How to Start a Poultry Farm in Nigeria 2026: Costs, Steps and Profit Potential

📌 Quick answer (checked 14 October 2026): The two biggest costs for a new broiler farm are chicks and feed. On 14 October 2026, HTS Farms listed a carton of 50 Nastech day-old broilers at ₦107,250 (about ₦2,145 per chick), and Afrimash listed 25kg bags of New Hope broiler starter and finisher feed at ₦21,015–₦23,850. Using the Arbor Acres breed target of about 4.6kg of feed per bird to day 42, chicks and feed alone for 100 broilers come to roughly ₦614,000–₦668,000 before housing, vaccines, labour and power. Day-old chicks have been scarce in 2026 (BusinessDay reported a 67% price jump in three months in March), so book early.

Poultry farming remains one of the most popular agribusinesses in Nigeria because chicken and eggs sell in every town and broilers can be ready for market in about six weeks. But 2026 has been a hard year for farmers: day-old chicks have been scarce and expensive, feed takes the largest share of costs, and many older “start with ₦50,000” guides no longer reflect real prices. This guide gives you the steps, a cost breakdown built only on prices we could see with a date on them, and a worked example you can redo with your own local quotes.

Important: earlier versions of this article quoted startup cost ranges and profit claims from blogs that did not show when or how the figures were collected. We have removed those. Where we could not verify a cost (housing, equipment, vaccines), we explain what to budget for and how to get a quote, rather than giving a made-up number.

Broiler or layer: which should you start with?

For most first-time farmers, a small broiler batch is the safer way to learn: the cycle is short, the capital at risk is smaller, and you find out quickly whether you have buyers. Layers suit people with more capital and patience, especially once pullet supply improves.

What things cost in October 2026

Day-old broiler chicks

Prices as listed on the HTS Farms and Afrimash websites, checked 14 October 2026. HTS Farms says final prices are posted every Monday and Thursday morning, so confirm before paying. Per-chick figures are only shown where the seller states the number of chicks.

For context, a Vanguard editorial (3 September 2026) said day-old chicks that used to cost about ₦1,200 were being reported at ₦2,200–₦3,000. If a seller offers chicks far below the prices above, ask why — and never pay into a personal account for chicks you have not seen from a known hatchery.

Broiler feed (25kg bags)

Prices as listed on Afrimash’s poultry feed page, checked 14 October 2026. Ranges reflect the professional and commercial versions of each feed. Prices at your local feed depot may differ, and delivery is extra.

Feed is widely estimated at about 70% of poultry production costs (Vanguard editorial, 3 September 2026), so a ₦2,000 difference per bag matters a lot across a batch. Get quotes from at least two local depots and ask about bulk discounts.

Costs we could not verify — get local quotes

• Housing: depends on whether you convert an existing room, build a block-and-mesh pen or rent space. Ask a local builder to price your design.
• Equipment: feeders, drinkers, brooder (charcoal pot, gas or electric heater), thermometer and litter (wood shavings).
• Vaccines and drugs: ask a veterinary doctor or agro-vet shop near you for a price for your batch size and their recommended schedule.
• Power and fuel: brooding heat for the first two to three weeks, lighting and water pumping.
• Labour and transport: even a small farm needs daily attention, and getting birds to buyers costs money.

Worked example: chicks and feed for 100 broilers

This example uses only the prices above and a published breed target, so you can replace each line with your own quotes.

1. Chicks: 2 cartons of 50 Nastech chicks at ₦107,250 = ₦214,500.
2. Feed needed: Aviagen’s Arbor Acres broiler performance objectives (2022) give a target of about 4.6kg of feed per bird to reach about 3kg live weight at day 42 (about 3.2kg of feed to reach 2.3kg at day 35). For 100 birds to day 42: 100 × 4.6kg = 460kg, or about 19 bags of 25kg. These are breed targets under good management; many Nigerian farms use more feed per bird, so budget extra.
3. Feed cost: 19 bags × ₦21,015 to ₦23,850 = ₦399,285 – ₦453,150.
4. Chicks + feed: ₦613,785 – ₦667,650, before housing, equipment, vaccines, power, labour and transport.

What could the birds sell for? A Lagos weekly price guide from 24 Hours Market (dated 5 August 2026) listed live broilers at ₦15,000–₦27,000, and a Nairametrics survey published on 2 December 2025 found adult broilers at ₦18,000–₦30,000 ahead of Christmas. These are market prices; selling at the farm gate to traders usually earns less, and smaller birds fetch less. Before you buy chicks, ask three local buyers what they would pay per bird at six weeks — that number, not a blog estimate, decides whether your batch is profitable.

Simple profit check: (number of birds you expect to sell × the price buyers quote you) − (chicks + feed + vaccines + litter + power + labour + transport). Allow for some birds dying, especially in your first batch. If the answer is thin, start smaller or time your batch for a festive peak such as Christmas.

Step-by-step: how to start a poultry farm in Nigeria

1. Learn first. Spend time on an existing farm, take a short course from your state Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) or a reputable training farm, and talk to a veterinary doctor. Most first-batch losses come from brooding and disease mistakes.
2. Find buyers before you buy chicks. List restaurants, caterers, suya and pepper soup sellers, market traders and neighbours. Ask what size of bird they want, what they pay, and when they need it. Plan your batch so birds are ready for festive periods if possible.
3. Choose your site and prepare housing. Pick a well-drained spot with good airflow and access to water, away from other poultry farms if possible. Deep litter (wood shavings on a concrete or hard floor) is the usual choice for broilers. Make sure the house is secure against rodents, snakes and thieves.
4. Register your business. Registering a business name with the CAC helps you open a business account, sell to hotels and caterers, and apply for loans or grants.
5. Book chicks from a known hatchery. In 2026, popular brands have sold out at times, so book ahead. Buy from established hatcheries or their approved distributors, and inspect chicks on arrival: active, dry, bright-eyed and with healed navels.
6. Brood properly. Prepare the brooding area before chicks arrive: dry litter, warm space, clean water and starter feed. Watch the chicks: huddling means they are cold; panting and spreading out means they are too hot.
7. Feed in phases. Use starter (or super starter) feed for the early weeks and finisher feed towards market weight, following the feed maker’s guidance. Keep feed dry and off the floor to avoid mould.
8. Vaccinate and keep biosecurity tight. Follow a schedule from your vet (commonly covering Newcastle disease and Gumboro). Use a footbath at the entrance, limit visitors, clean and disinfect the house between batches, and isolate sick birds quickly.
9. Keep records. Write down daily feed use, deaths, medication and weights. Records show you where money is going and help when you apply for a loan.
10. Sell on time. Broilers kept past market age keep eating but add little value. Have buyers ready and sell promptly; then clean out, rest the house and start the next batch.

The 2026 picture: what new farmers should know

• Chick shortage: BusinessDay reported on 24 March 2026 that day-old chick prices had surged 67% in three months. Weekend Trust (14 March 2026) quoted the Poultry Association of Nigeria’s Kano chairman, Dr Usman Gwarzo, saying layer chick prices were “soaring to ₦3,000 plus” with about a four-month wait.
• Imports remain banned: the Federal Government’s revised import prohibition list dated 1 April 2026 keeps live or dead birds, including frozen poultry, banned at all ports of entry (THISDAY, 19 April 2026). That protects the local market for Nigerian farmers.
• Prices swing: frozen chicken carton prices in Lagos moved by up to 30% in a single month in 2026, according to Nairametrics’ monthly market survey. See our chicken price guide and egg price guide for the latest sourced figures.

Common mistakes that sink first batches

• Buying cheap chicks from unknown sellers, leading to high early deaths.
• Starting too big before learning brooding and disease control.
• No buyers lined up, so birds are kept past market age.
• Wet litter and poor ventilation, which bring disease.
• Skipping vaccines to save money.
• Not keeping records, so you cannot see where losses come from.

Funding and related guides

If you need capital, read our guides to grants and free funding for Nigerian entrepreneurs and CBN MSME loan schemes. To register, see how to register a business with CAC. If you want to make your own feed, read how to start a poultry feed business, and for other low-capital options see agribusiness ideas with low capital.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a day-old broiler chick cost in Nigeria now?

On 14 October 2026, HTS Farms listed a carton of 50 Nastech broiler chicks at ₦107,250 (about ₦2,145 each), and Afrimash listed a carton of 50 CASCADA chicks at ₦85,500 (about ₦1,710 each). Prices change twice a week at some sellers, so confirm before paying.

How much is a 25kg bag of broiler feed?

Afrimash listed New Hope broiler starter and finisher feeds at ₦21,015–₦23,850 per 25kg bag on 14 October 2026. Local depot prices can be higher or lower.

How much do I need to start with 100 broilers?

Chicks and feed alone come to roughly ₦614,000–₦668,000 at the online prices above, using a breed target of about 4.6kg of feed per bird to six weeks. Add housing, equipment, vaccines, power, labour and transport, which you should price locally.

Can I really start poultry farming with ₦50,000?

Not with commercial broilers at October 2026 prices: one carton of 50 chicks alone costs about ₦85,000–₦107,000 online, before feed. A very small backyard flock of local birds may cost less, but it will not behave like a commercial farm.

Is broiler or layer farming more profitable?

It depends on your capital, buyers and management. Broilers return money in about six weeks per batch; layers take months before the first egg but then earn steadily. With pullets scarce and costly in 2026, most beginners find broilers easier to start.

Is it legal to import frozen chicken to sell in Nigeria?

No. Frozen poultry remains on the import prohibition list dated 1 April 2026, as reported by THISDAY on 19 April 2026.

Sources

1. HTS Farms, “Day Old Broilers” product listing, checked 14 October 2026
2. Afrimash, “Poultry Feed” and “Day Old Chicks – Broilers” product listings, checked 14 October 2026
3. Aviagen, “Arbor Acres Broiler Performance Objectives”, 2022
4. BusinessDay, “Egg scarcity looms as day-old chick prices surge 67%”, 24 March 2026
5. Daily Trust (Weekend Trust), “Egg Shortage Looms Over Scarcity Of Day-old Chicks”, 14 March 2026

Last updated: 14 October 2026 · NaijaSabi.