Do you have one empty plot of land? Do you want to build a steady business that puts food on your table and money in your pocket? Starting a poultry farm is one of the best ways to do this in Nigeria today. The demand for chicken and eggs never finishes. With good planning, even a small farm on one plot can bring you a strong profit.

This guide will walk you through the practical steps. I will try to make it easy to follow and use real Nigerian prices to help you start strong and avoid common mistakes.

Step 1: Plan Your Farm and Choose Your Path

Before you buy one chick, you need a plan. This will save you from wasting your money.

1. Choose Your Main Product:
You need to decide if you will focus on meat or eggs. This choice determines everything else.

• Broilers (For Meat): These chickens grow very fast. You can raise and sell them in just 6 to 8 weeks. This gives you a quick return on your money. Popular breeds in Nigeria are Arbor Acres, Ross, and Cobb.
• Layers (For Eggs): These chickens are for egg production. They start laying eggs at about 18 weeks and can continue for over a year. This gives you a daily source of income. Good breeds include ISA Brown and Hy-Line. For a tougher bird that also gives eggs and meat, consider Noiler.

2. Create a Simple Budget:
Let us put down some real numbers for a small start. For example, let us plan for 100 birds.

• Land: You have your plot already. If you need to rent, it can cost from ₦50,000 per year in a rural area.
• Housing (Pen): A simple, strong pen for 100 birds can cost between ₦150,000 to ₦400,000. Use local materials like wood and zinc to save cost.
• Chicks:
  • 100 Broiler day old chicks: ₦400 x 100 = ₦40,000
  • 100 Layer day old chicks: ₦500 x 100 = ₦50,000
• Feed (Your Biggest Cost):
  • A broiler will eat about 4 to 5kg of feed in its life. For 100 birds, that is about 450kg. With feed at about ₦9,500 per 25kg bag, you will need about 18 bags = ₦171,000 per cycle.
  • Layers eat about 120g of feed per day. For 100 birds, that’s 12kg daily. A 25kg bag (₦9,500) will last about 2 days. Your feed cost will be steady.
• Vaccines & Drugs: Budget ₦15,000 to ₦30,000 for this. It is not an area to cheat; it protects your investment.

Action Tip: Start small. Use your first 100 birds as a learning experience. Do not use all your life savings. You can read our article on How to Turn Small Scale Farming into a Family Income Stream for more ideas on starting safely.

Step 2: Set Up Your Farm on a Budget

1. Build a Low Cost Pen:
Your plot of land is perfect. Build a simple rectangular house.

• Space: Give each bird enough room. For broilers, provide 1 square foot of space per bird. For layers, 2 square feet is better.
• Ventilation: Use chicken wire or netting for walls to allow air to flow. This prevents sickness.
• Roof: Use a zinc roof, but make sure it is high enough to reduce heat inside.
• Floor: A concrete floor is easiest to clean. You can also use a deep litter system with wood shavings or rice husks.

2. Get Your Equipment:
You do not need expensive equipment. Start with the basics:

• Feeders and Drinkers: Get enough so all your birds can eat and drink at the same time. You can find plastic ones for ₦1,500 to ₦3,000 each.
• Heat Source: You will need a kerosene or gas heater or a electric bulb to keep the chicks warm for the first few weeks. This is called a brooder.

Step 3: Manage Your Birds for Maximum Profit

Daily care is what separates successful farmers from others.

1. Buy Your Chicks from a Trusted Source:
Always buy from reputable hatcheries like CHI Farms, Zartech, or Amo Byng. They sell healthy, already vaccinated chicks. This gives you a strong start.

2. Feed and Water Management:

• Feed: Never let your feeders go empty. For broilers, use starter feed for the first 3 weeks, then grower feed until they are sold. For layers, use starter, then grower, and then layer feed when they begin to lay eggs.
• Water: Give them clean, fresh water every day. A lack of water will affect their growth and egg production more than a lack of food.

3. Health is Wealth, So Follow a Vaccination Schedule:

This is the most important step. If your birds get sick, you can lose everything in days. Follow a strict vaccination plan against Newcastle Disease, Gumboro, and Fowl Pox. You can get the vaccines from any agricultural store. If you are not sure how to vaccinate, ask an experienced farmer or a vet to show you.

Action Tip: Learn from others. Our piece on 5 Mistakes Nigerian Farmers Make That Kill Profits explains how ignoring vaccines is a major reason for failure.

Step 4: Sell Your Products and Make Your Profit

1. Marketing Your Products:
You have worked hard. Now, make sure you get a good price.

• For Broilers: You can sell directly to:
  • Local markets and restaurants.
  • Your neighbours and family.
  • Special events like weddings and parties.
  • Selling direct to consumers lets you keep all the profit, unlike selling to a middleman.
• For Layers: Your eggs can be sold in:
  • Local grocery stores and kiosks.
  • Directly from your farm gate.
  • Offices and schools.

2. Understanding Your Profit:
Let’s do a simple profit calculation for 100 broilers.

• Total Cost: Let’s assume your total cost for one cycle (chicks, feed, vaccines, other costs) is around ₦300,000.
• Sales: If you sell each broiler for ₦5,000, your total sales are 100 x ₦5,000 = ₦500,000.
• Your Profit: ₦500,000 (Sales) – ₦300,000 (Cost) = ₦200,000.

This is a good profit for 8 weeks of work! For layers, the profit comes slowly but steadily from daily egg sales.

Action Tip: To increase your profit, learn to market your farm products without middlemen. This means finding your own customers and building a relationship with them.

Your Journey to a Thriving Poultry Farm

Starting a poultry farm on one plot in Nigeria is a very realistic goal. It does not require magic, only good planning, hard work, and consistent management. Start small, use good practices, and keep your costs under control. Do not be afraid to ask other farmers for advice.

Your one plot of land is more than just a piece of earth; it is the foundation for your agribusiness empire. By taking the first step today, you are on your way to building a profitable and sustainable venture that can feed your family and secure your future.