6 Benefits of Raising Broiler Chickens and Their Risks
Thinking about broiler chicken farming? See six benefits, from steady demand to fast harvests, plus the risks of competition and disease to weigh first.
Broiler chickens, also called meat chickens, are widely farmed today because the business is profitable. As the name suggests, these chickens are raised for their meat. Raising them is not easy, though, because technical mistakes lead to losses. For anyone planning to get into the broiler business, here are some very tempting benefits of raising broiler chickens:
Contents
High Demand
The first benefit of raising broiler chickens is strong demand. Look around: on ordinary days and on special occasions alike, plenty of people need broiler chicken meat for their own meals or to serve to a crowd.
Plenty of Opportunity
Raising broilers offers plenty of opportunity, because many people need the meat and many people like it. Children and adults both enjoy broiler chicken. With so many buyers, the business is very tempting. In the weeks before the fasting month of Ramadan, demand can jump sharply because so many iftar (fast-breaking) gatherings are held.
Fluctuating Prices
Like eggs from commercial laying hens, broiler prices fluctuate a lot. Even when the price drops, it does not stay low for long and soon climbs again. When the selling price goes up, farmers earn tempting profits because their income is much larger than their production costs.
A Wide Target Market
Another benefit worth considering is a wide target market. That helps farmers, who never have to wonder how to sell what they raise. Broilers can be sold anywhere and to anyone, so marketing is not hard. They can be sold in supermarkets and traditional markets, for example, among other places.
Faster Harvest
Compared with native free-range chickens (ayam kampung), broilers reach harvest much faster. It does not take long to harvest them, which suits anyone who wants a business with fast capital turnover.
Easy to Open Branches
You are not limited to raising broilers. Farmers who have succeeded at it can branch into other lines of business, such as a chicken slaughterhouse. Chicken meat processing is another business that can grow out of broiler farming.
Risks of Raising Broiler Chickens
Behind the big benefits of raising broiler chickens come big risks. Do not look only at the profit; weigh the risks as well. Here are the risks of raising broiler chickens that you must keep in mind:
Fierce Competition
The first risk is fierce competition. A profitable business always attracts many people who want in, so you need tips and tricks to keep your broiler business competitive against a growing number of rivals.
Mortality
Raising broilers carries the risk of death. In the rainy season, many broilers get sick and die. Disease spreads among them very quickly, so early prevention is essential. The more birds that die, the bigger the farmer's loss. Sick chickens also sell for a low price, so many broiler farmers worry when their flock falls ill and does not improve.
Raising broilers is very tempting, but the risks are just as large. The bigger the profit, the bigger the risk that comes with it. So do not focus only on the benefits of raising broilers; business owners should also weigh the risks they will face.
Read also: 6 Pros and Cons of Native Chicken DOC (Day-Old Chicks)
