Challenges of Poultry Farming and Expert Advice

We began with the Nour Farm and its owner, Abdul Wahab, who confirmed that the farm produces abundant quantities of broiler and layer chickens. The farm used to sell them at auctions held in Abdali, but recently the auctions have stopped, prompting customers to come directly to the farm to purchase them. The farm is neatly divided into sections, and the workers there observe safety protocols to the best of their ability. However, as we learned from the farmer, the problem lies in the continuously rising prices of feed, especially soy, at a time when sales revenue is insufficient to cover production costs, threatening to shut down this operation that meets our need for chicken meat. Cooling the Farms We quickly move on to the nearby Al-Salam Farm and meet the farmer, Muhammad Amin, who emphasizes that the most important things a chicken farm must have are proper ventilation, and dedicated coops for each type of chicken, along with separate facilities for hatching and rearing. However, Amin also tells us that his greatest concern is providing air conditioning units in the coops, because summer always threatens to wipe out the flocks if the cooling and air conditioning systems aren’t powerful and suitable, but air conditioning units mean electricity consumption, and electricity rates remain high for farm owners; it would be best to reduce them to the same rates as for homes, out of compassion for small business owners who have not yet generated income. Amin says that high temperatures cause us to lose large numbers of chickens. He asks: “Why doesn’t the Authority distribute fully equipped chicken coops that are also safe? That’s what we’ve been trying to provide on our own, but we’re struggling due to the high cost of supplies.” Moving on to another farm where ducks and turkeys are raised alongside broiler and layer chickens, Breeder Jassim Al-Salem tells us, unlike his predecessors, that poultry farming is encouraging to continue because it is profitable and its revenues cover expenses and even exceed them. However, he is only concerned about marketing to large companies, calling on the Poultry Breeders’ Union to intervene to protect all amateur breeders who lack the capital to compete with giant corporations. Al-Salem adds that as for turkeys, the prices per bird are encouraging, but the profit margin is small. Many owners of nearby poultry farms come to buy large quantities of chickens, and we sell them at good prices. Expert Advice We relayed what we heard to expert engineer Mohammed Al-Fraih, owner of Burgan Farms, who reassured small-scale farmers: “The most important advice we offer is to follow key guidelines to ensure a healthy environment for the flocks. We must prioritize necessary preventive measures so we don’t find ourselves scrambling for solutions after the damage is done.” First, you must separate different groups of poultry from one another, even if the flock consists of 200 or 300 chickens; however, if there are only 20 or 30 chickens, it is fine to keep them mixed. Expansion and Mechanization: As we expand, we must adopt mechanization and modern breeding equipment. He noted that he frequently travels to the latest specialized poultry breeding exhibitions to learn about new breeding technologies, and that he has already implemented Belgian expertise in many poultry production lines at large companies, including hatcheries that monitor all health and growth factors of the chicks inside the eggs, allowing the breeder to know the chick’s weight, growth rate, and even heart rate at regular intervals. Isolating Chicks Al-Fraih explained that the breeder must isolate chicks from growing chickens. We asked him why. He said that chicks are highly susceptible to infection and cannot tolerate it; even if medication is added to the water for older birds, chicks cannot tolerate it, resulting in greater and more severe losses due to their death. Al-Fraih recommends following the vaccination schedule as directed by the Veterinary Department to prevent chronic diseases. He also warns against allowing workers who transport feed to enter without strictly adhering to safety and hygiene protocols, as workers may introduce pathogens on their shoes. Worker Sanitization: Every poultry farm must provide a disinfection basin filled with sanitizing liquid; neither vehicles nor individuals may enter without passing through it. Workers must also wear high-top boots and a jacket specific to their assigned task, whether feeding, cleaning, or other duties. Feed Prices: “What about feed prices?” we asked Al-Fraih, and he replied: “Feed prices have doubled or more over the past few years. A ton of poultry feed now costs 160 dinars, up from between 80 and 90 dinars, and a ton of soybeans has risen to 250 dinars, up from 110 dinars.”