African Poultry Farming

When building a chicken house you will need to think about curtaining. All chicken houses have curtains to regulate temperature. A large poultry house will need a curtain winching system – this makes raising and lowering the curtain very easy – it is operated by a big gear winch and with such a system you will be able to raise curtains as long as 150m. Watch a video of a poultry curtain winching system

Large and small chicken houses use curtain winching systems, a big gear winch makes winding up the curtains for chicken house very easy. A small chicken coop does not need curtains for poultry house. Installing a curtain is quite a job – especially very long curtains – rather let an expert do it for you.

The poultry curtains primary function is for controlling temperature – drop them down and the air circulates and cools – raise them up and it will block the wind and air flow. Curtains in chicken houses are made from 550 GSM plastic/nylon. A good chicken curtain will last 10 – 15 years. The chicken house should be positioned such that the sun does not shine into the house – this will help with keeping temperatures low. A poultry fan can be used if your poultry house is still getting too hot. The curtain openings should be covered with chicken wire or mesh – this is to stop other birds etc from entering the chicken house – all the small openings around the steel structure should be sealed to stop rats and snakes from entering the chicken house. A broiler house has smaller curtain opening than a layer house – the layer house curtains will drop almost down to the floor. Make sure that you use good quality pulleys and winches, pulleys that can handle the steel cable that is used on a poultry curtain. The curtains should be contained with nylon ropes called Z ropes – this is to stop the curtains from flapping or billowing in the wind.

Building a poultry house

Farming poultry and poultry equipment in Africa is a growing industry. The opportunities for small farmers to enter a profitable, sustainable industry are growing. Building a broiler chicken house is a sure way to generate income.

Farming chickens has long been the arena of large organisations. Now, with food security and “buy local” it is set to rocket. Small poultry farmers are springing up everywhere. They are not looking to change the world – but are doing so anyway. With minimal poultry equipment they are producing great broilers and layers.

In terms of saving the planet – the small chicken farmer is way ahead. They grow chickens and eggs and sell directly to the people in their immediate area. Often the flocks are partly organic chickens due to the fact that the farmer also grows mielies and other crops on the land. African poultry farming is definitely something overseas investors are looking at. It is a huge market and this is great for the bigger Africa poultry farming operation.