03/05/2026
Before You Start 400 Pullets, See the ₦3.5M Breakdown Nobody Wants to Admit
Most people go into poultry farming with one big mistake:
They underestimate the cost.
Let’s break down the REAL cost of raising 400 pullets from day-old to 24 weeks (point of lay) using current market prices.
No guesswork. No motivation. Just reality.
🐥 Cost of Birds
400 pullets × ₦3,500 = ₦1,400,000
🌽 Feed Consumption
0–8 Weeks (Starter Phase)
Longer starter phase means higher intake here.
• Intake per bird ≈ 1.8kg
• 400 birds × 1.8kg = 720kg
• 720 ÷ 25 = ~29 bags
Cost:
29 bags × ₦17,000 = ₦493,000
8–20 Weeks (Grower Phase)
This is your heaviest feeding period. If this is wrong, everything collapses.
• Intake per bird ≈ 3.8kg
• 400 birds × 3.8kg = 1,520kg
• 1,520 ÷ 25 = ~61 bags
Cost:
61 bags × ₦14,000 = ₦854,000
20–24 Weeks (Layer Mash Phase)
Short period, but intake increases because birds are nearing lay.
• Intake per bird ≈ 1.2kg
• 400 birds × 1.2kg = 480kg
• 480 ÷ 25 = ~19 bags
Cost:
19 bags × ₦14,500 = ₦275,500
✅ Total Feed Summary
• Starter: 29 bags → ₦493,000
• Grower: 61 bags → ₦854,000
• Layer: 19 bags → ₦275,500
Total Bags: 109 bags
Total Feed Cost: ₦1,622,500
💊 Vaccination & Medication
Estimated at ₦500 per bird
400 × ₦500 = ₦200,000
👷 Labour
Assistant (part-time) = ₦40,000 (240,000)
🔧 Miscellaneous
(transport, water, litter maintenance, electricity, etc.)
Estimated = ₦150,000
💰 Total Cost (Day-old to 24 weeks)
Birds: ₦1,400,000
Feed: ₦1,622,500
Medication: ₦200,000
Labour: ₦240,000
Misc: ₦150,000
TOTAL = ₦3,612,500
⚠️ Reality Check
If your budget for 400 pullets is ₦2M or ₦2.5M, you’re not planning… you’re guessing.
And guessing is why most poultry farmers fail before their birds even start laying.
By 24 weeks, your birds should be close to production and can start supporting their feeding cost.
But if you didn’t plan properly, you won’t even get there.
Prices used here are based on current market averages.
Feed and input costs may vary depending on your location and timing.
This breakdown is a guide, not a fixed price list.
Also, this is NOT for beginners starting from scratch.
This is strictly for farmers who already have:
Housing
Equipment
Basic setup in place
If you are starting from zero, your total investment will be significantly higher than what is stated here.
📌 What’s Next
In the next post, we will break it down properly:
From land acquisition
To housing and setup
To raising birds to production
