Whenever thinking of poultry farming, Seven things you must need to know: 1. Market research It is very important to critically look at the demand that needs to be met. Is there high demand for table eggs, out grower chicken or broiler meat? Most start-up farmers go by what a friend or relative or neighbouring farmer is doing and hope to reap the benefits. It is important that you take your time to talk to clients or potential customers and listen to them. Do a survey on restaurants, hotels, open air or takeaway eateries, supermarkets and delis and collect as much data as possible. Ask questions about seasonal trends of products that you intend to bring into the market. Sometimes your assumptions may not match your survey results or outcome, so be ready to change your original plans and make new decisions. 2. Farm location A poultry farm can be located on any dry land anywhere in the country as it is not dependent on any weather patterns. However, the ideal location would be outskirts of urban or peri-urban cities where there is ready market for both meat and eggs. Construct your farm where there is access to all weather road, away from riparian land that experience occasional flooding and landslide. 3. Housing system The most common housing system in this country is deep litter, where the entire floor is covered by wood shaving and the other equipment like nest boxes, feeders and drinkers are centrally located. It is best suited for all types of birds and conforms to animal welfare requirement. The free-range type is common for Sasso chicken with a bit of housing at night and scavenging in an open enclosure. In organic farming, the chickens are most of the time on free range scavenging and are on restricted commercial feed with no use of antibiotics and any additive. 4. Demand for building The most ideal house in this region must be open sided rectangular shaped structure, with roof made of iron sheet or locally available waterproof material. The long side of the house must be on an East-west orientation to reduce direct sunlight on the chicks. Side walls should be 2-3 feet high made of bricks, iron sheet or block and the rest covered by wire mesh and chicken netting at 6-7 feet high. The floor could be concreted or compacted with red soil. 5. Choice of breed and supplier If you want to keep commercial layers, choose type of breed which is hardy with low mortality rate, fast growth rates, high peak production, long peak period and good persistence (like Bovans brown). If it is for both meat and egg production, look for a breed of high feed conversion efficiency, and of good tasty and tender quality meat (like dual purpose Sasso). 6. Optimal health protection Threats to your flock will include but not limited to protozoal and parasitic diseases, bacteria, yeast and mold and viral infections. You will need good rearing conditions that include proper brooding, temperature control, ventilation and humidity as well as quality water and adequate feed supply all the time. Biosecurity is pivotal to your success; the premises must be highly sanitised within and around the site with limited flock visits to only authorised personnel. Vaccination schedule must be followed to the letter and must be chosen based on efficacy and administered professionally. 7. Record keeping Anything that cannot be counted cannot be measured. Most farmers ignore the value of good record keeping. Feed being the highest production cost in poultry production, means that it must be weighed to the level of grammes fed/bird/day, and weight sampling must be done on weekly basis to establish production efficiency. Sharing for you people to among the benefit .credit to the rightful owner. For more Keep following Nicholas Pleysier #agriculture #farming #poultryfarming #southafrica #Zimbabwe #Zambia #Malawi #

Seven (7) poultry rules for your farm: Do you have passion for poultry and really wish to stay long in the business? Then, obey these rules! A.Rule (1) ..."Only order for birds you can conveniently take care of". This is the most important rule of all. Instead of stocking 500 birds and then struggle to feed them or give them medication, buy 200 ,feed and give them good medication. Trust me, you'll make more profit than keeping 500 and struggling to feed and give the medication. If this happens, you'll battle with stunted growth, recurrent morbidity or disease outbreaks and high mortality. B.Rule (2) ..."Never borrow money to start poultry business unless you are an expert". Of course, there is no expert in poultry business. In fact, we learn everyday. Every stock you take in will always teach you something different. However, Haven learnt from all the different characteristics displayed by each stock, you get to know more and won't be excited when challenges come. You'll know how to handle them without much damage. C.Rule (3) ..."Be vigilant". The little things you don't take as anything matters. If you want to succeed in poultry, you must take it as a real business. Do you know what a business man does every morning when he gets to his store? He pray, then open the store and go round to check if everything is in its place. He take stocks of what he met there and relate with his records yesterday before closing the store. Don't just open your Pen and start rushing to give your birds feed and water and rush out again. Check around. Watch how they behave when you came in. Check what fell and what is no longer in its place. D.Rule (4) ..."Never ignore warning signals". Yes, I call them warning signals. 1.Bad smell 2.Withdrawal from feed 3.Moodiness 4.Withdrawal from water There are numerous warning signals i can't mention here. In fact, they are so many A farmer must know how his birds behaves !! For more Keep following Nicholas Pleysier #agriculture #poultryfarming #southafrica #Zambia #chickenfarming #Malawi #Zimbabwe #farming

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar are some of the very few countries on Earth without a single river. Yet, fish is very affordable in Saudi Arabia and its neighbours. Many countries, like Venezuela, Zimbabwe, and India, have multiple rivers, yet fish is rather expensive in their markets. Learn from this. Proximity to opportunity is not what makes you wealthy. The utility of opportunity is what brings wealth. That is why there are beggars and homeless US-born citizens in America, yet penniless refugees go there and become billionaires within years.

The sound made by the Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe is so loud that it can be heard 64km (40 miles) away.

Zimbabwean cleric deported. President Bola Tinubu-led federal government has given reason for deporting Eben Nhiwatawi, a Zimbabean bishop. The cleric was said to have participated in a church election in Yola, the Adamawa state capital.

BREAKING: Nigerian Government Repatriates Zimbabwean Bishop, Nhiwatawi Cites Violation Of Immigration Laws | Sahara Reporters https://bit.ly/3X5uPWr

Victoria Falls: Located on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe, Victoria Falls is one of the largest and most famous waterfalls in the world.

Nigeria Immigration Reportedly Detains Visiting Zimbabwean Bishop Of United Methodist Church | Sahara Reporters https://bit.ly/3YV30mx

"Mugabe's impact on Zimbabwe was profound, but his legacy is deeply contested."

Meet William Masvinu who has won the Mr Ugly competition five times in Zimbabwe. He said he is proud of his ugliness, and wants to be take it to the international level. The organiser said he wants ugly people to have the same opportunities as beautiful people. The winner of the competition receives $500 and a cow. #highlightseveryonefollowers