Day-old chicks in Central Region from the hatchery on your doorstep in Kasoa

A hatchery in your own region

Most farmers in Ghana have to buy chicks from a hatchery several hours away and trust the transport. If you farm in Central Region, you have a different option, because Halaal Farms is in Opeikuma, Kasoa, inside the region. You can drive to the hatchery, see the eggs, ask your questions face to face and bring the chicks home the same day. It is the shortest supply chain a poultry farmer can have.

We know the region’s farmers because many of them are our neighbours. Some run broiler pens on the outskirts of Kasoa and Winneba, some rear birds behind fishing-community homes along the coast, and some farm mixed plots inland near Swedru and Assin Fosu. Not all of them need the same chick, which is why this page is organised around what we can show you at the farm and what you can do with it.

If you would rather not travel, we deliver to the station nearest your town, with the cost confirmed before you pay. To arrange either route, send your breed and number of boxes to +233 24 915 1503 on WhatsApp or use the order form. For anything in Kasoa itself, see also our dedicated page on day-old chicks in Kasoa.

What you will see if you visit the hatchery

Farm visits are by appointment, so message us first. Here is what a visit usually covers, and why it is worth the trip before your first big order.

The setters

Eggs from European parent stock go into the setters, which run at 37.5 °C. They stay there for 18 days, and during that time they are turned and kept at the right humidity. At this stage you cannot see the chick, but you can see how the whole operation is run, which tells you more about the quality of the chicks than any promise on a flyer.

The hatcher

On day 18 the eggs move to the hatcher and stay until day 21. This is the most exciting room, as the chicks pip, rest and break out. After hatching they dry and fluff in the trays before they are sorted.

Sorting, vaccination and boxing

Weak or deformed chicks are removed, healthy ones are vaccinated for Marek’s, Newcastle disease, Gumboro, infectious bronchitis and coccidiosis, then counted into boxes of 50. You can watch the counting and confirm your number yourself.

The questions you can ask

Visit with a list. Ask about the batch record, about boosters your vet may want, about how to set up your brooder, and about which breed fits your feed and market. Advice is free before and after delivery. If you are curious about how we work, about Halaal Farms gives the background, and our hatchery page explains the process in more detail.

Collecting your chicks in person, step by step

For many Central Region farmers, collecting is the best way to buy, because it removes the risk of a transport leg. A few simple habits make the day go smoothly.

1. Book a collection time. Chicks are ready on hatch day. We tell you the time that suits us and you plan your trip around it.
2. Prepare the pen first. By the time you leave home, the brooder should be warm, the water clean and the feed in place.
3. Bring the right vehicle. A car with good airflow works. An open pickup in strong sun does not. Keep boxes in the shade and never leave them in a parked, closed vehicle.
4. Count at the farm. Check the number in each box and ask about any weak chicks.
5. Go straight home. From Winneba or Swedru the trip is short; from Cape Coast, plan about two hours.
6. Place chicks under the lamp. Dip beaks in water, then offer feed.

Collection also lets you pay cash on the spot if you prefer. Mobile money and bank transfer are fine too. In all cases we give you the price in writing first, and we do not take online payments. The delivery page explains the alternatives.

Coast, forest and in between: how Central Region farming varies

Central Region is small in size but varied. The coast, which includes Cape Coast, Elmina, Winneba and the towns towards Kasoa, is humid, breezy and often hot, with salt in the air and a long dry spell. Moving inland toward Swedru, Assin Fosu and the forest edge, the climate becomes wetter and greener and the soil is more fertile. Farmers there combine poultry with crops such as maize, cassava, plantain and cocoa.

These differences matter for housing. On the coast, wind and sea air are your friends in the heat, so open-sided houses with good ventilation do well, but you need curtains for the cool windy nights and for storm days. Inland, the humidity is higher and the rains heavier, so you must keep the roof tight and the litter dry. In both zones, the first week is the same: a warm brooder, clean water and a gentle start.

Many coastal households combine poultry with fishing or trading, keeping a small pen as a second income. Inland farmers often treat poultry as the cash crop that pays between harvests. Both approaches can work, and the right start in each case may differ. Our guide to setting up a brooder before chicks arrive is useful whichever zone you are in.

Which bird for which Central Region farmer

Let us be practical. Based on the questions we receive, here is how we would match birds to situations in this region.

If you are deciding between broilers, layers and Sasso, read broiler vs layer vs Sasso: which chicks to start. We also have separate pages on broilers and Sasso.

A worked example for a Winneba or Swedru farmer

Suppose you farm near Swedru and want to start with Sasso birds for the local live-bird market, plus one box of broilers for a Christmas order. The chick cost, from our price list, would be:

• 2 boxes of Sasso: 100 chicks at GH₵ 13 = GH₵ 1,300
• 1 box of Ross 308: 50 chicks at GH₵ 20 = GH₵ 1,000
• Total chick cost: GH₵ 2,300, before delivery (or no delivery cost at all if you collect)

For comparison, our live broiler price is GH₵ 110 per bird of around 2.5 kg and dressed broilers are GH₵ 120, so 50 broilers reaching that weight would be GH₵ 5,500 live. That figure is not your profit. You must take away feed, medication, power or charcoal, litter, transport and your own time, and any birds lost. The reason we show it is that it lets you test the numbers before you commit.

If your results look thin on paper, change the plan: fewer birds, a different breed, or a different market. The best time to find a weak plan is before you buy. Our budget guide goes through the full list of costs, and the price page lists every chick we sell.

Festival dates that matter in Central Region

Central Region has one of the richest festival calendars in the country, and festivals mean feasts. In Winneba, the Aboakyer festival in the early part of the year draws large gatherings and visitors. In Cape Coast, the Fetu Afahye festival, in September, brings families home and fills the town. Along the coast other towns hold their own celebrations through the year. Add Christmas, Easter and Eid, and the demand for chicken shows peaks across the year, not just in December.

For you as a farmer, the rule is to count back. For a festival on a certain date, you need a batch that will be at market weight a few days before. Broilers need about six weeks, Sasso takes longer, and any imported chicks need three to four weeks’ notice. Our Christmas planning article shows how to work this out, and the same method works for any date.

Do not rely on memory for festival dates; check the current year’s calendar and the local announcements before you plan. If you tell us your target date, we will help you pick a hatch.

Imported chicks, hatching service and eggs

Because we are both hatchery and importer, Central Region customers can choose from several sources. Our local hatch comes from European parent stock. Imported chicks come from hatcheries in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany, with a veterinary health certificate, cleared at Kotoka in Accra under a Ghana import permit from the Veterinary Services Directorate. Imported chicks need three to four weeks’ notice. Read more on imported day-old chicks.

If you already keep breeding birds, we offer a hatching service: you bring your own fertile eggs and we hatch them. Terms depend on your numbers, so ask us; we do not publish prices for it here. You can also buy fertile eggs (guinea fowl fertile eggs are GH₵ 10 each, chicken hatching eggs on request) and table eggs at GH₵ 50 per crate of 30. See the egg hatching service for how it works.

Some customers also ask for grown birds, such as a live broiler of about 2.5 kg for GH₵ 110, a dressed broiler for GH₵ 120, or a mature cock for GH₵ 150. These are available by arrangement.

The first seven days after you get home

A day-old chick is very capable and very fragile at the same time. Most losses on farms happen in the first week, so spend your attention there.

• Day 1: warm brooder, water first, then feed. Watch how chicks spread. Even spread and soft peeping is good.
• Days 2 to 3: check crops are full. Keep litter dry. Remove any chick that is clearly weak.
• Days 4 to 7: chicks grow quickly. Raise feeders and drinkers to chick height as they grow, and widen the brooder area gradually.
• Every day: count, look, and write down any losses. Records help your vet.

Use the batch record we give you to share vaccination details with your vet and follow your vet’s schedule for any boosters. If a problem appears, message us on WhatsApp straight away; we want to help, and early advice is worth more than late advice.

One thing coastal farmers should watch is wind: a draught across the floor chills chicks quickly. Use solid sides or sacking at chick level for the first two weeks. And if something goes wrong with the delivery, remember that dead-on-arrival chicks are replaced free in the next hatch if you count on arrival and send a photo the same day.

Ordering, and who else is nearby

To order, message +233 24 915 1503 or use the order form. Tell us your breed, number of boxes, town and preferred date. We reply with the price in writing and the delivery cost if you want a station delivery. The minimum is one box of 50; orders of 1,000 or more are quoted individually, as described on our bulk orders page.

If your farm is across the boundary, our neighbouring pages may help: Greater Accra to the east and Western Region to the west. For general questions, see the FAQ, and for a full list of regions, the day-old chicks in Ghana hub.

Questions farmers ask