Day-old chicks in Bono Region for layer and broiler farms in Sunyani, Dormaa Ahenkro and Berekum

Dormaa and the egg economy of Bono Region

Ask anyone in Ghana's poultry trade where eggs come from and Dormaa will be one of the first names you hear. Dormaa Ahenkro, in the west of Bono Region near the Côte d'Ivoire border, is a well-known poultry hub, and the layer farms in and around it supply eggs to markets in many parts of the country. That tradition shapes the way farmers in the whole region think about birds.

If you are in Bono Region, there is a good chance that you are either already keeping layers or thinking about them. For that reason, this page is built around the laying hen from chick to point of lay and beyond, and then covers broilers and other birds for farmers who want a different route.

We supply the layer lines that Bono farmers ask for most: Hy-Line Brown from GH₵ 23, Hy-Line White from GH₵ 25.50, Bovans Brown from GH₵ 25.50, and Lohmann Brown, for which you should ask us for the current price. You can see all options in the layer chicks guide and the price list.

The life of a layer, week by week, for Bono farmers

The first twenty weeks decide how well a layer will lay. Here is a general timeline that experienced farmers use. Always follow your vet's schedule and the management guide for your chosen breed.

The key point is that a layer chick is an investment with a long wait before the first egg. Money goes into feed for about four to five months before the first sale. Plan your cash flow for that. Our article on starting a poultry farm on a budget includes ideas on what to prepare.

At the hatchery, we have seen that the farmers who do best are the ones who make the first six weeks perfect, because uneven chicks at week six rarely catch up later.

Hy-Line, Bovans or Lohmann: how to choose

All three are respected brown-egg lines and all are used by commercial farmers around the world. Differences are real but not dramatic, and good management matters more than the brand name. Still, here are practical points.

• Hy-Line Brown (from GH₵ 23). A common first choice in Ghana, the lowest starting price of the three, and widely known to farmers and feed sellers.
• Bovans Brown (from GH₵ 25.50). Another popular brown layer, often chosen by farmers who have kept it before and trust it.
• Lohmann Brown (ask for price). A well-known line. Availability and price vary, so message us for the current figure.
• Hy-Line White (from GH₵ 25.50). A white-egg layer. Some markets prefer brown eggs, others do not mind. Ask your buyers before you choose.

When our customers ask which is the best, we say: pick the one that you can get reliably, feed properly and sell. A second consideration is flock replacement. If you plan to renew your flock every year or so, choose a line you can order again at the same time with confidence. See the breeds page for detail.

Wondering about the difference between local and imported chicks? Read imported vs local day-old chicks.

Costing a flock: what 300 pullets look like on paper

Let us take a Dormaa-style small commercial flock of 300 layer chicks and cost the chicks only, using starting prices.

Six boxes of 50 make 300 chicks. The difference between Hy-Line Brown and Bovans Brown for this flock is GH₵ 750. That sounds like a lot, but spread across many months of eggs it may be small compared with feed. Feed is the dominant cost for a layer farm, and a flock eats every day for its whole life. Ask a feed supplier in Sunyani or Dormaa for today's price for chick, grower and layer feed, and multiply carefully.

Compare this with our own table egg price of GH₵ 50 per crate of 30. We quote it only so you can see the egg market for yourself; your own selling price will depend on your buyers, the season and your location. Do the sums on your own prices before committing.

For flocks above 1,000 chicks, we quote individually. Message us with the plan on WhatsApp at +233 24 915 1503.

Why smart Bono farmers stagger their flocks

One of the biggest mistakes in layer farming is to buy all the chicks in one go. When one flock reaches the end of its laying period, income falls sharply while feed bills stay. Staggering flocks means you add a new batch every few months, so there is always a young group coming into lay while older birds are still producing.

A simple pattern is this:

1. Start with a first flock sized to your cash and your housing.
2. Order a second, smaller batch several months later while the first flock is still growing.
3. When the first flock's laying declines and you decide to sell the old hens, the second is already in lay.
4. Repeat, adjusting sizes to what your market absorbs.

Staggering also helps with risk. If a batch has a disease problem, you do not lose everything. It needs more housing and more management than a single flock, so it works best when you have skilled workers or a farm manager. You can book future hatch dates in advance, so tell us your plan.

Cockerels, broilers and other birds on Bono farms

Not every Bono farmer wants layers. Others have good reasons to look at different birds.

Broilers. Sunyani is the regional capital and a growing town, with caterers, schools and traders who buy chicken. Cobb 500 and Ross 308 from GH₵ 20 suit farmers who can sell birds at 5 to 6 weeks. See broiler day-old chicks.

White cockerels. The male chicks of white layer lines, at only GH₵ 3 each, are a very low-cost meat bird. Many layer farmers raise cockerels as a side business. Read the cockerel page.

Sasso and Kuroiler. If you want a hardier bird for a mixed farm with cocoa, maize or plantain, these are good choices.

Turkey poults. Poults start from GH₵ 65 each and come in boxes of 10, so a box is GH₵ 650. Turkeys are a festive-season bird and need careful rearing.

Berekum and the other towns of the region have farmers in all of these groups. If you are unsure, message us before you order, and we will advise free of charge.

The road from Kasoa to Sunyani and Dormaa

Sunyani is about 370 km from our hatchery and the journey normally takes 6 to 7 hours. Dormaa Ahenkro and Berekum are in the same direction, with Dormaa further west and Berekum to the north-west. Most of the route runs north through Kumasi, then on to the Bono towns, and traffic around Kumasi can add time.

We dispatch the chicks the day they hatch, in ventilated boxes of 50, by trusted transport to the station in your town. A chick can survive about 48 hours on its yolk, so a one-day journey is safe, but the cost of mistakes is higher on a long trip. Here is what we do and ask:

• We pack only strong chicks and do not overfill boxes.
• You receive the vehicle details and expected arrival time on WhatsApp.
• You, or someone you trust, wait at the station and keep the boxes shaded.
• You count on arrival and send a photo of any dead on arrival the same day, so we can replace them free in the next hatch.

Delivery cost is confirmed before you pay. Our delivery page has more about how it works. Farmers who are in Kumasi already can look at the Ashanti Region page, and those on the way to Techiman might like Bono East.

Climate and housing in a forest-savanna belt

Bono Region lies in the transition zone between the southern forest and the northern savanna. Rain falls mainly in two seasons, with the major wet season in the middle of the year, and a dry period with harmattan winds from about December to February. Days can be hot, and in the dry months the nights cool.

For layer houses, three points deserve attention:

• Ventilation. Heat stress reduces egg production and shell quality. An open-sided house with a high roof and good airflow helps.
• Dry litter. In the wet season, keep the roof sound and drinkers from leaking.
• Harmattan nights. Brooding chicks need curtains on the side the wind blows from. Remove them in the day.

Hot-weather feeding often means giving more feed in the cooler early morning and late afternoon, which many farmers do. Ask your vet or feed company about your local conditions. Our brooder setup guide helps with the earliest stage.

Health in a hub: why biosecurity matters more in Dormaa

When many poultry farms sit close together, as they do in and around Dormaa, disease can pass from farm to farm on boots, vehicles, crates and traders. Biosecurity is therefore not a luxury. It is part of the business.

Chicks leave our hatchery vaccinated against Marek's disease, Newcastle disease (NCD), Gumboro (IBD), infectious bronchitis and coccidiosis, and we provide the batch record so your vet can plan boosters. Beyond that:

• Do not share egg trays or crates with other farms without cleaning them.
• Keep different ages apart.
• Control who enters the house and when.
• Dispose of dead birds properly.

Follow your vet's schedule for all medicines and boosters. We are always available for free advice by WhatsApp. For further reading, see the FAQ.

Ordering for Bono Region

Send us a WhatsApp message on +233 24 915 1503 with your town, the breed, the number of boxes and the date you hope to receive chicks. We reply with the price and delivery cost in writing. You then pay by mobile money, bank transfer or cash. There is no online payment. Imported lines need 3 to 4 weeks of notice, see imported chicks.

You can also use the order form, or read about Halaal Farms. If you own good fertile eggs and want to hatch them, ask about our hatching service. For the wider picture, visit day-old chicks across Ghana.

Questions farmers ask