What it takes for successful broiler farming in Kenya, cost of rearing 100 broilers, broilers feeding program, vaccination schedule, where to sell broilers in Kenya, recommended dark hours, and many more.
Broiler farming in Kenya is a farming practice where poultry is reared mainly for meat production. Broiler chicken farming assures the farmer of returns after at least 4 weeks because the bird maturity is between 4-10 weeks.
Cost Of Rearing 100 Broilers In Kenya
Beginner farmers interested in broiler poultry farming should watch out for keenness and accuracy. Any miscalculation may lead to delayed broiler maturity. The broiler market prizes have already been set according to the kilograms per broiler. Broiler farmers should consider the area of slaughter as some buyers need the broilers slaughtered while others need them alive.
Below is a description ff the estimated Cost of rearing 100 broilers in Kenya by small-scale farming. The Cost is from constructing a simple housing structure to when the chicken is ready for sale.
Table showing the Cost of rearing 100 broilers in Kenya
| Broilers Requirements | Details | Approximate Total Cost |
| Chicks | One chick costs Ksh. 100 | Ksh. 10,000 |
| Miscellaneous | Labour of about 2 people, Construction cost, Transport cost feeders and drinkers (about 8 @ 500) cardboards, source of heat, sawdust and any others. | Ksh. 100,000 |
| Chick mash | A total of 3 sacks is required Each sack holds up to 70kg One sack cost Ksh. 3,800 | Ksh. 11,400 |
| Finisher mash | The chicks consume up to a total of 6 sacks. Each sack holds 70 kg of feeds Price of one sack is about Ksh. 3, 700 | Ksh. 22,200 |
Broiler Feeding Program In Kenya
The success of broiler farming depends on the availability of a ready market for sale. What farmers need to know about broiler farming in Kenya, is that the quality of its meet depends on the weight of the bird.
If the farmer delays in feeding the birds, skips meals or reduces on the meals offered per feeding, the broilers will fail to gain weight as stated in the Broiler feeding program in Kenya. Therefore, they might stay longer for proper feeding hence higher expenses.
Table showing types of nutrients the broilers get from the feeds
| Broilers Nutrients Needed | Importance |
| Energy | Is derived from grains. The energy should not be too much or too little. Too much energy leads to accumulation fats Too little lead to less weight gain |
| Proteins | More proteins encourage weight gain |
| Fibre | Fibre is needed for maintaining good health for the birds. The fibre improves on the digestion of proteins |
| Calcium | For the borne growth and develpment |
| Methionine | For supply of amino acids Enhancement of aminoacidic AbsorptionFor protein synthesis |
| Phosphorus, lysine and sodium | Thy give importance mineral levels for the chicken |
| Vitamins | Helps chicken recover from stress |
| Water | Clean treated water should be availed to the chicken for nourishment. Liquid glucose is added to the water for energy. One drop of liquid paraffin (buy from agrovet) for proper digestion. The drinkers should be cleaned everyday |
Required Broiler Feeds Percentages
The farmer should be cautious when changing the meal broilers so that it is not abrupt. Instead, they should consider doing it gradually inorder for the broiler to maximally benefit from the feeds. If you are new to farming, consider giving your broilers feeds in the recommended percentage.
Table showing how farmers should transition the broilers feeds
| Percentage of feeds mixtures | Transition days |
| 25% growers mash and 75 % chick mash | On the 20th day |
| 50% growers mash and50 % chick mash | On the 21st day |
| 75% growers mash and 25 % chick mash | On the 22nd day |
| Feed the broilers on 100% growers mash | On the 23rd day |
Darkness Program For Broiler Farming
In raising the broilers, the farmer should consider keeping the broilers in darkness for a couple of hours to enhance their health. The essence of the darkness is to help prevent feather pecking and the birds feeding on one another.
Suspending the broilers in darkness is one of the strategies to managing successful broiler farming in Kenya. The table below shows darkness duration at different ages.
Table showing age of broiler chicken and number of hours.
| Age | Optimal Dark Hours |
| Day 1 to day 4 | 3 |
| Day 5 | 4 |
| Day 6 | 4 |
| From day 7 to day 21 | 6 |
| From day 22nd day 28th | 4 |
| Day 29 | 1 |
Broiler Farming Business Plan In Kenya
A good broiler chicken business farming plan include:
- Project description ownership and management
- Farm equipment
- Location of the house
- Availability of feeds and water
- Capital to start and maintain the flow of the business
- Marketing in terms of targeted consumers, competition
- Proper arrangements on vaccination and other medications
- Record keeping and maintenance throughout the production season
- Advertisement, transportation, pricing, and branding
Where To Sell Broilers In Kenya
Broiler chicken business farming plan should have a readily available market once the chicken attains the requires kilograms to cut on costs. There are several places you can sell broilers in Kenya including but not limited to
- Hotels and restaurants
- Butcheries
- Events and ceremonies
- Locally sell to consumers near you
Poultry farming in Kenya requires a lot of preparedness in terms of the kind of farming strategies. Successful broiler farming in Kenya takes a shorter period in terms of market readiness. Due to the increased demand for white meat in the country, poultry farming has proved high consumption in the Kenyan market.
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- Small Scale Poultry Farming In Kenya | Starting Guide
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