Layers or Broilers: Which is More Profitable for Farmers?

The demand for poultry products have been increasing, Poultry farming is amongst the most profitable businesses today. It is considered the fastest-growing division of the agricultural sector. Even when the whole country was suffering from Covid 19, its effect could not be seen in this sector much. Therefore, starting a poultry farm could be a great decision.  

If you are confused about which type of chickens (layers or Broilers) to start rearing in your poultry farm, then read this article to find out the advantages & disadvantages of rearing each of the types of chickens. 

Layers Poultry Farming: 

It is the domestication of chickens for the purpose of egg production. These birds have genes that make them lay eggs often. Layers tend not to gain a lot of weight. 

Broiler Poultry Farming: 

 Broilers are the birds that are reared solely for the purpose of meat production. Their genes make them grow faster than native chickens and layers. Within 6-8 weeks, broilers can grow to attain optimum marketable weight. 

Which Poultry Farm should you start?  

Your choice of Poultry Farm will largely depend on your skills, the starting capital and the marketing strategies you employ.  

Marketing:  

If you are going into broiler farming, you should know who will buy it, how much they will buy, what can affect the market and how you can leverage the market. Broilers are not easy to market as the chickens will continue to consume the feed.  This means that you will have to keep spending on their feed, even after they reach market weight. Therefore the more the broilers stay without selling, the more you will be losing. 

Layers on the other hand are easy to market as the eggs produced by the chickens can be stored without getting spoilt. It means you will only sell the eggs when you are willing.  

Immunization Against Infections & Diseases: 

The layers are going to stay with you longer and the money you will spend on their treatment & immunization will be more as compared to Broilers. Treatment or Prevention of Chicken diseases by some drugs especially for coccidiosis affects their egg production. You will therefore need a lot of knowledge on diseases and treatment options for layers before you even start. 

Initial Startup cost: 

Setting up a broiler farm requires less capital than layer farming. Broilers need light, clean water, space, few vaccines and food and within 8 weeks. Layers on the other hand require all that broiler requires with additional vaccines, debeaking, extra cost of feeding for months before the birds start laying.  

Bottom Line: 

In the long run, Layers farming on a large scale will be more profitable and bring in more revenue than broiler farming as after laying of eggs, the birds can be sold out as meat even though at lesser price than that of broilers. The selling of old layers will be additional revenue added to the revenue generated from selling of the eggs, they had been producing. Broilers can only bring more revenue when you already have large market demand.

Therefore, your decision should depend on proper planning and knowledge of marketing strategies. Broilers & Layers poultry farming are both good and choosing anyone depends on the factors stated above.