Types of Housing for Poultry farming

The poultry housing and method of feeding are diversify. In my own opinion there are only two methods. other sources had laid claim to their own definitions of poultry housing, yet I will only list the two methods in my own opinion and discuss the very one I will be applying in the small scale poultry farming for this short course which is also applicable for a commercial purposes.
The two types in my own opinion is:

1. Free range
2. Intensive range

Free range is the case where the hens are allowed to roam freely and fetch for themselves what they eat and drink. Although, the popular practice is to feed the flocks in the morning in the open air with water also located where they can drink easily. For all I know, whether the space the chickens ranged are fenced, backyard or widely open, the flocks range free that’s my opinion. Why I emphasis this is because you will come across so many argument on ranging free with terms like free range, yard range and many more. Free range, however have it’s advantage and disadvantages to include laws acclaimed around the production of egg and meat regulating the supply. The hens/birds are free during the day to range free and will return to their housing at night. It could be a ban, on a tree or a wooden cage. For those laying eggs among the hen, they lay in nest they make for themselves or in basket if provided by the farmer. The free range chickens are able to exercise freely and they also do have stronger legs compare to intensive method. This form of rearing of chicken and other birds is more of traditional method in my own opinion.

Intensive method: This method is more appealing for both small scale and large scale farming. This is the act of confining the hen /birds to a housing with controlled atmosphere, provision of feeding materials, drinking and everything to make the chicken comfortable. This method is far more expensive compared to free range in that the chickens are catered for and are even referred to as babies. Their housing is giving special consideration and this is what we will be looking at in our next topic. This type of method for raising livestock’s is has very high advantage over the free range method. The chickens reared under this method grow faster than (as much as thrice) the free range method. You are able to control so many conditions affecting the flocks. It is also a better method in my own opinion if you will be investing in poultry farming as this will help you get quick return on investment and maximize profit. However, this type of method also have it’s disadvantages. In our next lesson we will look at intensive method practically. How it should be built for brooding and its expansion when the chickens grows.

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