Versuchen GOLD - Frei
'Start small, and later scale up'
Farmer's Weekly
|October24 -31, 2025
Breaking into the poultry industry doesn't have to mean millions in start-up costs. While large-scale commercial operations remain out of reach for most beginners, small-scale farmers are showing that it's possible to start with limited resources, turn a profit and expand over time.

For many aspiring farmers, poultry offers one of the quickest ways to turn a profit. Birds grow fast, markets are almost everywhere, and startup costs can be surprisingly low if you are careful. Small-scale producers across the country are proving that you don't need a fortune to get started – just a plan.
Take Angelo Marman, for example. A few months ago, he added a modest flock of broilers and layers to his vegetable fields, hoping the birds would help with pest control and enrich the soil.
What started as a side project quickly grew into something more. The chickens proved so lucrative that he persuaded his sister and father to start their own operations.
"I have found farming chickens to be the easiest and quickest way to generate extra farm income, especially if they are free range and people buy the live birds or eggs directly from your farm," he says.
Today, Marman manages 730 Ross broilers, bought as day-old chicks for R12 each, along with 45 Lohmann and Silkie layers purchased at point-of-lay for about R120 each.
By letting the birds scavenge in the fields and supplementing their diet with vegetable waste, he keeps feed costs to just R45 to R50 per broiler. The layers also receive crushed eggshells and seashells for calcium.
Within six to seven weeks, the broilers reach 2,8kg to 3kg, selling at around R100 per bird.
But the money, Marman insists, only comes if the birds stay healthy. "You need to practise good hygiene and biosecurity to keep your chickens healthy and have a mortality rate below 5%. I also add aloe to their water, as it acts as a natural antibiotic and helps with parasites."
The work is also demanding. On cold winter nights, Marman wakes at two in the morning to check on the chicks under their heat lamps. "It's not glamorous, but for me the rewards far outweigh the effort," he says.
FROM AN ASIDE TO FULL-TIME BUSINESS
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der October24 -31, 2025-Ausgabe von Farmer's Weekly.
Abonnieren Sie Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierter Premium-Geschichten und über 9.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Sie sind bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
WEITERE GESCHICHTEN VON Farmer's Weekly

Farmer's Weekly
Pet-friendly family accommodation in Gauteng
Escape the daily stresses of life in this peaceful environment embedded in nature, where hiking trails, a picnic spot on the hill and much more are available to guests Riaan Hattingh.
4 mins
October24 -31, 2025

Farmer's Weekly
Commercial beekeeping: managing swarms and logistics
Managing thousands of bee colonies as a pollination service provider is a complex, logistical feat. Added to the challenge is keeping the swarms fed amid dwindling natural resources and crops that offer little nutrition. Jaco Wolfaardt, commercial beekeeper and founder of Ubusi Beekeeping, spoke to Henning Naudé about keeping the bees and business abuzz.
7 mins
October24 -31, 2025

Farmer's Weekly
Owning and exercising endurance horses on a farm
Endurance riding is a recognised equestrian sport, but as Dr Mac writes, these horses can also be used to monitor farm fields and fences.
2 mins
October24 -31, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
How is snotsiekte spread?
Dear Prof McCrindle, My neighbour's threatening me with legal action because his cattle have snotsiekte. I own a registered game farm where I have kept wildebeest for several decades.
2 mins
October24 -31, 2025

Farmer's Weekly
The story of South Africa's sugar cane industry
South Africa's sugar industry grew from colonial ambition and Indian labour into a pillar of KwaZulu-Natal's economy, blending science, struggle and resilience to sweeten the nation's history and culture.
5 mins
October24 -31, 2025

Farmer's Weekly
Egg patty English muffins
Elevate your breakfast sandwich with these savoury egg patty English muffins! Made with quick and easy convenience, it is perfect for a weekend brunch.
1 min
October24 -31, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
The A to Z of internal parasites in cattle
Internal parasites can cause a loss of production and even death if severe enough. Integrated parasite management is essential for effective control. Janine Ryan reports.
8 mins
October24 -31, 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Heating soil not enough to release CO 2
According to a study by researchers at the North Carolina State University in the US heating alone won't drive soil microbes to release more carbon dioxide (CO2).
1 min
October24 -31, 2025

Farmer's Weekly
Resistance to internal and external parasite control in the beef cattle sector is a worry
Dr Dave Midgley, CEO of the Ruminant Veterinary Association of South Africa, believes that parasites’ growing resistance to anthelmintic remedies and an increasing parasite load among beef cattle in South Africa is a serious cause for concern. He spoke to Annelie Coleman.
5 mins
October24 -31, 2025

Farmer's Weekly
Cannabis roots: the untapped value beneath the canopy
Most cannabis growers obsess over canopy management, trichome development, and final flower weight. But there’s an entire half of the plant we're essentially throwing away, says Thomas Walker.
2 mins
October24 -31, 2025
Listen
Translate
Change font size