BY ABIODUN SIVOWAKU, Lagos
In Nigeria, the demand for poultry products continues to rise, either due to their affordability, nutritional value, or versatility in cooking.
This involves the raising and breeding of domesticated birds such as chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese for their meat or eggs.
Having healthy livestock requires proper planning, management skills, and investment in accessories. These accessories include but are not limited to, feeders and waterers, which are essential for providing food and water to the birds.
Incubators and brooders play a crucial role in hatching and raising chicks. Egg trays are used for collecting eggs, while lighting systems are important for regulating the birds’ sleep cycles and promoting egg production.
Setting up poultry farming accessories will not only ensure the health and well-being of birds but also help to generate you an income.
A Lagos businesswoman who rears chickens as a side hussle, popularly known as Mama Ene, said, she had invested in a number of waterers and feeders for her birds. These essential tools were purchased at Abattoir in the Agege area for N500 each, while the product, when searched for online, will cost you about N3000.
A chicken rearer, Olasunbo Jejelaye spent over N100,000 to get cage for the birds and other accessories for her birds.
In a conversation with Poultry Accessories seller, Kazeem Ojelade confirmed that the poultry accessories industry is quite profitable.
The market offers an array of accessories to choose from, starting with feeders and waterers. It is essential to consider the size and design of these items as they play a pivotal role in egg production and overall bird health.
A diverse range of waterer and feeder sizes are available for birds, End users can purchase large-sized ones at N800 while small-sized versions are offered at N400 per unit. Additionally, tray designs specifically catered towards day-old chicks retail between N350-N400 each.
Wholesale prices differ from end-user rates and are more affordable for bulk buyers. Some entrepreneurs specialise in hatcheries that help farmers incubate eggs successfully – this business venture has excellent potential for high profits based on the number of clients you can attract.
Some people also set up hatcheries, helping farmer’s birds hatch eggs. You can make a lot of money, but this depends on the number of clients you have.
According to Ojelade, chicken and turkey eggs are different. Chicken eggs cost N50 to incubate, as opposed to turkey egg, which goes for N100. Turkey uses up to 28 days inside an incubator, while chickens use 21 days. If you take 200 eggs of turkey to the hatchery and multiply them by 100, it will cost N20,000, and you must pay in full before they render the service.
Some hatcheries make up to N4 million weekly on either broilers or layers of turkey, depending on the number of customers you have.
On an e-commerce platform, an automatic egg incubator that caters up to 1,056 eggs costs N770,000, while one for 320 eggs costs N225,000.
Which means the more eggs it can take, the higher the price.
Another crucial accessory for poultry operations is the brooder, which serves to maintain a warm environment for the birds.
On e-commerce platforms, this item typically costs N50,000.
“If you aim to optimise efficiency, animal welfare, and productivity in your farming endeavours, you must have access to a diverse array of tools, equipment, and technologies that can aid in realising these objectives,” said Ojelade.
Business Capital
Hence, with N100,000, one can be selling poultry Accessories such as eateries and feeders while it requires millions of naira to set up poultry hatchery business..
Profitability
Profit defers depending on the amount invested and the accessories one specialises in. However, it’s a business that gives quick returns on investment.
