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Imagine for a moment- you have good turnovers and a steady supply of poultry products all year long. Sounds good, right? And isn’t that what poultry farmers want? But the truth is for you to get desired results in your poultry business, you need to have all the required poultry farm equipment, regardless of your specialization or the size of your farm. Every poultry farmer needs to have all the necessary poultry farm equipment to be effective and efficient in their poultry business.
If you are just starting a chicken farm, this is your go-to guide on the poultry farm equipment you should buy. You don’t have to break the bank to get the poultry farm equipment. We’ve compiled a list of the important poultry farm equipment for beginners. Experts poultry farmers too can leverage the list to understand and master the different equipment for successful poultry farming in Nigeria. So, here we go.
A water trough is used to provide clean drinking water to the poultry birds. And they come in different sizes and colours. Also, they come in different models. The manual drinker, also known as the fountain drinker, is recommended for the first four weeks of brooding.
The manual drinker comes with stands that are made with plastic. You will often get these drinkers in two colours- blue and red. Poultry farmers take advantage of manual drinkers to provide vitamins, vaccines, and antibiotics to poultry birds.
We also have the nipple drinker that is commonly found in battery cage systems and deep-litters systems. The nipple drinker looks like a nipple and provides water to poultry birds when it is pressed. Although this water trough is mainly used for layers birds, they are still effective for rearing all kinds of birds. For a cage housing three birds, one nipple drinker is enough to provide water to the birds.
Lastly, we have the bell-type automatic water trough. From its name, you would know that this type of water trough is operated automatically. The bell-type automatic water trough controls the water flow and the water level. Because the bell-type automatic water trough usually comes with bright colours, it easily attracts layers and chicks.
The feeding equipment used in poultry farms is referred to as feed troughs. And just like the water troughs, they are available in different models, sizes, and colours. But before we go into the different feeding equipment for poultry birds, note that the number of feeding equipment in your farm should be according to the number of your birds. And yes, the feeding equipment should be kept clean at all times. Below is some different feeding equipment you can consider when starting a poultry farm.
The linear feeder is a type of poultry feeding equipment that is made with galvanized iron. Sometimes, it comes in locally made materials like bamboo. The feeding equipment gives room for height adjustments while providing stability at the same time. The linear feeder is quite affordable and good for feeding all kinds of poultry birds.
Next on the list of feeding equipment is the circular feeders, also known as the hanging feeder. They are made with plastic and suspended on a rooftop. The circular feeders come in varying capacities and colours. Some circular feeders can hold up to 7 kg of feed at a single time. The feeds are gradually delivered to the poultry birds at the bottom via gravity. The circular feeders give feed to a higher number of birds at a time than the linear feeder.
Some commercial poultry farms use the automatic feeder for their birds. The automatic feeder is more expensive than the other types of feeding equipment earlier mentioned. The automatic feeder works with electricity by moving feeds from the feed bins to the other end. And just like the circular feeders, the automatic feeders can be adjusted to the height and age of the poultry birds.
Shell grit box is another type of feeding equipment, but it is mainly used for layers. Calcium supplements are provided in the shell grit box for layers to feed on. This type of feeding equipment is effective for improving the calcium level in layers.
A brooder is a necessity for brooding all kinds of poultry birds. The equipment is used to regulate and control the temperature in the poultry house. A good example of brooder equipment is the charcoal stove or the kerosene stove. The charcoal stove is the most commonly used brooder equipment because it is affordable and easy to use. However, extreme care is needed when using them on your poultry farm. Other brooder equipments you can consider are gas brooder, hovers/reflectors, and infra-red bulbs.
Whether you are a poultry eggs-producing farmer or a poultry meat-producing farmer, a weighing scale is an important piece of equipment you cannot do without. Weighing scales are used to measure the weight of poultry birds or their end products; a good example is the eggs. Even in poultry hatchery production, a weighing scale is required to check the weight of an egg before and after hatching. There are different types and sizes of weighing scales. All you have to do is buy a good weighing scale that can meet your daily demands on the farm. A good weighing scale must be easy to operate and accurate.
If you are looking towards poultry hatchery production, then you need an incubator for a seamless operation. Some incubators can hold a few eggs, while others can accommodate up to half a million eggs at a time. These come in varying sizes and styles. Here are some of the factors to consider before buying an incubator.
The egg capacity: As earlier mentioned, various incubators have varying egg holding capacities. It is down to you to buy an incubator with a holding capacity to meet your customers’ demands. You don’t want to keep your buyers waiting, do you?
Durability: A good incubator should have a long lifespan. Moreover, make sure to buy an incubator with an extended service warranty in case of malfunction.
Availability and accuracy of the controls: It’s best to consider buying an incubator that allows the humidity and the temperature to be brought to the barest minimum. But that’s not all. The controls should be effective and reliable.
The power backups: A good incubator should preserve the eggs until power is restored on the face of a power blackout. So, the trick is to watch out for incubators with a high ability to induct and preserve heat outside the power functions.
Do you want to become a successful fish farmer? Then, make sure to engage actively in planting native vegetation within and around the fish farm. But that’s not all. Plant trees that are native to your locality to engage other animals, like the migratory bird, insects, and local bats, etc. Here are some of the advantages of planting trees on your fish farm. The environment can provide for fish farmers a shade, windbreak, and s source of income.
While there are many models of poultry farm equipment mentioned in this article, it is important for you to know that the size of your farm and your budget play a big role in determining the models/varieties of poultry farm equipment to buy. An average poultry hatchery farm looking towards hatching about a hundred birds a day may consider buying a single-stage incubator.
In all, your poultry farm equipment should be accurate, high-quality, efficient, and personalized. It is the only sure way to have a successful poultry production. What could be better than having a smooth daily production and making a steady profit? Good luck, and let us know how we can help you with your poultry farm business.
C & M FarmTech LTD
(the heart of better farming) is an agro-allied company founded in 2019. From the start of the company, we succeeded in establishing ourselves as one of the leading agro service providers in the country.
