Chickens provide us with a number of products; including meat from specially bred broilers (meat) and eggs from layers (egg laying chickens). In our environment most families owned their own small flock of hens to supply them with meat and eggs.
The chicken meat and egg industries are mixed industries in Nigeria. The few huge commercial farmers are producing all. The specialization that we see in advanced economy is just about taking off in Nigeria.
The farmers still have to use different chicken breeds, housing and production systems. The Nigerian chicken industry will eventually go into the revolutionary stage of specialization in meat or egg producing business.
The Nigerian commercial poultry/chicken industry is dominated by very few companies that are huge and they consisted about maybe 15 companies that also have hatching facility.
There are several hundred small scales or backyard poultry establishment. Many of the small-scale producers/operators are is mostly involved in egg production and selling of the old layers (chicken) after the egg laying period expires.
The broiler meat industry produces chicken meat. The Strains/breed of chickens that are bred for meat production are called broiler. These chicken are bred to grow faster and convert feed to meat so fast. They are usually ready for market between 6-7 weeks.
The Chicken layer industry produces eggs for humans to eat, called table eggs. There are special varieties of chicken, called laying strains, some of which can lie over 300 eggs per hen per year. Strains of chickens bred to lay eggs are called layers. Depending on the strain of bird used, egg color can range from tinted (cream) to brown.
There are so many challenges facing the industry in Nigeria, the cost of production is very high, no watchdog to watch the quality of feed supplied, insufficient grain (grain is mostly consumed by human too).
The chicken industry will probably overcome the challenges if there is sufficient power supply that will help to reduce cost of hatching, feed production and opportunity to automate feeding, lighting and processing system.
There are so many components that can allow the industry to be the front runner in providing food security for the country.
There is good information that will help you in management of your flock in terms of feed, lighting, care and general management.