The way farmers are raising chickens varies per farm. The different types of poultry farming systems are explained below:
  • Organic chicken farming
  • Backyard chicken farming
  • Intensive chicken farming
  • Battery caged chicken system
  • Free range chickens

Organic chicken farming

These are layers and broilers that are raised with no antibiotics or growth hormones. These chickens are raised natural, if there are sick there shouldn't be given antibiotics. There are not raised on cages, they eat organic feed and are free to go out during the day just like free range chickens. When organic chickens are sick they must be given Natural Antibiotic treatments, these are antibiotics made of herbs, these herbs must be grow with no chemicals. Natural antibiotics Herbs includes aloe Vera, oregano, garlic, amaranthus, spinach, vernonia amygdalina, Turmeric etc.

Backyard chicken farming

back yard free range chicken farming This is a small scale farming where layers and broilers are raised for family consumption. This can be done in Urban and rural areas. Backyard farming is big in South Africa, by tradition in African villages every family has chickens. These chickens are fed on kitchen left overs and some other poultry feeds. Since backyard chickens don't need a controlled environment you must select chickens that can withstand bad weather conditions, chickens that are diseases resistance.

Intensive chicken farming

This is for commercial farming where chickens are produced in thousands, these chickens are kept in house day and night, and they can either be in cages or on the floor with a bedding. The farm setup is controlled and monitored. The Advantages of intensive poultry farming is that it reduces costs of production. On this type of farming normal chickens are kept in battery cage.

Battery caged chicken system

These chickens are kept in cages, this is normal used in layers. These cages are made of wires, each cage can hold 5 - 11 hens. Animal's rights organization's in some countries has banned the Battery caged chicken system, a free range is recommended.

How bad is the Battery caged chicken system?

This system is considered as the cruel system, chickens can't walk around, they can't extend their wings, they can't dust bath. Chickens might have issues with spinal cords and they might get paralyzed. The cage wires can destroy the chickens skin and feathers.

Free range chickens

Do not confuse the Organic chicken farming or yarding with free range chickens farming, there are different farming systems. Again free range system is not the same as backyard chicken farming.

Cost of chicken farming

Costs varies per chicken farm. It can cost anywhere from a thousand to a million to setup a chicken farm. It all depends on how big is the farm. Costs varies from city to city, country to country. In some African countries like Uganda, chicken shelters can be built from mud, whereas in South Africa most small scale farmers prefer to build chicken houses from steel roof sheet. The cost of building or starting a chicken farm varies per farm.

Difference between free range and organic eggs

Organic eggs are coming from chickens that don't get antibiotics, whereas in free range farmers are allowed to use antibiotics. Farmers in free range chickens are allowed to use chemicals to clean their farms whereas organic farmers they use natural ways of cleaning their farms, those chemicals that are used in a free range farming might end up in eggs or chicken meet.

Difference between free range and normal eggs

Eggs from free range, organic, "caged free" chickens 'MIGHT BE' healthier than eggs from cage chickens.

How to start and run a succesfully chicken farming business

Join our facebook farming group

Join our facebook farming group, go to facebook and search for YEBO FARMING

Buy our chicken farming book

Follow the link below to findout more about my chicken farming book To purchase our chicken farming book click here

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