| Features | Backyard poultry | Commercial poultry |
|---|---|---|
| Labour inputs | Minimal | Considerable |
| External inputs | Low | High |
| Outputs | Low | High |
| Housing | With local resources and is inexpensive | With conventional/commercial resources and is expensive |
| Nutrition | Scavenging feed resource base, leftover food, cereals, no supplements, inexpensive | Balanced commercial ration, expensive |
| Water source | Thrives on locally available water sources | Clean water supply is essential |
| Production | Low, could improve with better nutrition, disease control and shelter from predators | High but require high level of inputs |
| Meat quality | Little fat, pleasant flavor and preferred texture | More fat, less flavor and poor texture |
| Veterinary inputs | Very negligible but periodical vaccination against New castle disease is needed | Need to control many viral, bacterial and parasitic diseases. |
| Involvement of small farmers and woman | High | Low |
| Dependence on outside agencies | Low | High |
| Competition with human food, like grains | Very low | High |
| Risks | Negligible/Low | High |
