How To Get More Chicks With 3 Hens Of Indigenous Breeds
Very many people think that for you to be a successful poultry farmer you have to start with a thousand chickens. It all boils down to passion. Do it with passion. Let the money come second. You can multiply your stock quickly using only 3 hens. This is for the small-scale farmers who have small sizes of land, live in town or are low-income earners.
Start With 3 Hens
- Once the first hen shows signs of brooding give it one unfertilized egg from hybrid chicken to sit on.
- Once the second hen also shows brooding signs, give it one unfertilized egg from a hybrid chicken to sit on.
- When the third hen now shows signs of broodiness give each bird 10-12 fertilized eggs to sit on but remember to remove the unfertilized egg you had earlier put for the two hens.
Using this method you will be able to get at least 20-25 chicks after 21 days. That's why I usually emphasize starting small. Never despise humble beginnings.
DOs AND DON'TS
- Eggs for hatching should not exceed 2 weeks of age. The hatching rate reduces after two weeks. It's better to consume
- Dirty or cracked eggs should not be used for hatching because of the high chances of contamination by bacteria.
- You can buy eggs from other farmers if your birds don't have enough eggs or if your eggs are more than 2 weeks old. Make sure the source of eggs is a trusted farmer. You don't want to have cases of inbreeding on your farm, do you?
- Hatching eggs should be kept in a well-aerated place. The eggs have small pores and need to 'breathe too.'
- Store hatching eggs in a tray or a box filled with clean soil. If using a box, cut it halfway and fill it with soil.
- Store your eggs with the sharp ends facing downwards because of the air space on the broader end which needs to 'breath'
- Don't touch hatching eggs with moist hands or oily hands. This can block the pores or contaminate the eggs.
- Eggs for hatching should be collected twice a day from hens. In the morning and mid-day.
- Write the dates of laying and the egg number on the egg using a pencil.
- Clean the dirty eggs using a cloth soaked in surgical spirit or a slightly damp cloth. Don't wash eggs for hatching.
- Have laying boxes in the poultry house in such a way that each box can accommodate 3 laying birds. During brooding, you can choose one laying box for brooding. Make sure you leave an egg there to attract a hen and necessitate brooding. You can use an old basket and place banana leaves inside.
I believe anyone can be a poultry farmer if he or she chooses to. You don't have to have much money for you to keep chicken. Three hens can even give you more than 100 birds in a year believe it or not and the feeding costs for 3 hens are not as high. Just be patient and have a vision of what you are doing and you will succeed. Maybe give me a tray of eggs or roasted chicken when I visit you as a successful farmer.
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