should try and do research on it.

Thank you.

Yes I’ve come across cricket farming when I was researching the BSF larvae. I have a lot of crickets at home and I noticed that whenever I bring out my chicks to stretch their legs, they don’t really eat crickets. But they fight over small termites.

Maybe the grown chickens might eat them.