Native chicken business: how to start a poultry farm
Steps and permits from BAI, DA and PNS.
Reserve nowFind buyers first, start with healthy breeders and a house built to PNS/BAFS 262, and keep records. Register a business name with the DTI and ask your municipal hall about the mayor’s permit; a poultry farm of 5,000 birds or more must also register with the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI AC 4, s. 2015). Buying birds to resell? See wholesale native chicken and eggs.
Permits and registration
| Item | Where | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Business nameSole proprietor · partnership or corporation · cooperative | DTI · SEC · CDA | Proof needed for BAI |
| Mayor’s permit | Municipal hall (LGU) | Needed for BAI renewal |
| BAI registrationLicense to operate a poultry farm | Bureau of Animal Industry | From 5,000 birds; 1 year, renewals 3 years |
| Environmental clearance | DENR | In the BAI checklist |
| Farm veterinarian | PRC-registered vet | In the BAI checklist |
| Animal welfare seminar | Owner or manager and vet | Certificate for BAI |
| Dressed chicken for sale | Poultry dressing plant registered by NMIS | Meat Inspection Code |
| “Free-range” label | Farm meets PNS/BAFS 262:2018 | Native: slaughter from 90 days |
Sources: BAI Administrative Circular No. 4, s. 2015 (Animal Welfare Act registration, 5,000-bird minimum, documents, validity), RA 9296 Meat Inspection Code (poultry dressing plants), PNS/BAFS 262:2018 (free-range label). Ask your municipal agriculture office for local rules.
Start-up steps
Market first
In an Iloilo study cited by PIDS, demand for native chicken peaked September–December and was lowest July–August; birds of 500–1,000 g were most in demand (PIDS, 2015).
Breeders and housing
Western Visayas raisers kept about 1 rooster for 4 hens (PIDS, 2015); a farmer’s guide suggests 1 for 7–10, replaced yearly (WESVARRDEC guide). House: no more than 6 birds per m² (PNS/BAFS 262).
Health
Disease was the main problem for 65% of Western Visayas raisers (PIDS, 2015). Vaccinate against Newcastle disease; ask your vet.
What drives the cost
The main costs are chicks or breeders, feed, housing and equipment, vaccines and vet care, labour, permits and transport. Feed is the one to watch: 17% of native chicken raisers in Western Visayas named lack of money for expensive feed as a problem (PIDS, 2015). Free-range native chicken may not be slaughtered before 90 days (PNS/BAFS 262:2018), so budget at least 3 months of feed per batch.
Feed amounts by age: chicken feeding guide. House size and a floor-area calculator: chicken coop design. Vaccines: chicken vaccination schedule. Hatching your own chicks: chicken breeding. Which bird to raise: native chicken vs broiler and native chicken breeds. Backyard basics: native chicken farming.
Sale prices: native chicken price per kilo and egg price per tray. Eggs from us: native eggs.
Gepanaga’s Farm in Ronda opens in April 2027. Reserve free-range native chicken: a vet health certificate with every batch, NMIS slaughter on request, a 30% deposit for seasonal reservations. Delivery in Ronda and southwest Cebu; Cebu City by arrangement.
Questions
How do I start a native chicken business?
Find buyers, start with healthy breeders and a house built to PNS/BAFS 262, register a business name with the DTI, get a mayor’s permit, and register with the BAI once you keep 5,000 birds or more.
Do I need a permit to raise chickens?
A poultry farm of 5,000 birds or more must register with the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI AC 4, s. 2015). Ask your municipal hall about the mayor’s permit and local rules.
How long is BAI registration valid?
1 year at first, 3 years on renewal; apply for renewal at least one month before it expires (BAI AC 4, s. 2015).
What are the main costs of a chicken business?
Chicks or breeders, feed, housing, vaccines and vet care, labour, permits and transport. Use the calculator with your own prices.
When can native chickens be sold?
Free-range native chicken may not be slaughtered before 90 days (PNS/BAFS 262:2018). Birds of 500–1,000 g were most in demand in an Iloilo study (PIDS, 2015).
Sources: BAI AC 4, s. 2015 · RA 9296 · PNS/BAFS 262:2018 · PIDS 2015 · WESVARRDEC guide
