Broiler day-old chicks in Ghana: Ross 308 and Cobb 500 for a six-week crop

Why broilers are the fastest road to cash

No other bird on a Ghanaian farm turns money around as quickly as the broiler. You buy day-old chicks, grow them for about six weeks and sell. Layers need five months before the first egg and Sasso need ten weeks or more. That speed is why most new poultry farmers begin with broilers, and why many experienced ones run several small batches a year instead of one large one.

Speed comes with a price. A broiler is bred to grow very fast, so it demands good feed every day, clean water that never runs out, warmth when young and a house that does not overheat. Mistakes show up quickly in deaths and in lighter weights. At our hatchery in Kasoa we see the same pattern each season: farmers who prepare the house and feed before the chicks arrive do well, while those who order first and prepare after struggle.

If you are still choosing between types, read our post on broiler, layer or Sasso: which to start. If you have decided on broilers, the rest of this page is a working plan.

Ross 308 versus Cobb 500: which should you buy?

Both are world-leading modern broiler breeds, and both are sold by us at the same starting price of GH₵ 20. Neither is better in every situation. They are close in performance, and the difference in your results will usually come from management rather than from the name on the box.

The breeders publish detailed performance objectives for both, and we suggest you look at them rather than trust a salesperson, including us. In Ghana, what matters more than small differences is whether the chicks arrive healthy and whether you can deliver the feed and temperature their growth demands. Choose the breed that is available when your house is ready. If both are available, use one of each in separate pens in your first batch and compare your own numbers.

Chicks may be locally hatched from European parent stock or imported from hatcheries in the Netherlands, Belgium or Germany. Our post on imported versus local chicks explains the differences, and the imported chicks page covers booking, which should be done three to four weeks ahead.

Before the chicks arrive: the week-zero checklist

Preparation decides half your results. Start at least a week before delivery.

1. Clean and disinfect the house and leave it empty for several days.
2. Lay fresh dry litter, about 5 to 8 cm deep: wood shavings or rice husks, never damp.
3. Set up the brooder and turn on the heat at least a few hours earlier, so the floor and air are warm.
4. Prepare drinkers and feeders: one chick drinker for about every 50 chicks, and shallow trays or lids for first feed.
5. Buy starter feed ahead of time and store it dry, off the floor.
6. Check water supply and have a storage tank in case supply is cut.
7. Plan for power and light. Brooding with lamps needs power; gas brooders need a spare cylinder.

Our guide to setting up a brooder has the full detail. Remember that chicks have just travelled and need water within minutes of arriving, so have it ready at the right temperature, not ice cold.

The six-week growth plan, week by week

A broiler's life is short, so each week has a job. The weights below are rounded guides from the breed objectives; real weights vary with feed, heat and health, so use them to compare, not to panic.

Week one in detail

The first week sets the whole crop. A chick that drinks and eats in the first hours grows faster all the way to market. Give clean water first and then starter feed on paper or trays. Watch the way chicks sit: spread evenly means the heat is right, piled under the lamp means cold, and gathered at the edges with open beaks means too hot. Check crops by gently feeling a few chicks after several hours; they should be soft and full.

Weeks two to four

This is when you build the frame. Lower the heat a little each few days, add feeders and drinkers as chicks grow, and raise them to keep the right height. Keep litter dry by fixing leaks and spills, stirring it and adding fresh litter where needed. Wet litter produces ammonia, which burns eyes and lungs and invites disease.

Weeks five and six

Now the birds eat most and produce most heat. Ventilation is everything. Open the sides in the early morning and keep them open; give clean cool water; avoid handling in the heat of the day. Plan your sale date and your buyers now, not after the birds are ready, because every extra day past the target weight costs feed.

Feed phases and how much feed to plan for

Broilers eat three kinds of ration in sequence, each matched to the stage.

• Starter, from day one to about day 10 to 14: high protein, small particles or crumb.
• Grower, from about day 11 to day 24 or so: slightly lower protein, more energy.
• Finisher, from about day 25 to sale: highest energy, to build weight and finish.

Change feeds gradually over two or three days by mixing the old and the new, so the birds do not go off feed. Buy complete feeds from a feed mill you trust or mix by a formula given by a feed specialist. Do not guess ingredients. A broiler on poor feed will look healthy for two weeks and then fall behind.

As a rough planning figure, a modern broiler eats in the region of 4 to 5 kg of feed to reach market weight, and the ratio of feed eaten to weight gained (feed conversion ratio) on a well-run farm is somewhere around 1.6 to 1.9. Use these only as a planning guide and replace them with your own record once you finish a batch. Keep feed dry and use it fresh, as mouldy feed causes disease and poor growth.

Never let feeders go empty, especially in the first fortnight. Feed little and often in week one, at least four to five times a day for the very young. After that, keep feeders topped up and the birds will eat what they need. Water consumption roughly doubles the weight of feed eaten, and hot weather increases it. Running out of water for even a few hours in a hot week can kill many birds.

Health, vaccines and when to call the vet

All our chicks are vaccinated at the hatchery against Marek's disease, Newcastle disease (NCD), Gumboro (IBD), infectious bronchitis and coccidiosis, and we give a batch record. Show that record to your veterinary officer, who can plan any boosters, usually for NCD and Gumboro, to suit your area. Follow your vet's schedule; do not copy a programme from another farm.

Signs to act on quickly include birds sitting fluffed up and quiet, watery or bloody droppings, twisted necks, gasping or rattling breath, sudden drops in feed or water intake, and more than a few deaths in a day. Separate sick birds, remove the dead promptly and call your vet. Take photos and keep notes of the day and the number affected.

Good habits that prevent most trouble

• Footbath and handwashing at the house door.
• No visitors who keep other poultry.
• Dry litter and fresh air.
• Same feeders and drinkers cleaned regularly.
• All-in, all-out: no mixing ages in one house.

Dead on arrival? Count the chicks as soon as the boxes arrive, photograph any dead ones and send the photo on WhatsApp the same day. We replace them free in the next hatch.

Broiler economics: a worked example

Here is a worked example for 500 Ross 308 chicks, using our starting prices of 18 October 2026. Feed prices vary by mill and season, so we give the feed figures as an illustration only; replace them with the price you pay.

These are working numbers, not a promise. If feed costs more, if mortality is higher or if you sell lighter birds, the margin shrinks. If you hold birds past six weeks, extra feed can eat up the gain. The point of the table is to show where the money goes: the chicks are about one-fifth of the cost, and feed is nearly everything else. That is why we say feed management is the real business.

Compare your own numbers with our price list, and for a first farm see the budget guide. Farms ordering 1,000 chicks or more are quoted individually; read about bulk orders.

Selling your broilers: live, dressed and festive timing

Plan the sale before you buy the chicks. Broilers cannot wait. Every day after the target weight costs feed and risks heat losses, so find your buyers in advance.

Typical outlets include chop bars and restaurants, hotels, caterers, market sellers, neighbours and cold stores. Many farmers sell live birds at the farm gate. Some dress their birds for higher value. We sell live broilers of around 2.5 kg at GH₵ 110 and dressed broilers at GH₵ 120, so you can use those figures to price yours in your area. Check local prices before you commit, since they differ between towns.

Demand peaks at Christmas, Easter and the Eid festivals, as well as at funerals, weddings and school events. To sell at Christmas, count back six weeks plus a few days' margin and book chicks well in advance. Our article on Christmas broilers gives the dates. Everyone tries to sell at the same time, so staggering batches can fetch better prices.

Whatever the outlet, agree the price and the pickup day before the birds are ready. Withhold feed for a few hours before catching, so crops are empty, but never withhold water. Catch gently and in the cool of the day to avoid bruising and losses.

Seven mistakes that cost broiler farmers money

1. Overstocking. Too many birds per square metre means heat stress, wet litter and disease. Give every bird space to move.
2. Switching feed suddenly. Mix old and new feed over a couple of days.
3. Keeping birds too long. After about six to seven weeks the cost of each extra kilo climbs.
4. Poor brooding. Cold chicks stunt; hot chicks dehydrate.
5. Running out of water. Even a short break in a hot spell is dangerous.
6. Cheap, uncertain chicks. A low price for chicks without vaccination or health records usually costs more later.
7. No buyer lined up. Birds ready to sell with nobody to buy them eat money.

How to order broiler chicks from Halaal Farms

Order by WhatsApp on +233 24 915 1503 or through the order form. Tell us the breed you prefer, the number of boxes and the date and town. We confirm availability and give the price in writing, together with the delivery cost, before any payment. The minimum is one box of 50. Pay by mobile money, bank transfer or cash.

We dispatch chicks the same day they hatch, in ventilated boxes of 50, by trusted transport to your town station, or you collect from the farm. Read our delivery page for the full process, or the overview of all our chicks. For free advice before or after delivery, just ask.

Questions farmers ask