If you’ve been pricing day-old chicks (DOCs) in Nigeria lately, you know the feeling: you call two hatcheries on Monday and hear one number; by Friday, cartons crinkle in your hands and the price is already up. I’ve stood there too, wondering why DOC prices jump, soften, then jump again. Feed inputs (especially maize and … Read more
At first light, when the brooder room smells faintly of fresh pine shavings and warm mash, you can tell how a batch will go just by how the chicks rush the feeders. Strain matters. In a tight-margin year like 2025, with feed bills rising and heat waves punishing open houses, the difference between Arbor Acres, … Read more
In 2025, every naira we pour into a bag of feed or a carton of chicks has to stretch further than last year. Feed has jumped again, reports early this year pegged typical bag prices climbing from roughly ₦25,000 in December to about ₦27,800, putting real pressure on margins for small and mid-size farms. On … Read more
When a new batch of day-old chicks lands, the house smells like warm wood shavings and starter crumble, and the peeping is constant; this is a normal feeling. In those first 72 hours, tiny wins; soft, rounded crops, steady water slurps, chicks resting under even light, decide everything. This guide shows how to reduce broiler … Read more
Buying point-of-lay pullets at the right age and the right price can makes or breaks a layer flock. In this guide, I’ll share what I’m seeing on the ground: real price bands, where those numbers are coming from, and a practical playbook for when to buy (or wait). We’ll connect the dots between maize and … Read more
The first ten minutes after your chicks arrive set the tone for the next six weeks. Dusty Harmattan mornings and cool nights tilt the odds toward Newcastle disease, which historically spikes in Nigeria during the dry season; meanwhile, Infectious Bursal Disease (Gumboro) does its worst once the bursa fills out, typically at 3 to 6 … Read more
You know that warm, bready smell when a box of fresh DOCs lands at the farm gate, the soft peeping, the dry, papery feel of the pads? That moment can go either way. If transport went well, chicks settle fast and drink like champions. If it didn’t, you’ll hear raspy peeps, see drooped wings, and … Read more
If you have ever opened a chick carton and felt that mix of excitement and dread, excitement for the flock you are about to raise, dread that one faint peep sounds “off”, you are not alone. In Nigeria’s fast-moving DOC market, quality at pickup can make or break your first two weeks. In this guide … Read more
Buy day old chicks at the wrong time and you’ll fight wet litter, coccidiosis flare-ups, heat stress, or soft holiday markets. Buy at the right time, and those same chicks turn into tidy profits with calmer brooding, cheaper feed, and customers who pay with smiles instead of haggling. According to Nigeria’s meteorological outlook, rainy and … Read more
After years of buying day-old broilers (DOCs) for clients and my own flocks, I’ve learned that timing matters as much as breed or brooding. This guide breaks down, in plain farmer language, which months are usually cheapest, why the prices move, and how to lock in the low quotes without sacrificing chick quality. You’ll also … Read more