Poultry farming basics

Poultry farming is the form of animal husbandry that raises domesticated birds such as chickens, ducks, turkeys and geese to produce meat or eggs for food. Commercial poultry farming is distinguished from backyard or subsistence poultry-keeping by scale and the use of fixed housing, formulated feed and routine disease control. Key inputs include day-old chicks (broilers for meat, layers for eggs), commercial feed, clean water, ventilation and vaccinations against Newcastle disease, infectious bronchitis and fowl pox. Biosecurity (footbaths, restricted entry, sick-bird isolation) is critical, especially in areas with avian-influenza risk.