2 . Housing : It is said that by building a good housing system , one solves more than 40 % of all poultry rearing problems . Chicken must be guarded from hostile weather conditions such as cold , rain , sun and wind . Safety from predators should also be considered in putting up a house unit . Snakes , rodents , foxes , dogs , mongoose and other animals are chickens ’ enemies . It is therefore important to confine them in modern structures . The housing unit should have perches for the chicken to roost on at night .
A poultry shed should be sufficiently ventilated to allow in enough oxygen for the birds . Wire mesh can be used for the walls of the shed and it is vital that the number of birds do not exceed the stocking rate of the shed . Overpopulation affects the birds ’ health and increases disease incidences . On average , stocking rate should be 2 square feet per bird for layers and 1 square foot per bird for broilers . A traditional brooding basket can be used as a brooder for chicks either inside or outside the house . This is because chicks should be kept away from the chickens .
3 . Equipment and Facilities : With the housing , it is also important that it is fitted with the necessary poultry equipment and facilities . The equipment and facilities are specific for different stages of the poultry project as discussed below : Brooder : For the brooder the following equipment and facilities are necessary :
� Heat source : The heat sources could be : brooder pots , charcoal stove , heat bulbs , among others .
� Drinkers
� Feeders
� A thin layer of litter on the floor . A farmer can either use coffee husks or wood shavings .
Normally the brooding stage is critical and may require specific facilities as discussed above . After the brooding stage , other necessary equipment include ; feeders , drinkers , culling cage ( for sick birds ), egg crates ( for layer ) and so on . Based on the type and number of birds a farmer chooses to keep , he or she needs to buy sufficient equipment in advance before getting the chickens . 4 . Source of Chickens and Selection of the Breeding Stock : For the initial starting up , a farmer may decide to either buy chicks from suppliers or hatch them him or herself . He or she may decide to naturally multiply his or her flock especially for indigenous poultry . In this case , one factor to consider is careful selection of the chickens and cocks to ensure only better qualities are passed on . Select a hen that is broody , does not abandon her eggs during hatching and looks after her chicks well . Select a healthy , strong cock and a cock should be allowed only ten hens .
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