Poultry Farming in 2026: Five Key Tips for NYSC Members Starting a Business

Young Nigerian graduates often use the service year to prepare for life in the Nigerian economy. Many are exploring agriculture as a viable option, and one corp member sought advice from a poultry farmer in Abuja on how to start a poultry farm in 2026.

Adeyemi Okeleye, who serves in Abuja, spoke with Mr Raphael, who has run AGS Farm for 15 years.

Start small and with Broiler birds

Mr Raphael noted that housing, feeding and drinking structures are the first things to sort before starting a poultry project. He also advised that the best breed for a young farmer is broilers, not layers. 

He explained that broilers are a stepping stone for beginners without enough capital and experience. Broilers can be sold after six weeks, unlike layers, which need five to six months of feeding before they begin laying eggs.

A young farmer with limited resources can start with them and later expand into layers, which can produce eggs for up to two years if they stay healthy. Egg sales are steady and periodic and can help pay for feed, medication and buying new chicks for continuous expansion. 

Budget with understanding of costs

The seasoned farmer, using current prices, suggested a capital of between ₦200,000 and ₦500,000 for a small start. In his estimation, he factored in the prices of Day-Old Chicks (DOCs), feeds, medication, and the cost of power for brooding and managing the poultry house. 

He used the price of day-old chicks to explain how production costs can change by season or location. DOCs sell for between ₦2,200 and ₦2,250 in Abuja, up from between ₦1,100 and ₦1,500 earlier in the year. He said prices climbed in August, September and October because farmers were preparing birds for December, when demand usually rises, and expects them to fall once the festive period passes.

He noted that feed, medication and other input prices also change for different reasons and understanding these dynamics and timing is important for success.

Time cycles strategically

Mr Raphael explained that buying fresh batches of birds at the right time is important to succeed when raising broiler birds for meat. Since they take an average of six to eight weeks to reach maturity and be ready for the market, timing the cycle to align with festive seasons when demand will be high is key to earning big.

Buying chicks during the pre-December rush often costs more, the farmer said, noting that Christmas, like other festive periods such as Eid and Easter, is also when demand for birds is strongest, guaranteeing good turnover on investment.

He warned new farmers against planning their cycles outside high-demand season unless they have guaranteed buyers.

Know your buyers and how to sell to them

Mr Rapheal further explains that business typically happens beyond festive seasons, and raising birds beyond then can also work for those who understand how. 

He explains that poultry farms sell to anyone who needs birds, including individuals, traders, supermarkets and other businesses. For a young farmer starting, knowing who you are selling to is key to success. Some buyers purchase live birds to resell, while others buy them for consumption. Knowing how to serve them properly will help get customers and also retain them. 

As a business tip, he said the farm may take samples to buyers by preparing and packaging them as they would like, to introduce the product to new buyers.

Plan for the Risks too

The farmer said people often fail to understand that poultry farming can contain both gains and losses. Disease is the biggest threat to the business, as he mentioned one flock of more than 400 birds fell to about 150 due to Newcastle disease.

He revealed that a hygiene routine has helped him to manage diseases. Clean surroundings, regular replacement of bedding, cleaned drinkers and fresh water, with birds checked and fed throughout the day.

He revealed that the 200 chicks on his farm, one week old on the day of the interview, were vaccinated the previous day.

However, Nigeria's irregular power supply threatens poultry production. Chicks need heat during brooding, and power cuts can put them at risk, he said. He also uses easy-to-set-up artificial lighting at night.

Conclusion

For a corps member weighing farming against another path, his message is plain. You can start a poultry business with modest money, and it promises a quick first return if everything goes according to plan. However, a newcomer should learn the risks first and plan for any outcome.

Future expansion depends on increasing capital, and several funding opportunities are available to young people.