5 Poultry farming courses & why you should be interested in chicken farming

Thinking about farming chickens and other domesticated fowl? Consider taking one of the poultry farming courses recommended.

Why should you be interested in poultry farming (and chicken farming)?

In poultry farming, domesticated birds such as chickens, turkeys, ducks, and quail are bred and raised for meat or eggs. Surprisingly, even rabbits are classified as poultry by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

As of 2021, the global poultry market was worth USD $318.58 billion (AUD $498.40 billion / CAD $451.16 billion / GBP £250.03 billion). By 2026, the market is expected to reach USD $493.21 billion (AUD $771.61 billion / CAD $698.46 billion / GBP £387.09 billion). There will be a growth in demand over the next five years, based on this. 

There are three main poultry animals: chickens, ducks, and turkeys, with chickens making up around 90% of the market’s meat production. Incredibly, the US is the world’s leading broiler chicken producer, led by Georgia and Alabama. In 2018, 17% of chickens were exported out of the US, indicating strong demand. Similarly, in Australia, where locals consume an average of 48.8kg of chicken per person from 2021 to 2022, the chicken farming industry is trying to keep up.

Furthermore, poultry farming — specifically chicken farming — is a relatively inexpensive venture. In addition to chicks being cheap, food scraps and other pests can be used as supplemental feed, and existing buildings can be converted to poultry houses.

Growing demand and reasonably low expenses make poultry farming remarkably profitable. Bill Gates, in particular, wrote that chicken farming is “a good investment” and would help alleviate malnutrition.

How would poultry farming courses help you get started?

The fact that poultry farming is affordable does not mean it is straightforward to get started. Taking up a poultry farming course would ensure quicker success.

For instance, when it comes to chicken farming, there are many factors to consider, such as flock management style (free-range, floor-raised, cage-raised), equipment, feed, and staffing needs. As well as monitoring the health and welfare of their animals, farmers must also ensure that they are fed and housed according to local laws.

Likewise, it is not enough for farmers to only know things about their operations. They must also know a bit about marketing and business to compete against other sellers.

Take a look at our recommended list of poultry farming courses below that would walk you through the poultry farming method and give you some insight on how to develop your own poultry farming business plans.

5 Poultry Farming Courses Online

1. Chicken Behaviour and Welfare by The University of Edinburgh

Course	Chicken Behaviour and Welfare
Institution & Platform	The University of Edinburgh via Coursera
Level	Mixed
Duration	10 hours
Certification	Sharable Certificate (for an additional fee)
Fee	FREE
Delivery Mode	Online

This course, offered by The University of Edinburgh on Coursera, explains chicken behavior and welfare, as well as behavioural and physiological indicators that can be used to assess welfare in hobby flocks and commercial farms. Although the focus is mainly on laying chickens and meat chickens (broilers), the principles can also be applied to other types of chickens. Owners of small hobby flocks, commercial egg and chicken meat producers, veterinarians and vet nurses may find the course useful.

You can take this course for free. The certificate of recognition can be obtained for a small fee.

2. Diploma in Poultry Farming by John Academy UK

Course	Diploma in Poultry Farming
Institution & Platform	John Academy
Level	Level 3 – Diploma
Duration	20+ hours
Certification	Accredited Certificate of Achievement
Fee	Heavily discounted
Delivery Mode	Online

More than just chicken farming, learn the most effective ways of organic poultry farming in this Diploma in Poultry Farming course. The program will teach you how to raise chickens, ducks, geese, or other poultry for meat and eggs. The training will also cover organic poultry feeding, breeding, brooding, and slaughter procedures.

3. Poultry Farming: Broiler Chicken Production by eLengo Farming Courses

Course	Poultry Farming: Broiler Chicken Production
Institution & Platform	eLengo Farming Courses via Udemy
Level	Beginner
Duration	2.5 hours of course videos
Certification	Certificate of completion
Fee	Below USD$50
Delivery Mode	Online

From building a poultry structure to raising chicks and chickens, this course will teach you how to set up and manage a profitable broiler farm. Anyone who wants to raise poultry will benefit from this course, which also covers poultry farming in Africa. Even if you already have a flock, this will help you maximize profits.

4. Earn Extra Income with Profitable Broiler Chicken Production by Karlin Gunduza

Course	Earn Extra Income with Profitable Broiler Chicken Production
Institution & Platform	Karlin Gunduza via Udemy
Level	Beginner
Duration	1.5 hours of course videos
Certification	Certificate of completion
Fee	Below USD$50
Delivery Mode	Online

This course covers how to run a chicken production enterprise efficiently, with low costs, low mortality, quicker turnover, and higher profits. It will cover topics related to chicken welfare, including proper housing, spacing, feeding, mixing and formulating feed, heating, lighting, hygiene practices, vaccination, and sick chicken symptoms. Moreover, you’ll learn how to prepare an application for funding with documentation of your poultry farming business plans (budgets, cash flow, housing, equipment, procedures).

5. Rabbit Keeping by eLengo Farming Courses

Course	Rabbit Keeping
Institution & Platform	eLengo Farming Courses via Udemy
Level	Beginner
Duration	3 hours of course videos
Certification	Certificate of completion
Fee	Below USD$50
Delivery Mode	Online

In most places, rabbit rearing does not require a large amount of land space or capital to start. A successful rabbit farm begins with choosing the right breeds of rabbits. It is also crucial to consider housing. The course will give you a basic understanding of rabbit rearing so that you can expand or improve your rabbit farm.

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