When it comes to a stable and secure income through farming, poultry farming always emerges as the first choice in rural and town areas. In today's times, when traditional crops are subject to the uncertainty of weather, this model of animal husbandry has become a strong source of regular cash flow for farmers and new youth. But whenever a new cattle farmer or young entrepreneur thinks of entering this business, the biggest basic question that arises before him is where to start? Is broiler farming i.e. selling chickens for meat more profitable or layer farming i.e. earning by selling eggs daily? This dilemma is not only related to the selection of chickens, but also related to the capital in your pocket, ability to take risk and understanding of the market. There are many youth in rural areas of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana who have earned lakhs of rupees per month by choosing the right model, while some people have also suffered losses due to wrong calculations. Therefore, it is very important to understand the intricacies, costs, time and profit margins of both the models in depth. Basic difference and business model of broiler and layer farming Poultry farming is mainly divided into two streams, the first of which is broiler and the second is layer farming. The direct objective of broiler farming is to prepare chickens for meat i.e. chicken production. In this, day old chicks are purchased and they are grown rapidly by providing nutritious food, water and right temperature. The life cycle of broiler chicken is quite short, which usually lasts for 35 to 45 days. During this time period, the weight of a hen reaches about 2 to 2.5 kg, after which it is sold directly to local markets, slaughterhouses or wholesalers according to its weight. On the other hand, the entire concept of layer farming hinges on daily egg production. In this, chickens are reared not for meat, but for continuous production of eggs. Layer birds take a long time of about 18 to 20 weeks i.e. about 4.5 to 5 months to become ready. After 20 weeks of age, these hens start laying eggs and continue to lay eggs for the next 72 to 78 weeks. When their egg production cycle ends, they are sold as 'culled birds' in the meat market at low prices. Cost and initial investment: Which requires more capital? The foundation of any new business rests on its initial capital, and the same rule applies to poultry farming as well. If you have a limited budget and want to make money in less time, then broiler farming proves to be suitable for you. In broiler farming, the initial capital requirement for construction of shed, purchase of feed, medicines and chicks is limited. For example, a setup of 1500 to 2000 broiler chickens can be prepared for Rs 3 to 4 lakh and the biggest thing is that your cost comes back in your hands as soon as the chickens are sold after 40 days. On the contrary, layer farming is a capital-intensive business. In this, you have to install modern cage system for birds, which includes automatic feeding and watering system. The most important thing is that layer chickens eat only grains from the first day till the 20th week and do not earn even a single penny. This means that the farmer has to continuously spend money on feed, medicine and maintenance for about 5 months without any income. To set up a commercial setup of 2000 layer hens, at least Rs 10 to 15 lakh is required. Earning Cycle: Daily Income vs. Monthly Lump Sum Profit Talking about the profit pattern, both the models come with their own distinct financial features. The biggest attraction of broiler farming is its turnover period. You can easily withdraw 5 to 6 lots in a year. That means every 40 to 45 days you get a huge lump sum amount. If a net profit of Rs 25 to 35 per hen is saved on a broiler batch of 2000 chickens, the farmer can easily save around Rs 50,000 to Rs 70,000 in 40 days. However, the market price of broiler chicken remains highly volatile, which sometimes reduces margins. Layer farming on the other hand gives you cash everyday. Once hens begin laying eggs at 20 weeks of age, they produce at 90 to 95 percent of their peak capacity. That means around 1800 to 1900 eggs are obtained daily from 2000 hens. By selling these eggs daily in local grocery shops, bakeries, dhabas and wholesale markets, the farmer gets cash every evening. To meet daily expenses and generate stable monthly income from the business, layer farming works like an ATM machine, where the cash flow never stops. Risk and management: Disease, weather and market shocks The greater the profits in the poultry sector, the greater is the need for risk management. Broiler chickens have a very fragile immune system, and since their life cycle is only 40 days, the farmer doesn't even get a chance to react if a disease spreads. A slight seasonal carelessness or infection like avian flu can destroy the entire lot in 24 to 48 hours. The mortality rate of broilers due to heat stroke increases significantly in summer season, which requires fogger and cooling system in the shed. Apart from this, the rate of broiler suddenly increases on occasions like festivals, Sawan and Navratri. In contrast, in layer farming, the birds' immunity is stronger and their vaccination is completed over a period of 20 weeks under a very strict schedule. The demand for eggs remains the same throughout the year, and its prices increase significantly during the winter months. The biggest risk in layers is that if the hens' feed is deficient in nutrition or they contract a serious disease, their egg production drops, which takes weeks of effort to bring back to normal levels. Government help, bank loans and the final decision: what is better for you? Today the Central and State Governments are promoting poultry farming on a large scale under the Livestock Development Mission and National Livestock Mission (NLM). Through NABARD and government banks, subsidy ranging from 25% to 33% is being given to farmers and women entrepreneurs on construction of farm shed, grain mill and purchase of chicks. Various financial incentives are available under the Poultry Development Policy in states like Uttar Pradesh. Now if we talk about the last decision, then if you are completely new in this field, you have less land, capital is between 3 to 5 lakhs and you want to see profits quickly, then you should definitely start broiler farming with 1000 or 1500 chickens. This will give you ground experience in understanding the behaviour, feed and diseases of chickens. On the other hand, if you have a strong budget of Rs 10 to 15 lakh, you have the patience to spend for 5 months without earning and you want a steady and stable income to come into your bank account every day for the next one and a half to two years, then layer farming i.e. egg business is the most accurate and reliable option for you.
