Selecting a method of poultry farming.

There are three main types of poultry farming. The battery cage system, the free-range system, and the deep litter system. These different methods of poultry farming have been carefully selected to suit the needs and preferences of farmers around the world. Most small-scale farmers are deciding to jump into poultry farming as a business venture because of how easy it has become to start a chicken coop using one of the poultry farming methods.

Depending on a farmer’s location, type of business, or even taste, the three methods of poultry farming may be carefully selected so as to ensure optimum productivity within the farmer’s niche. Choosing a poultry farming method should be properly done to accommodate things like;

• The housing of the chicken.
• Feeding.
• Biosecurity and Maintainance.

Chicken, however, is not the only domesticated bird in the world. There are many other poultry birds that are kept by farmers and enthusiasts around the world. For this article, I will focus only on chicken. Let’s look at what each of the three methods of poultry farming entails.

Battery/ Cage system.

This is an organized form of poultry farming where chickens are kept in battery cages. They do not leave the cage. The use of the cage system is most common with layer poultry farmers. Once the layers get to their point of laying, they are moved to their cages and do not leave until they stop laying. There are some things that must be taken care of while the chicken is in their cages;

1. Feeding
2. Vaccination and Biosecurity
3. Collection of eggs.

Free-range system.

This one is the easiest. Keeping chicken or any other type of poultry using this system is beneficial to the farmer as well as the birds. This is because, on the side of the farmer, it requires less attention in terms of feed and general care. Then, since the chicken is mostly outside in the field, less input in cleaning is needed in the chicken coop.

Free-ranging is however only suitable for particular birds that are genetically able to withstand the conditions of a free-range system. Birds like broilers and layers are supposed to be placed in a semi-free-range system in order to maintain their productivity.

Deep litter system.

This is a method of keeping poultry where the birds are confined to a room or structure but are able to move around just like they would if they were in a free-range system. The poultry structure is supposed to be spacious, have enough perches, have nesting boxes and adequate feeding and watering stations. This system is highly regarded by farmers in my country because of its success rate with other large-scale farmers. In comparison to the other forms of poultry farming, the deep litter system has proven to be the most effective.