Short answer: Budget your first poultry batch per bird: the chick price, plus feed for the whole growing period, plus vaccines, litter and heat, plus an allowance for losses. In our worked example of 200 broilers, with an assumed feed price of GH₵ 10 per kg, the total is about GH₵ 13,600, or about GH₵ 72 per bird sold, so feed is the number to check first.
Key takeaways
- Feed is usually the largest cost in a broiler batch, so get a written feed price before you buy chicks.
- Use the simple formula: chicks plus feed plus other costs, divided by the birds you expect to sell.
- Plan an allowance for losses, and treat it as a cautious planning figure rather than a promise.
- Layers need about 18 to 20 weeks of cost before the first egg, so budget for that whole period.
- Test your numbers against real buyers and real feed prices before you commit to a batch.
The broiler formula, bird by bird
Most first-time farmers budget for the chicks and forget how much the birds will eat. The fix is to cost each bird from day-old to the day it leaves the farm, then multiply by the number you expect to sell. Here is the method we suggest, using your own local prices.
- Chick: from GH₵ 20 for Ross 308 or Cobb 500 at our current from-price. Check the current price list before you budget, because prices change, and read our guide to chick prices in Ghana for the wider picture. Our broiler chicks page lists the strains we supply.
- Feed: the biggest line. Plan across starter, grower and finisher feeds. The examples in this guide use about 4 kg per bird, which is an assumption to replace with your own records.
- Other costs: vaccines, wood shavings or litter, heat for brooding, water and disinfectant. As a planning figure, many farmers allow GH₵ 5 to 10 per bird. Label this as your estimate, not a fixed rate.
- Losses: plan for some birds not reaching sale. We use about 5% as a cautious allowance.
The formula is: cost per bird sold = (chick price + feed + other costs) ÷ birds you expect to sell. Everything else, including labour, rent and transport, comes after that number.
Worked example: a batch of 200 broilers
This example uses an assumed feed price of GH₵ 10 per kg, which is GH₵ 500 for a 50 kg bag. The feed price is only an example to show the method. Replace it with the written price from your own supplier before you use any of these numbers.
| Item | Calculation | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Chicks | 200 × GH₵ 20 | GH₵ 4,000 |
| Feed (example price) | 200 × 4 kg × GH₵ 10 | GH₵ 8,000 |
| Vaccines, litter, heat and water (estimate) | 200 × GH₵ 8 | GH₵ 1,600 |
| Total | GH₵ 13,600 | |
| Birds expected to sell | 200 less 5% losses | 190 birds |
| Cost per bird sold | GH₵ 13,600 ÷ 190 | about GH₵ 72 |
In this example feed is the biggest single line, roughly three-fifths of the total, and the chicks are about three-tenths. Your split will differ, but feed is almost always the number to check first.
Now compare the cost with the sale price. If a live broiler of about 2.5 kg sells for GH₵ 110, as on our current price list, the 190 birds bring in GH₵ 20,900. Subtract the GH₵ 13,600 cost and you have GH₵ 7,300 left before labour, rent and transport. That remainder is what pays for your time, so write it down before you buy.
What the feed price does to your margin
Feed moves the result more than anything else, so test a range of feed prices before you commit. The table below keeps every other number from the worked example the same and changes only the feed price per kg. All feed prices are examples, not quotes.
| Feed price (example) | Feed cost, 200 birds | Total cost | Cost per bird sold | Left after 190 birds at GH₵ 110 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GH₵ 8 per kg | GH₵ 6,400 | GH₵ 12,000 | about GH₵ 63 | GH₵ 8,900 |
| GH₵ 10 per kg | GH₵ 8,000 | GH₵ 13,600 | about GH₵ 72 | GH₵ 7,300 |
| GH₵ 12 per kg | GH₵ 9,600 | GH₵ 15,200 | GH₵ 80 | GH₵ 5,700 |
A rise of GH₵ 2 per kg removes about GH₵ 1,600 from this batch, which is about the same as the whole vaccine, litter and heat allowance. If your supplier raises the feed price between order and harvest, rerun the table before you sell. This is the simplest protection you have.
One-off setup costs, and how to spread them
Some costs are paid once and then used for many batches. Do not load them all onto your first batch, because that will make the first batch look much worse than it really is. Spread them over the years you expect to use them.
- Housing: a well-ventilated house with a solid roof, or a renovated existing building that keeps out rain and predators.
- Equipment: drinkers, feeders, a brooder heat source, a thermometer and buckets.
- For layers: nest boxes or cages, and egg trays for collection and sale.
- Records: a notebook or simple phone sheet for feed in, birds lost, vaccines given and money spent.
A simple approach is to divide the one-off cost by the number of batches you plan in the first year, and add that figure to each batch. Then your batch costs stay honest, and you can see when you have covered the setup.
Layers need a longer runway
Layer chicks cost GH₵ 23 for Hy-Line Brown and GH₵ 25.50 for Hy-Line White or Bovans Brown at our current from-prices. The chick is only the start. Layers eat, need vaccines and need housing for about 18 to 20 weeks before the first egg, so your budget has to carry that whole rearing period.
Here is a rough example for 200 Hy-Line Brown pullets. The rearing feed of 8 kg per pullet and the price of GH₵ 10 per kg are assumptions, included only to show the method.
| Item | Calculation (example) | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Chicks | 200 × GH₵ 23 | GH₵ 4,600 |
| Rearing feed to point of lay | 200 × 8 kg × GH₵ 10 | GH₵ 16,000 |
| Subtotal before housing, vaccines and labour | GH₵ 20,600 |
Two things follow. First, you need cash for those months before any egg money arrives. Second, the cost of a laying flock is decided largely by the rearing period, so good management in the first 18 weeks pays back when the eggs start. For reference, our current price for a crate of 30 table eggs is GH₵ 50, which is a useful starting point when you plan sales.
Many farmers start with 100 to 300 layers to learn the work before they scale up. Our layer day-old chicks page explains the strains we supply.
Timing your first batch through the year
The best month to start is the one that puts your birds on the market when buyers are paying the most, without leaving you holding stock with no buyer. Festive demand for broilers peaks around Christmas, Easter and Eid, and those peaks are where careful planning pays off. Our guide on when to buy chicks for Christmas broilers works backwards from the sale date.
Weather matters too. Harmattan, which usually brings dry, dusty air and cold nights in the north from about December to February, makes brooding harder, so the house needs extra heat and draught control. The rainy seasons bring damp litter and more disease pressure, so keep the floor dry and the house clean. Follow your vet's schedule for vaccines and treat any unusual deaths as a reason to call them.
For a first batch, choose a window when you have time to watch the flock every day. Starting in the middle of a busy season on another farm job is a common reason first batches go wrong.
Need chicks for your next batch?
Send breed, number and town. We reply with price, hatch date and delivery cost in writing.
Find buyers and agree prices before the chicks arrive
Money goes out for chicks and feed long before money comes back from sales. The safest first batch is one where you already know who will buy the birds. Speak to at least three buyers, such as chop bars, restaurants, traders or neighbours, and agree a price range and a collection day.
Broilers are usually sold at around six to eight weeks, but your own schedule depends on breed, feed and management. If you are still choosing between meat and laying birds, our guide to broiler, layer or Sasso chicks to start with helps you decide, and our breeds page gives the full range. Work backwards from your expected sale week and check that your cash will cover feed for every week in between. Keep a reserve for at least one unexpected cost, such as an extra bag of feed or a vet visit. Our frequently asked questions cover the most common order and delivery queries.
Be wary of a buyer who wants a price promise months ahead when feed costs are moving. Agree the price for the week of sale, and write it down.
Common budgeting mistakes
Most budgets fail in the same few places. Check your plan against this list before you order.
- Costing only the chicks. The chick is often the smallest of the big lines. Feed, housing and time all add up.
- Using last season's feed price. Get a written price for the bags you will actually buy, and recheck it before each batch.
- Ignoring losses. A plan with no allowance for birds that do not reach sale will always look better on paper than in the pen.
- Forgetting delivery. Confirm the delivery cost before payment, and add it to the chick line.
- Starting before the house is ready. Clean, dry, warm and ventilated housing two days before the chicks arrive is part of the budget, not an extra. Our brooder setup guide shows what to have in place.
- Keeping no records. Without feed, loss and sales records, you cannot tell next time what went wrong or what went right.
A checklist before you buy chicks
Use this checklist as a final gate. If you cannot tick a line, do not place the order yet.
- I have a written feed price for the bags I will use.
- I have worked the cost per bird sold, with an allowance for losses.
- I have at least three buyers and a price range that covers the cost per bird.
- My house is clean, dry, ventilated and ready for brooding two days before arrival.
- I know the delivery cost to my town, and I know who will receive the chicks on our delivery page terms.
- I have a cash reserve for feed and one unplanned cost.
- I have a notebook or sheet ready for daily records.
When you are ready, message us on WhatsApp on +233 24 915 1503 or place your order online. We will confirm the price in writing before any money moves, and we give free advice before and after delivery. For larger plans, see our bulk day-old chicks page.
Questions farmers ask
How much do 100 broiler day-old chicks cost in Ghana?
At our current from-price of GH₵ 20 for Ross 308 or Cobb 500, 100 chicks come to about GH₵ 2,000 before delivery. The price is confirmed in writing when you order, and the delivery cost is confirmed before any money moves. Prices change, so check the current list before you budget.
What is the biggest cost in broiler farming?
Feed is usually the largest single cost. In our worked example it is roughly three-fifths of the total, but your figure depends on your feed price, how fast your birds grow and how much feed is wasted. Get a written feed price from your supplier before you decide how many chicks to buy.
How much feed does a broiler eat?
It depends on the breed, the feed programme and the weight you sell at. The examples in this guide use about 4 kg of feed per bird across starter, grower and finisher feeds, as a planning figure only. Track your own feed in the first batch, then use your real figure for the next budget.
How much should I budget for losses?
Plan for about 5% of birds not reaching sale. Treat that as a cautious allowance, not a promise. Record deaths every day, and if your losses run higher, check brooding temperature, water, ventilation and your vaccine timing with your vet.
Can I start a layer farm with a small budget?
Yes. Many farmers start with 100 to 300 layers to learn the work. Remember that the chick price is only the start. Budget for rearing feed, vaccines and housing until the first eggs come at about 18 to 20 weeks, and keep some cash in reserve for that whole period.
Do I have to collect chicks from the farm?
No. We can send chicks by trusted transport to your town station, in ventilated boxes of 50, on the day they hatch. Delivery cost is confirmed before payment. If you are close to Opeikuma in Kasoa, collecting can save money, and farm visits are by appointment.
