Laying hen farming attracts many Ivorians: eggs sell all year round and urban demand remains strong. But it is a project that requires patience, very different from a flock of broilers. Here are the basics to master before receiving your first brown layers.
A Laying Hen is a Long-Term Investment
Unlike broilers, which are raised in short cycles, the laying hen first goes through a long rearing phase — the chick stage followed by growth — before producing its first eggs. During this entire period, you are feeding and caring for birds that are not yet profitable. This is why the quality of the starting chick is crucial: a homogeneous and well-started batch means a flock that begins laying under good conditions.
Why Sexing and Vaccination Make All the Difference
The NEXTEKCI brown layer is visually sexed with a reliability of about 99%: you receive females, future layers, and not a mix where cockerels would consume feed for nothing. It is also vaccinated against Marek's disease right from the hatchery — an essential protection for a bird destined to live a long time. These two guarantees are part of the standard for the laying range at the Agnibilékrou hatchery.
The Start-Up: The Same Requirements as for Broilers
The first 72 hours follow the universal rules for day-old chicks: heated room before arrival, dry litter, immediate warm water, starter feed, behaviour observation. A poorly started batch of future layers will carry this handicap into its laying results. The NEXTEKCI WhatsApp support assists each client during the 72 hours following receipt, and rearing advice is available upon request.
Anticipating the Order
Brown layers leave Agnibilékrou like the rest of the range: departures on Monday and Thursday at 10 PM, arriving in Abidjan (Yopougon) on Tuesday and Friday by 6 AM, in boxes of 50 birds. Pre-order at least 15 days in advance — and 3 to 4 weeks during peak demand, as laying attracts more and more project holders.
Before you start, have your project validated: building, stock, target egg market. Write to the NEXTEKCI WhatsApp Info (+225 05 44 83 27 79) for free advice, or order your brown layers at +225 07 07 72 78 67.