TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface ................................................................................................................................................................. 2 Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................................................ 2 Dedications ......................................................................................................................................................... 2 INTRODUCTION TO POULTRY FARMING .................................................................................. 5 Keys to Successful Poultry Farming ............................................................................................................... 6 Poultry Species and Breeds for Farming ...................................................................................................... 17 Importance of Keeping Poultry ..................................................................................................................... 26 Systems of Poultry Farming ........................................................................................................................... 27 ESTABLISHING A POULTRY FARM ................................................................................................ 35 Rearing Day-Old Chicks ................................................................................................................................. 35 Criteria of Selecting Quality Day Old Chicks .............................................................................................. 35 Management of chicks in a brooder .............................................................................................................. 35 Requirements for Brooders ............................................................................................................................ 37 Setting up a Brooder ........................................................................................................................................ 38 Buying Started Pullets ...................................................................................................................................... 41 What are pullets ? .............................................................................................................................................. 41 How to select the best pullets ........................................................................................................................ 41 POULTRY HOUSING ............................................................................................................................... 42 Classification of Poultry Houses .................................................................................................................... 43 Temporary poultry house ............................................................................................................................... 43 Semi-Permanent Poultry House .................................................................................................................... 44 Permanent Poultry House .............................................................................................................................. 45 Basic requirements for a permanent poultry housing ............................................................................................... 45 BIOSECURITY ON POULTRY FARMS ............................................................................................ 53 Biosecurity Defined ......................................................................................................................................... 54 Biosecurity Measures ....................................................................................................................................... 54 Disinfectants ..................................................................................................................................................... 56 FEEDING POULTRY ............................................................................................................................... 77 What is a feed ? .................................................................................................................................................. 77 Nutritional requirements for chickens .......................................................................................................... 78 Classes of Nutrients ......................................................................................................................................... 78 Factors Affecting the Nutrient Requirements of Poultry .......................................................................... 81 A Ration ( or Feed ) ........................................................................................................................................... 82 What is a ration ? ............................................................................................................................................... 82 Factors to be considered in making a good feed ......................................................................................... 82 What composes a ration ? ................................................................................................................................ 83 How to Mix a Ration ....................................................................................................................................... 84 Feed Storage Guidelines ................................................................................................................................. 85 DAILY , WEEKLY AND MONTHLY POULTRY ROUTINES .................................................. 85
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