How to start a Broiler Chicken production business in Zimbabwe and the business plan

Raising broiler chickens is becoming more popular in Zimbabwe, as people try to find extra income amid the growing economic challenges and high unemployment levels in the country. Many have lost hopes of ever getting jobs in the formal sector, and have started different types of income generating projects.

Broiler chicken farming business in Zimbabwe can be very profitable if it is properly run under acceptable methods and conditions conducive for the chicken production, good management and a good business plan. 

Before you start a broiler production business, you have to decide how many chickens you want to keep, where you are going keep them, and your target market. The number of birds you keep will depend on the amount of land and capital you have, and also the size of your target market. You should always carry out a feasibility study, market research and write a business plan before you venture into any business. Do not make the mistake of starting a broiler business or any other business just because someone is doing it and he/she says it’s profitable.

What you need

Land, Housing and Equipment

This is a very important factor to consider. It will determine whether you succeed or not in the poultry business.  The kind of housing you need and the size of the land will depend on the size of your poultry project. An ideal poultry farm should be sited where there’s a large availability of cheap land and at the same time should be close to your market. Broilers cannot adjust well to temperature extremes, so it is very important that chickens be housed, cared and provided with an environment that will enable them to maintain their thermal balance. The right housing should have proper ventilation and the right lighting. The length of the broiler house should run from east to west to prevent direct sunlight. Birds need a certain minimum space and convenient place to grow well, otherwise if the space is not enough they may suffocate to death, which will be a great loss to your business. You should allow 0.1 square metres per bird. Your housing can be barns, chicken runs or hutches. The cost of construction depends on the size. You should have equipment including feeders, drinkers, lighting system and waste disposal system.

Day old chicks

The mortality rate of the broilers, their growth and weight will depend on the brand of day old chicks which you buy. Some brands grow slower, and have a high mortality rate. You should make your own research on which brand to buy, not to just buy the cheapest ones, as that will cost you.  Enquire from those who are already in the broiler business.  Ask the companies if they offer any guarantee on their day old chicks. Some companies will replace your chicks if they die and if you have any problems with the chicks, you can return them and you will given new chicks. The popular day old chicks’ providers in Zimbabwe include Irvines, Hubbard,Chinyika and Novatek.

Stock feeds

The profitability of the broiler chicken farming business depends on minimizing the mortality rates and optimizing the target weight of the birds. Broiler diets are formulated to provide the protein, energy, vitamins and other nutrients essential for health and efficient broiler production.  So the type of feeds you choose will determine the success of your business. On average, by the time a bird reaches 6 weeks, it should have consumed a total of 4kg of broiler feeds.  Six weeks is the age at which most broilers are sold, and they will be having an average live weight of between 2.2kg to 2.4kg, depending on management, breed, age and uniformity. About 70% of your expenses will go towards poultry feeding. You will also need proper vaccines and medications to prevent diseases and promote growth of your broilers.

For large scale broiler production, you can produce the feeds by yourself. You will have to learn how to make broiler feeds, and purchase the necessary equipment, and this will cut your feeding costs. For small scale broiler production, it is better to buy already-made broiler feeds. You can buy stock feeds which are complete such that you give them to your birds without adding anything. For those with access to cheap home grown maize, you can buy broiler concentrate feeds. You will then mix the broiler concentrate with maize meal, according to the ratio specified on the concentrate feed packet. This will lead to lower feeding costs, while providing all the necessary nutrients required by the birds.

You have to carry out a research concerning which brand to buy, as there are many broiler feeds brands in the market. The type of feeds you choose will determine the growth rate, health, and weight of your birds. You will have to feed the birds according to the specific instructions on the packet of the feed, otherwise your birds may die.  The popular brands of broiler feeds in Zimbabwe include Pro feeds, AgriFoods, Feedmix and National foods.

Management and Labour

The number of staff you will need depends on the size of your poultry farming project.  If you are keeping 50 birds at the back of your house you may not need an employee as you and your family will take care of the birds. On the other hand, if you have a poultry farm you will need dedicated staff to look after the birds, and to manage the business. You need good management skills and technical knowledge of broiler rearing techniques if you want to be profitable. Do your research, and train those who are working for you.

Capital

The amount of capital you need will depend on the scale of your project, location of your farm, and the type of management technology you are using.

Market

With so many people eating chicken, and the country importing hundreds of millions dollars worth of chicken every year, you do not have to be a graduate to figure out that there is a huge demand for chickens in Zimbabwe. Before you start the broiler chicken business, you should define the market you are targeting. For small scale broiler production, you can sell to those in your neighborhood, by simply putting a ‘Chicken for sale’ sign at your gate.  For medium to large scale broiler chicken production, you can target households, butchers, schools, restaurants, companies, events, abattoirs etc. You can also advertise your chickens business in the media or online.  If you have good networking skills it will be very easy for you to market your chicken. If you are producing more than 1000 birds, you can always sell your birds to abattoirs and companies which sell the packed chicken meat you buy from supermarkets eg Surrey etc.

Pre-Written Broiler Poultry Production Business Plan (PDF, Word And Excel) : Comprehensive Version, Short Bank Loan Version, Automated Excel Financial Statements

For an in-depth analysis of the broiler poultry production business in Zimbabwe, purchase our business plan. We decided to introduce the business plans after noting that many Zimbabweans were venturing into the broiler business without a full understanding of the industry, market, how to run the business, the risks involved, profitability of the business and the costs involved, leading to a high failure rate of their businesses.

Our business plan will make it easier for you to launch and run a broiler business successfully, fully knowing what you are going into, and what’s needed to succeed in the business. It will be easier to plan and budget as the broiler chicken production business plan will lay out all the costs involved in setting up and running the broiler business. The business plan is designed uniquely for the Zimbabwean market.

Uses of the Broiler Production Business Plan (PDF, Word And Excel)

The broiler production business plan can be used for many purposes including:

• Raising capital from investors/friends/relatives
• Applying for a bank loan
• Start-up guide to launch your poultry business
• As a project proposal
• Assessing profitability of the poultry business
• Finding a business partner
• Assessing the initial start-up costs so that you know how much to save
• Manual for current business owners to help in business and strategy formulation

Contents of the Broiler Poultry Production Business Plan (PDF, Word And Excel)

The business plan include, but not limited to:

• Market Analysis
• Industry Analysis
• Automated Financial Statements (monthly cash flow projections, income statements, cash flow statements, balance sheets, break even analysis, loan repayment calculations, start-up costs)
• Marketing Strategy
• Risk Analysis
• SWOT & PEST Analysis
• Operational Requirements (e.g. type of housing required, feed required e.t.c.)
• Operational Strategy
• Why some Zimbabweans in broiler poultry business fail, so that you can avoid their mistakes
• Ways to raise capital to start your broiler poultry business in Zimbabwe
• Government regulations

The broiler production business plan includes technical aspects of how to keep and rear the broilers. It also includes a mini-directory with contacts which will prove to be helpful in launching and running the broiler poultry business. E.g. We will provide the contact details of the companies that produce feeds, construct broiler houses e.t.c.

The Broilers Business plan package consist of 4 files

1. Broiler Production Business Plan – PDF file (Comprehensive – 73 pages)
2. Broiler Poultry Business Plan – Editable Word File (Comprehensive – 73 pages)
3. Broilers Poultry Production Business Plan Bank Version – Editable Word File (Short version for applying for a loan – 34 pages)
4. Broilers Business Plan Automated Financial Statements – (Editable Excel file)

The business plan financials are in USD currency. 

The financial statements are automated. This implies that you can change eg the number of birds, price per bird etc, and all the other financial statements will automatically adjust to reflect the change.

Get the Broiler Poultry Production Business Plan (PDF, Word And Excel)

We decided to make them affordable for anyone who would want a business plan, and the price for pre-written business plans is only US$10 for soft copies.

You can purchase via Paynow (Ecocash/Innbucks/One Money/MasterCard/Visa Card) or via Paypal. You just click Buy Now (scroll down)  and you will then be taken to payment website where you make the payment. Just follow the instructions; you will be done with the payment process in 2 minutes. We will email the business plan (PDF format, Microsoft word format, and a Microsoft Excel file with the financial statements)  to you within 24 hours, using the email address you provided when you were paying.

You can also purchase soft copies at our offices in Harare. Visit  StartupBiz Zimbabwe, Suite 201, 2nd Floor, Morgan House, George Silundika Avenue (between 1st Street & 2nd Street), Harare . The cost of the business plan is US$10 (soft copies).

For any questions, other payment options, email us on shop@startupbiz.co.zw , call/whatsapp us on +263778798072 (Whatsapp us by clicking the link https://wa.me/263778798072) .

Broiler Production Business Plan 

Click Buy now to purchase using Ecocash, Innbucks, Paypal, MasterCard or VisaCard (US$10)

Click the above button



Check out more business ideas and our collection of business plans. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to receive notifications of new posts in your email.

A note from StartupBiz Zimbabwe: Everyday we send business updates via Whatsapp. Click the link to join: https://chat.whatsapp.com/LLCPUC0aLykLElRawOttHj or send the word join via Whatsapp to  +263778798072 (Whatsapp us by clicking the link https://wa.me/263778798072).