Agbekoya Farmers Association Ibadan North West Chapter

**HOW TO START A SUCCESSFUL BROILER POULTRY PRODUCTION (Feeders, Drinkers, Medicines, Space, and Lighting)**

Starting a broiler project requires thorough preparation before the chicks arrive. Broilers grow quickly, so they need the right amount of feed, clean water, suitable temperatures, adequate lighting, and good hygiene from day one. Below is a guide for what you will need for 100, 200, 300, and 400 broiler chicks.

---

# # # 1. Feeders
Feeders are essential for providing uniform feed distribution and reducing feed wastage. For the first seven days, use chick trays, with about three trays for every hundred chicks. After the first week, switch to tube feeders or hanging feeders, with each tube feeder serving about fifty birds.

- For 100 birds: 3 chick trays and 2 tube feeders
- For 200 birds: 6 chick trays and 4 tube feeders
- For 300 birds: 9 chick trays and 6 tube feeders
- For 400 birds: 12 chick trays and 8 tube feeders

Ensure feeders are always clean, properly spaced, and raised slightly above the litter level to prevent contamination. Avoid overfilling to reduce wastage and spoilage.

# # # 2. Drinkers
Broilers require plenty of clean, cool water for optimal growth. In the first week, use chick fonts of three to four liters, with three fonts for every hundred chicks. After the first week, switch to bell drinkers of twelve liters, with one bell drinker for every fifty birds.

- For 100 birds: 3 chick fonts and 2 bell drinkers
- For 200 birds: 6 chick fonts and 4 bell drinkers
- For 300 birds: 9 chick fonts and 6 bell drinkers
- For 400 birds: 12 chick fonts and 8 bell drinkers

Clean and refill drinkers daily. In the first few hours after arrival, provide an electrolyte solution in the drinkers before offering feed. This helps alleviate transport stress and restores energy. As the chicks grow, adjust the height of the drinkers to align with their back level.

# # # 3. Medicines and Vaccines
Disease prevention is crucial in broiler management. It is important to vaccinate your chicks at the appropriate times and handle vaccines correctly. The main vaccines needed for broilers are Newcastle and Gumboro.

- At 10 days: Newcastle vaccine (Lasota) through drinking water
- At 14 days: Gumboro vaccine through drinking water
- At 21 days: Repeat Newcastle vaccine
- At 28 days: Repeat Gumboro vaccine

Always vaccinate only healthy chicks and avoid using chlorinated tap water for vaccines. If tap water is used, add skimmed milk to neutralize the chlorine. Clean all drinkers thoroughly before vaccination.

In addition to vaccines, keep electrolytes, multivitamins, and dewormers on hand. Electrolytes aid in recovery from heat or handling stress, while vitamins support growth and feathering. Regularly clean the house and equipment using disinfectants.

# # # 4. Space
Broilers grow very quickly and require sufficient space to move and access feed and water. Overcrowding in the chicken house can lead to slow growth, poor uniformity, and disease outbreaks.

Allow approximately 12 to 15 birds per square meter. This translates to:

- For 100 birds: around 8 to 9 square meters of space
- For 200 birds: about 16 to 18 square meters
- For 300 birds: 24 to 27 square meters
- For 400 birds: 32 to 36 square meters

The house should have good ventilation to remove heat, moisture, and ammonia from droppings. High humidity and poor airflow can lead to respiratory diseases. Ideally, the house should face east to west to minimize direct sunlight. The floor should be elevated and made of concrete with clean, dry litter such as wood shavings or sunflower husks, approximately 5 to 10 centimeters thick to absorb moisture and provide warmth. Always keep the litter dry and turn it regularly.

# # # 5. Lighting
Lighting is vital for warmth, feeding, and growth. In the first week, provide 23 hours of light and one hour of darkness to help chicks find feed and water. As they grow, you can gradually reduce the lighting hours, but avoid long periods of darkness, as broilers eat best under light.

Use sixty-watt bulbs or gas brooders based on the type of house. Spread the bulbs evenly across the brooding area, with one bulb covering about three to four square meters.

- For 100 birds: 6 to 8 bulbs
- For 200 birds: 12 to 15 bulbs
- For 300 birds: 18 to 22 bulbs
- For 400 birds: 24 to 28 bulbs

Lighting also provides heat during brooding. The brooding temperature should start around 32 to 35 degrees Celsius during the first week and decrease by about two degrees weekly until it reaches around 24 degrees Celsius. Observe chick behaviour to assess temperature adequacy: if they crowd under the heat source, it’s too cold; if they move far away and pant, it’s too hot. Chicks that are evenly spread around the brooder indicate the temperature is just right.

---

# # # Additional Preparation Tips
Before the chicks arrive, clean and disinfect the entire house and equipment. Keep the house closed for at least two days after disinfection to allow it to dry completely.

FUNAAB Plants Two Hectares of Tomatoes to Address Shortages

The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) has taken a significant step to combat the current tomato shortage and rising prices by planting over two hectares of tomatoes.

The seedlings were initially cultivated in 600 trays, each holding 105 seedlings by the Farm Practical Year (FPY) students, at the Soilless Farm, Ogun State and they have successfully transplanted more than 60,000 tomato seedlings into the Farm.

During an inspection visit on June 23, 2024, Prof. Babatunde Kehinde, the Vice-Chancellor of FUNAAB, expressed his satisfaction with the progress of the tomato project.

He highlighted the dual benefits of the project, saying that it would address the immediate market needs and also provide hands-on agricultural education for the students.

The harvest is expected by the end of September 2024, which should help alleviate some of the market pressures faced by both consumers and sellers.