From 500 Birds to ₦2.4M in 8 Weeks: A Real Costing Breakdown
Every WhatsApp poultry group has at least one post a week that goes like this: "Make ₦1.5 million in 2 months with 200 birds!" The math never shows. Let us show you what real numbers look like, with current prices, for a 500-bird broiler cycle.
The setup
500 Cobb 500 day-old chicks, started on 1 February 2026 in a 80 m² pen in Ogun State. 8-week cycle, sold at average 2.2kg live weight.
Costs (real numbers, current Nigerian prices)
500 day-old chicks @ ₦1,300650,000 Starter feed (8 bags × 25kg @ ₦11,500)92,000 Grower feed (32 bags × 25kg @ ₦10,800)345,600 Finisher feed (28 bags × 25kg @ ₦10,500)294,000 Vaccinations (Newcastle x2, Gumboro x2, IB)14,500 Vitamins, electrolytes, drugs28,000 Litter (wood shavings)18,000 Brooding fuel (charcoal/gas) + electricity35,000 Labour (8 weeks part-time)80,000 Transport (chicks delivery + 2 market trips)22,000 Miscellaneous + contingency (~5%)75,000 Total cost1,654,100Revenue
Realistic mortality: 5%. So 475 birds reach market. Average live weight 2.2 kg. Selling price wholesale: ₦2,400/kg.
Revenue: 475 × 2.2 × ₦2,400 = ₦2,508,000
Profit: ₦2,508,000 - ₦1,654,100 = ₦853,900
Margin: 34%. Per bird: ₦1,797.
Where the headline goes wrong
The "₦2.4M from 500 birds!" headline ignores three things:
- Mortality. Real mortality is 4–8%. The headlines assume 0%.
- Wholesale vs. retail pricing. Selling 500 birds one-by-one at retail price (₦3,000/kg) is a fantasy. Most farmers sell to traders at wholesale.
- Indirect costs. Pen depreciation, your time, the cost of capital — none of which appear in shouty headlines.
"My first batch I made ₦820,000 profit. I thought I was rich. Then I realised I had not paid myself for 9 weeks of full-time work. Subtract a proper wage and the margin was much thinner. Now I always include my own salary in the costing." — Sani M., broiler farmer, Kano
The 5 things that destroy this margin
- Mortality above 8%. Each percentage point of extra mortality cuts profit by ~₦35,000.
- FCR worse than 1.8. If birds eat 4 kg of feed to gain 2.2 kg (FCR 1.8), you're on plan. If they eat 5 kg (FCR 2.3), feed cost jumps ₦200,000+.
- Hot-season lower weights. If average bird hits 1.9 kg instead of 2.2 kg, revenue drops ₦300,000+.
- Bad timing. Selling in a glut month vs. festive season can swing price by ₦300/kg.
- Theft and pilferage. Yes, it happens. Track bird counts weekly.
How SmartFlok helps
SmartFlok tracks every line of this costing automatically as you record feed bought, vaccinations administered, sales made. At the end of each batch you see a one-page P&L showing exactly where your money went and exactly what your margin was. No spreadsheet, no guesswork — just the truth, ready for the next planning decision.
The bottom line
500-bird broiler cycles in Nigeria are still profitable. But the profit is 30–40%, not 200%. Plan around the realistic numbers and you build a sustainable business. Plan around the WhatsApp headlines and you go broke in two cycles.
Want the tools the smart farmers in this story are using? SmartFlok gives you flock records, vaccination reminders, feed and finance tracking, plus access to the largest poultry marketplace in Nigeria — all from your phone.
