Make your own incubator
Arid Land Information Network
How to calculate your profits
Here are some calculations by Kossi, the author of this article.
Activity
Unit price US$ Quantity Total US$
Buying of eggs
0.12
50 6.04
Depreciation of the incubator
4
Petroleum (1ltr day)
0.21
21 4.57
TOTAL
0.33
71 14.61
The profit from the incubator is the value of the chicken less the total amount of labor. Assuming
you get 40 chickens and each costs US$ 2 in market, then you have 40 x 2 = UD$80.
Profits are US$80 – 14.61 = 65.39 dollars!
Exotic breeds
Local chicken is known to be resistant to diseases and have good quality meat. For years,
research has been done to improve their quality resulting in improved breeds. This has had
its problems such as weak production and high mortality.
Improved breeds mature fast, some eat less food and yet give the same amount of meat and
eggs. Other exotic breeds are available but they require a lot of care. These species are
available from brooding stations and farmers. Your veterinary and agriculture department can
help you get breeds suitable for your area.
Hygiene
Poultry require a clean environment in order to stay healthy. The roost must have an elevated wooden
floor with gaps to allow the droppings to go through. The floor can be made of wood, bamboo or thin
strips of wood. The gaps should be minimized to avoid the birds’ feet being trapped between the
gaps. Use a pen width to determine the size of the gaps but make them big enough for the droppings
to pass through.
Space
For 25 chicken make a roost 10metres wide and 15metres long.
Make a staircase to enable the chicken to climb up and down the
elevated house.
Herbs and trees
You can plant in the yard good and
nutritive herbs for your chicken in
Togo and West African countries, the
farmers’ plant species such as
desmodium and Bracharia can be
used. Once the herbs grow, put
fences in some parts of yard to
protect fresh herbs from damage.
Some farmers trees in their yard
whose leaves can be eaten. If you
decide to plant some trees to hold
your
fences, choose those that will add
nutrients to the soil like leucaena,
Acacia, Calliandra etc.
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