Types of Poultry farming in Uganda

Incase you have plans on starting a poultry farm or just rearing your chickens in your backyard or compound, here are some of the type of poultry commonly reared in Uganda. Get some insight of information about the type you would want to invest in or rear before you start.

Layers breed

This is a type of chicken breed known for egg laying purposes or capacity. Hens of laying breed can start to lay eggs in about the fourth month to the fifth month of age, that's approximately 16 to 20 weeks. Some of these laying breeds may include, Red star, Plymouth Rock, leghorn, Rhode Island Red and many more. A hen of this breed can produce one egg a day, but this depends on the hen's reproductive system and other factors such as climate, nutrition, predators and mainly day length because egg laying depends on the amount of day light they receive a hen may stop laying when it receives less than 12 hours of day light, and hence it will have some days when it doesn't lay at all an egg. 

Meat breed

This type of chicken breed raised for the purpose of meat specially and it is commonly done at every part of the world. These may include, Cornish cross, jersey giant, Bresse, Orpington and many more. These variety of chickens when fully grown at around 4 to10 weeks can weigh between 2kg to 5kg (4 to 12 pounds). These meat breed chickens are commonly known as broilers and grow faster than layers breed.

Turkeys and ducks 

Turkeys are not commonly reared due to how their chicks are too fragile and need alot of care while still young. Turkey chicks have weak immune system and this makes it hard for most people to rear them. Turkeys consume alot of food and are too expensive when it comes to selling them, a meal turkey can cost up to ugx 200,000 and a female can cost ugx 80,000. They are raised for mainly meat purposes. Turkey meat has alot of food values such as, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12, zinc, proteins, calories and fat and more. Some of the varieties of turkey include; Beltsville, bronze, bourdon red, slate turkey, white Holland and many more.

Dual purpose breed

These are breeds that are usually kept at home in Uganda for the purpose of eggs and later for meat. They can be kept in the backyard/compound and left to move around to look for their own food. It is usually refferd to as indegenous poultry/local chickens. They are easy to raise and can thrive in their given environment. The most common breed for this is the Rhode Island Red chicken. They can be butcherd at atleast 20 weeks old. They lay brown eggs and are usually large bodied.