How to build your business on chickens? Breeding chickens as a business: profitability, conditions, equipment Is it profitable to keep chickens for the sale of eggs.

The income from 100 hens per year will be approximately 210,000 rubles.

Expenses:

1. One bird can lay up to 300 eggs per year, given the molting period, which lasts up to 2 months.
2. A good egg costs between 6-8 rubles apiece. And if we assume that one hen will lay approximately 25 eggs per month, the profitability from one individual will be equal to 175 rubles per month, respectively, from a hundred hens, the income for the same time will be 17,500 rubles, and for a year 210,000.

For slaughter

• Buying 100 day old chickens will cost 5000-6000 rubles.
• A two-month fattening will require 6.5 kg of feed per broiler (which costs 10 rubles per kilogram) and additional vitamins, therefore, the total cost of growing will be about 8,000 rubles.

Income - you can get 30,000 rubles in two months, focusing on the average cost of meat per kilogram - 250 rubles.

When calculating, you should rely not only on ideal indicators !!!

Where to begin?

A home chicken farming business, like any other type of commercial activity, needs to be started with systematic testing so that an effective and objective marketing research can be carried out.

And in the end you need to make a decision: invest resources to buy the components of the business or abandon the idea.

In this case, you can contact both incoming and outgoing generation of proposals.

incoming

1. Boards of announcements.
2. Portals dedicated to wholesale purchases.

Notice boards

When placing information about yourself in such places, you will have to resort to paid services, such as highlighting an ad, increasing its ranking, and extending its expiration date. Only then will it be possible to receive a certain number of applications and form an objective picture of demand.

Wholesaler Portals

It is enough to register on popular wholesale sites and leave your offer there along with contact details.

outgoing

• Letters.
• calls.
• Meetings.
• Visiting farmers' exhibitions.

How to organize cold calls?

1. Collect a database of businesses that may be your potential customers in the future.
2. Decide on the method: either a specialist will call you, or you yourself.
3. Choose an operator and connect an unlimited number of minutes.
4. Make a minimum of 100 calls offering your products for sale / sale, so that a meaningful and objective analysis can be made.

Selection rules and content features

Selection

Experienced breeders of egg-laying hens strongly advise against buying day-old and monthly chickens due to a number of possible risks, since they can get sick, and some have a real chance of not surviving. According to statistics, every 5 chicken is doomed to death., which entails the loss of money and time resources when growing chicken.

Preference should be given to chickens aged 3-4 months, which will cost approximately 300 rubles per head. And already in the future, with the expansion of the business, it will be possible to take day-old or monthly chickens.

As for the breeds: the most popular for obtaining eggs are Leggeron, Brown, Lohman and Hisex.

• Walking area and chicken coop. When building a chicken dwelling, pay attention to materials, and especially to internal ones - the temperature regime should range from 0 degrees to plus 25, this is the most comfortable environment for them.

  It is worth calculating the area of ​​​​the chicken coop in advance; for keeping 4 chickens, approximately one square meter will be required. Having made simple calculations, we conclude that to maintain the vital activity of 100 heads, we need 25 sq.m., and to keep 1000 chickens, the area will be 250 sq.m.

  The room should not be polluted, therefore, disinfection should be carried out monthly with lime mortar, applying it in an even layer on the floor, perch and walls in the proportion: 10 liters of water to 2 kilograms of lime.

Possible difficulties and development prospects

Difficulties:

1. mortality and disease of chickens;
2. big competition;
3. perishable product;
4. time-consuming process of obtaining certificates and licenses;
5. constant search for channels for the sale of products.

Business advantages and prospects:

• high profitability;
• year-round production;
• lack of sophisticated equipment;
• ease of doing business and low costs for the provision of processes;
• There are a lot of opportunities to expand production, if you correctly approach the issue of finding customers.

How to start this type of business activity?

1. Conducting research on demand with available tools: cold calls, letters, meetings, visits to agricultural events, wholesale sites, advertising on your own website, advertising on bulletin boards.
2. Analysis of the first point and the decision to continue the development of the idea.
3. Description of all resources: money, time, experience in running a similar business, useful contacts, property (transport, equipment, land, real estate, animals, etc.).
4. Drawing up a list of necessary resources, including human resources.
5. Definition of short-term and long-term goals and a general description of the project.
6. Calculation of the projected minimum, average and maximum income and expenses for the day/week/month/quarter and year, as well as a description of all possible risks.
7. Identification of investment needs and sources: banks, loans from individuals, own funds, state and non-state grants, private investors.
8. The choice of the legal form (this will envy the amount of taxes, an individual entrepreneur can choose a fixed tax rate equal to 6% on the entire annual income).

Related videos

An example of how to earn income from breeding chickens can be found in this video:

Conclusion

The state really needs such a business at home, therefore, when obtaining funds for the implementation of the idea, there should not be any particular difficulties. Wherein the business plan must be drawn up correctly, and the applicant must understand the essence of the matter, which will take at least 3 years to develop to medium scale from scratch.

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Humanity is still puzzling over what came before: the chicken or the egg. However, in the 21st century, this issue has acquired a slightly different color. Now an increasing number of entrepreneurs are interested in the question: “What is more effective: breeding chickens for sale or for selling eggs?”.

One correct conclusion can be drawn from this question - no one doubts the profitability of breeding chickens as a business line.

Due to the fact that chickens are poultry with an unpretentious disposition, their breeding turns into a simple and not laborious business.

To open your own poultry farm, you do not need either large investments or deep and comprehensive knowledge in the field of animal husbandry. In conditions of limited free financial resources among the population, the idea of ​​breeding laying hens for the sale of eggs is very attractive and expedient.

How to organize the work of a poultry farm

Many entrepreneurs, both in the countryside and in the city, have become interested in chicken farming activities in recent years.

Given the current volume of egg production, the attractiveness of the market for new "players" and the low entry threshold, we can conclude that the competition in this industry is very high.

However, novice businessmen should not be upset:

• In our country, chicken eggs are a very popular product: an average adult consumes up to 292 eggs per year.
• The structure of the population by age shows that the adult part of the population of our country accounts for approximately 100 million people.

Primitive mathematical calculations will show that the consumer market in Russia is huge. The demand for organic products obtained naturally will be constant.

With the right business plan, an entrepreneur can start from a small chicken coop and grow into commercial eggs in a few years. When performing calculations for a business project, it is necessary carefully consider all the nuances and build a long-term development strategy.

Choice of premises and conditions of detention

The first step in organizing a business is the selection of a land plot. The room must be selected, focusing on your current financial condition.

It is easy to build a chicken coop with your own hands. For these purposes, you can use cinder block, slate and boards. It is only necessary to properly insulate the room.

Thanks to the insulation of the floor in winter, it is possible to ensure that the chickens will lay all year round.

When building a chicken coop, you should pay attention to the following requirements, the observance of which will lead to high productivity of laying hens:

• Birds in the chicken coop are kept by the cage or floor method.
  A very good placement option is to install cages in a battery way. To save money, it is better to make cages with your own hands. When organizing a large chicken coop, you need to equip a spacious poultry house, divided into sections.
• Ceiling height should not exceed 2 m.
• The room should have natural ventilation and have sources of daylight.
  In addition, artificial lighting should be carried out in the chicken coop. The light day of the chicken falls on the period from 06:00 - 19:00, which will need to be compensated for by electric lighting in the winter.
• The chicken coop is periodically disinfected.
  For these purposes, it is enough to paint the walls and floor with lime.
• According to experts, it is desirable to locate the entrance on the east side of the chicken coop.
• You will also need nesting sites and a perch.
  One nest must be installed based on 4 layers.
• For walks, it is necessary to organize a fenced area that will be adjacent to the chicken coop.

Critical temperatures for laying hens are: minus indicators in the winter season + 27 degrees in summer.

With a significant drop in temperature, frostbite of birds can occur. Reaching the maximum marks will cause a sharp reduction in egg production in chickens.

Self-study of specialized literature will help you create the most comfortable conditions for your pets to live and breed.

How much? What are the conditions for breeding?

We will talk about the relevance of business ideas in the agricultural direction. Prospects for the development of farming.

About organizing a business for breeding laying hens for eggs at home using the example of a small farm, see the video:

Acquisition of poultry

It is worth starting to buy laying hens only after equipping the premises and passing the state registration procedure.

The success of the entire enterprise will depend on the correct choice of cross..

Experts share:

• meat,
• egg,
• broiler
• and mixed crosses of hens.

According to experienced entrepreneurs, when organizing a business for breeding laying hens for the purpose of subsequent sale of eggs, the best choice would be to purchase an egg cross.

Its most famous representatives are:

• Leghorn;
• Loman Brown;
• Kuchinsky anniversary;
• Pushkinskaya;
• Hisex.

These laying hen breeds are the most productive.

Breeding chickens can begin with the acquisition of young animals or with eggs. The most effective and fastest way to breed is to start a business from a young stock.

In the case of buying chickens at the age of 3-4 months, the return on investment will be much faster. Due to the fact that egg cross hens begin to lay from the age of 5 months, the cost of buying and keeping birds will pay off as quickly as possible.

The price for chicks at the age of 3-4 weeks is 100 rubles. Young animals under 4 months old cost about 300 rubles per bird. Professionals advise buying chickens in industrial incubators.

Features of feeding

The main fertility factors of laying hens are:

• Comfortable and warm room.
• Proper and consistent diet.

We discussed the first point above. Now let's focus on the nutritional features.

It is worth noting that the profitability of the business will be at a high level when buying ready-made feed. However, in order to save money, a novice entrepreneur can organize the bird's diet himself.

Having calculated the daily portion for one bird, it is necessary to make bulk purchases of feed and make a stock for several months in advance.

The diet of laying hens should include the following ingredients:

• wheat;
• corn;
• various root crops;
• millet;
• food waste;
• bone flour;
• green grass and lettuce;
• shells, fine gravel and sand.

The laying hen eats up to 120 grams of feed per day. In a year, the consumption rate of compound feed per 1 chicken will be only 44 kg.

With the wholesale purchase of cereals, hand-made preparation of grass and leaves, the monthly rate of expenditure for one chicken will be within 30 rubles.

Why are aspiring entrepreneurs encouraged to get involved? How quickly will the initial costs of the project pay off?

In this article, we will discuss which business ideas in rural areas can be implemented from scratch or with minimal capital investment.

We provide an example of a financial plan for breeding minks at. How long will the initial investment pay off?

Is it profitable to create a mini poultry farm at home?

An egg obtained by breeding laying hens at home has a greater demand in the market compared to a factory one. It is more nutritious and has a more natural yolk color.

The business is notable for its low threshold for its organization and an insignificant level of current expenses:

• Young growth at the age of 3-4 weeks costs 100 rubles.
• It will cost 30 rubles a month to maintain it.
• After reaching adulthood (the cross begins to produce eggs from the age of 5 months), the laying hen will produce up to 25 eggs per month.
• The minimum egg production of 1 laying hen per year is 250 eggs.
• The minimum price for a domestic egg is 4 r.

Based on this, one laying hen will generate an income of 100 rubles. per month.

chicken coop organized at home will not only pay off the initial investment in a short time, but also bring good profit.

The advantage of home breeding laying hens for eggs is that the demand for their products always exceeds the supply.

It is also worth bearing in mind that raising chickens has other “by-products” that are in great demand:

• Dietary meat, feathers, manure - the profit from these products is not taken into account when drawing up our business plan.
• In a home farm, it is also advisable to breed and sell young animals.

After a successful start there will be many areas for business expansion.

Payback example

In order to ensure a successful start of a laying hen project, a rational approach must be followed when drawing up a financial plan.

For example, there is no need to buy cages. It is best to breed birds in conditions as close as possible to the natural environment.

The need for a spacious chicken coop will appear in the case of large values ​​​​of the initial number of birds. In this case, you will need to divide it into at least 20 blocks. There should be one parent flock of 11 birds per block.

The calculations are given based on the number of birds of 220 birds (20 roosters and 200 laying hens).

Expenses (accounted for to the maximum)-169,200 rubles per year.

• Land rent - up to 20,000 rubles. per year in rural areas.
• Construction of a chicken coop - 30,000 rubles.
• Purchase of young animals - 22,000 rubles.
• Food expenses - 6,600 rubles. per month (79,200 rubles per year).
• The cost of lighting and heating in the winter - 3,000 rubles.
• Veterinary examination - 5,000 rubles. in year.
• Other expenses - 10,000 rubles.

Income (minimum included)- 160,000 rubles.

A total of 200 layers after reaching the age of egg production will begin to produce 200 * 25 = 5000 eggs per month.

Income from the sale of eggs will be - 5000 * 4 p. = 20,000 rubles. per month.

For the first year, the income will be 20,000 rubles. * 8 months = 160,000 rubles.

The project will pay off within 8.5 months from the moment the hens start laying eggs. Current expenses will not exceed the threshold of 8,100 rubles per month.

Based on this, the rate of net profit before taxes will be 11,900 rubles per month. The net profit of the project per year after taxation, but excluding “by-products”, will be 130,000 rubles.

Demand for inexpensive food is always high. And therefore, your own small chicken farm can become a very profitable business. After all, two products popular on the market are obtained from this bird at once: eggs and tasty dietary meat.

Where to begin?

In addition to concentrates, chickens must receive green and juicy feed without fail. It can be cabbage and beet leaves, carrot tops, quinoa, nettles. You also need to give grated carrots, beets, apples, zucchini, etc.

In addition, care should be taken to ensure that chickens receive a sufficient amount of useful trace elements. For laying hens, for example, calcium is very important. Its lack of feed can be made up for with chalk or grated shell rock. Mix in chicken feed and a little salt. Various vitamin supplements are also used. The latter are bought ready-made, usually in packages. On sale today there are additives designed specifically for laying hens, broilers and young animals.

Where to sell products

Breeding chickens for beginner farmers is a good business. Its advantages, among other things, include the ease of implementation of the finished product. Eggs and meat can be taken to shops, cafes, canteens or even restaurants. Some farmers also open their own outlets. But in this case, of course, you will have to pay extra rent. If the livestock is not too large, meat and eggs can also be sold simply on the market.

Conclusion

As you can see, a mini chicken farm can become a truly profitable business. Such a business does not require large initial investments. Actually, the care of the bird itself is not particularly difficult. However, of course, the technology of growing chickens should not be violated in any case. The absence of the necessary equipment in the barn or the use of low-quality feed will most likely cause a lunge, a decrease in productivity, and, consequently, a lack of profit.

Breeding laying hens is one of the main branches of poultry farming. Many owners of personal farmsteads organize their own business to receive eggs for sale, because laying hens as a business are a profitable activity. But any undertaking requires a business plan and costing.

Proper preparation at the initial stage will guarantee that the laying hen business will pay off and bring tangible profits.

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The initial stage - compiling a list of costs

To implement a project for breeding poultry for eggs, you need to draw up a business plan. The plan will help calculate the initial costs of organizing your own business, help you anticipate possible risks, and show what kind of profit you can expect in the end. It is especially important to draw up a competent business plan if the farmer plans to get a bank loan.

What costs should be taken into account when drawing up a business plan:

Having detailed all the expenses, you can calculate how much start-up capital a novice poultry farmer will need. In the same way, the costs are calculated when increasing the number of livestock and expanding the farm.

Organization of a poultry house and paddock for walking

Growing laying hens is attractive because such a business can be organized both in the city and outside it. Even a small summer cottage with an area of ​​​​2 acres will allow you to equip a chicken coop and a small paddock for birds.

The cost of a chicken coop includes the cost of paying rent if there is no own site.

Building a chicken coop, ways of keeping

If the chicken coop is being built from scratch, you should calculate the cost of building materials. Typically, poultry houses are built of wood; slate is used as a roofing material. Today on sale you can find many types of inexpensive insulation for wall coverings. It is desirable that the insulation material is breathable and does not cause high humidity.

The optimal height of the house is considered to be 1.5 m - 2.0 m. A more spacious room is uncomfortable for birds, it will be more expensive to heat it. A room with low ceilings is inconvenient to clean and disinfect. The area of ​​​​the premises is calculated depending on the size of the planned livestock. The laying density is 5 birds/1 m².

Next, you need to think about how to keep chickens: outdoor or cellular. The cell method involves the purchase of cells, each of which is equipped with a separate feeder and drinker. The floor method is cheaper, in addition, chickens in natural conditions are better laid.

Lighting, ventilation, thermal insulation

The chicken coop must be equipped with a ventilation system. It is the ventilation system that will reduce the risk of diseases. In unventilated rooms, a favorable environment is created for fungal and viral infections, and the accumulation of ammonia vapors from bird droppings leads to inflammation of the mucous membranes.

The ventilation system, walking paths, vents and windows are equipped with special plugs to prevent heat loss and eliminate the possibility of drafts. To insulate the floor, straw and sawdust are used throughout the year; in winter, an additional heat-insulating material with a thickness of at least 15 cm is placed under the flooring.

In winter, you will need additional heating of the chicken coop and artificial lighting. If heaters are not available, it is advisable to include the purchase of appliances in the expense item.

Daylight hours for laying hens is about 16 hours. With a decrease in daylight hours in autumn, fluorescent lamps or infrared equipment are installed in the house, which, in addition to light, also provides warmth. Such costs are also included in the start-up capital.

Nests and perches

The chicken coop is equipped with nests and perches. arrange in darkened corners. Perches are arranged in illuminated places at a distance of 35 cm - 55 cm from one another and at a height of at least 60 cm from the floor level.

To save space, perches can be installed in steps. To calculate the number of perches, a value of 25 cm is taken - 35 cm / 1 bird.

Note! If a business is planned for breeding chickens for meat, perches are installed lower, approximately at a height of 30 cm - 35 cm from the floor. The crowding of birds on the perch is taken at the rate of 50 cm / 1 bird.

Meat chickens are less mobile compared to laying hens and have a significant body weight, which means they need more space.

paddock for walking

To build a corral, it is necessary to include in the costs the chain-link mesh from which the fence is built. Laying hens, unlike meat breeds, are extremely mobile and can have well-developed wings, so the fence must have a height of at least 1.5 meters.

The corral is built close to the chicken coop with a common entrance and exit.

If the paddock falls on a lighted place, it is necessary to consider shading, for example, with the help of an awning.

Feeders and drinkers

Feeders and drinkers are installed both in the house and on the run. To calculate inventory costs, decide on the type of feeder. You can buy industrial feeders and drinkers, but such equipment is expensive.

Experienced poultry farmers prefer to build equipment from plastic pipes and bottles, which at the first stage help to reduce the cost of arranging a chicken coop.

Breed selection and young stock purchase

The choice of the breed of the egg direction is an important point, because the profitability of the business will mainly depend on the productivity indicator. In addition, experienced poultry farmers take into account the adaptability of birds to the conditions of detention, resistance to, survival indices of chicks and adult livestock.

The most common breeds in domestic poultry farming with high productivity are:

1. Leggorn - 300 eggs / year, weighing 55 - 63 g.
2. Loman Brown - 320 eggs / year, weighing 58 - 65 g.
3. Hisex - 320 eggs / year, weighing 63 - 70 g.

Less common, but no less productive breeds:

• High Line;
• Isa Brown;
• Tetra;
• Bovans.

Egg breeds are early, their first laying is given at the age of 4-5 months. In the conditions of industrial poultry farming, a complete replacement of the livestock is carried out once a year, that is, a laying hen is used only during the period of intensive egg laying.

In a private economy, chickens are kept for up to two years and the replacement is carried out partially, preparing a replacement flock in advance. However, for a successful business, it makes sense to replace the stock more often, as in the case of poultry farms.

The first livestock is purchased by young animals at the age of 3-5 months. At the age of 3 months, it is already possible to determine the sex of an individual; young animals are purchased before the start of laying eggs, that is, up to 5 months of age. Further breeding can be done by incubating the eggs. Incubation is cheaper, but not suitable for the formation of the first herd, since it is impossible to determine the sex of the embryos.

When buying young animals, make sure that there are 10 females per cockerel. In this case, fertilization occurs normally and does not affect productivity. The number of birds is calculated based on the dimensions of the chicken coop. Recall that in conditions of floor keeping, no more than 5 chickens / 1 m² are located, in conditions - 8 birds / 1 cage.

Please note that young animals must be vaccinated, and it is better to purchase individuals from trusted breeders. Only then will the livestock survival rate be high.

The most profitable breeds of chickens

Feed costs

Most poultry farmers involved in the business of raising laying hens prefer to buy compound feed. The cost of compound feed varies from calorie content, fraction and region of sale, on average it is 10 rubles. - 20 rubles / 1 kg. The daily intake of feed for laying hens is 110 g - 130 g, more accurate dosages depend on the specific and age of the bird.

Cereals are added to the compound feed daily at the rate of 50 g / 1 bird / 1 day. In summer, industrial compound feed is mixed with green tops, in winter boiled root crops are added. Young hens who have started laying eggs will need mineral supplements, vitamins, chalk or limestone, bone meal to replenish calcium, shell rock, salt supplements.

Please note that laying hens are not allowed to feed from food waste. An unbalanced diet causes a decrease in egg production.

Maintenance costs and possible risks

Maintenance costs are low, it is enough to disinfect the house once every 2 months.

1. First, a thorough cleaning, change of bedding, cleaning of perches is performed.
2. Further, the floor and the surface of the walls are covered with lime - 2 kg of lime / 10 l.

If a fungus, rodents appeared in the chicken coop, or symptoms of some diseases were noticed in the birds, special disinfectants and medicines will have to be included in the expense item. But such an unfavorable option is already considered a probable risk, and therefore it will not be possible to determine the exact amount of expenses.

Proper maintenance, timely cleaning at least once every 7 to 10 days, systematic disinfection and daily inspection of the bird will minimize the risk of disease.

The cost of getting offspring

A year after the formation of the first livestock, the farmer will have to think about its complete or partial replacement. There are several options for obtaining a new herd:

1. Buying young.
2. Purchasing eggs for incubation.
3. Getting offspring in a natural way.

Buying young animals is the most expensive option, the artificial incubation method is cheaper, but it will require the purchase of a high-quality incubator with a regime to maintain optimal temperature and humidity.

If natural incubation of eggs by hens is planned, it should be taken into account that almost all breeds of laying hens have lost their maternal instinct. In addition, you need to choose hybrids that retain their generic characteristics in the offspring.

Each of the methods of obtaining offspring has its own advantages. For example, with natural breeding, the survival rate of offspring is much higher (about 95%) than with artificial incubation (80%), and this method is the cheapest.

However, you will have to think about buying meat-and-egg hens with a strong maternal instinct.

In the case of using an incubator, the costs of the apparatus itself, as well as the laboriousness of the process, are taken into account. Every day, the farmer needs to turn the eggs to prevent sticking of the embryos, monitor the temperature and humidity in the incubator. The survival rate of livestock purchased from breeders is the highest, but the cost of buying it is higher.

Calculation of payback and expected profit

Novice poultry farmers are not recommended to start a large population. It is possible to form the first herd of 50 heads, so that if successful, next year to expand its production.

To calculate start-up capital, add up the estimated cost of setting up a poultry house, take into account possible risks, do not forget to add the cost of replacing livestock and increasing production. Further, the cost for the purchase of young animals, its maintenance and feed is added.

On average, a two-week-old chick costs 100 rubles, respectively, a herd of 50 heads will need 5,000 rubles. With mixed per year, one chicken will take 35 kg - 40 kg of grain and industrial feed, which means that 1750 kg - 2000 kg will be needed for 50 heads. The average price for compound feed is 15 rubles / 1 kg, respectively, the consumption will be 26,250 rubles. - 30,000 rubles.

Add the need to buy vitamins and get the cost of maintaining a herd of 50 individuals during the year: 28,000 rubles. - 31,750 rubles.

Now let's calculate the expected profit. One individual per year will produce at least 250 eggs, because the average productivity of egg breeds varies between 300 and 350 eggs. From 50 chickens we get 1,250 dozen. The average cost of a dozen homemade eggs, which, due to their useful qualities, is more expensive than store eggs, is 50 rubles. - 100 rubles.

This means that the possible profit from the sale corresponds to 62,500 rubles. - 125,000 rubles.

As you can see, the minimum benefit is 2 times the maintenance costs. If you take into account the cost of inventory and the construction of a chicken coop, in the first year you can get up to 25% - 50% of net profit. In subsequent years, profits will only increase and may reach 100% - 200%. Many of the expenses necessary to start a business will no longer be relevant, the main thing is to reduce the risks of diseases and the pestilence of livestock.

And finally, I would like to remind you that with the official registration of a private business, you can get certificates for manufactured products, which will increase the reputation of the product among consumers.

In this case, include paperwork and tax costs in your business plan.

When people move to the countryside, most often they have chickens as their first animal. Keeping chickens in the courtyard does not require large expenses, the return on chickens is instant - fresh homemade eggs every day.

How profitable it is to keep chickens in the courtyard, I will show by example in this article, if you have the patience to read it to the end.

I know some owners who don't lay hens in the winter, so they buy new hens every spring and send the old ones to the soup. As one famous character said: "Well ... you can do that." But with this method, you will not get fresh domestic eggs all year round.

In poultry farms, laying hens are kept for only a year, and then the population is changed. During this year, everything that can be squeezed out of the chickens and it is not profitable for the factory to keep it any longer. Some of these chickens are sold at a low price. For example, a pullet chicken costs 360 rubles, and a one-year-old laying hen costs 140-180 rubles. How are these chickens? look - it's just fear!

In her yard, the attitude towards the chicken is different, she lives in an aviary with her girlfriends and a rooster, takes ash baths, and walks on the street in the summer. Therefore, the laying hen can be kept for 2-3 years.

In order for chickens to lay eggs all year round, you need to follow some rules, which will be discussed later.

Hens are quite heat-loving birds and the optimum temperature for them in winter is not lower than + 12-14 degrees.

You can object to me that there are breeds that can withstand fairly severe frosts, and I will not argue with you. But I am sure that such stress will not benefit the bird. When keeping chickens in the cold, the load on the body increases, feed consumption increases, the bird leaves the wintering weakened. Productivity is declining and host costs are rising.

Chickens of meat and decorative breeds tolerate cold better. Egg breeds are more tender, and they need warmth for good egg production.

There was a year when we kept about ten different breeds of chickens. We had to keep Oryol and Chinese Silkies in a relatively cold room. The chickens survived the winter, but by the spring they looked rather miserable.

I keep chickens in a barn. They do not have separate heating, the cattle copes well with the role of a battery.

As a drinker, we have an ordinary saucepan. I change water daily.

The nest is simple, the most important thing is that the entrance should be such that the chicken does not sit on the threshold and does not shit in the nest. Empirically, we achieved this by sawing a hole in the form of a rhombus.

We have a feeder in the form of an ordinary long trough.

And you also need to give gravel and ash. I do it like this:

chicken coop lighting

This factor greatly affects the egg production of chickens, or rather, not the brightness of the lighting, but the duration of daylight hours. We have a large window in the chicken coop, but in winter I turn on the light at 16-00 and turn it off after the evening feeding - at about 21-00. In general, daylight hours should be about 12-14 hours.

But the intensity of lighting should not be excessive. In very bright light, chickens can peck at each other. Nests should be placed in the darkest corner. If there is light in the nest, the eggs will peck.

Bedding in the chicken coop

What to lay the chickens is not so important, the main thing is that the chicken coop is dry. I use hay and hay dust for bedding. Chickens dig in hay and pick out small leaves.

I change my bedding every other day.

How do I feed chickens?

For feeding chickens, I use chicken feed and grains. I give wheat in winter, barley in summer. All year round I add the Ryabushka premix to the feed

[help]I highly recommend this supplement. This is based on my experience. In summer, “Ryabushka can not be given, but in winter it is necessary. I don't use any other additives. For 15 chickens, it takes about two large packages. This is less than two hundred rubles.