Chicken Farming In Kenya | Kienyeji, Improved, Broiler, Layer

Must know about chicken farming in Kenya including the types of chicken you can rear, feeds, vaccination, starting cost, business, plan and many more.

Chicken farming in Kenya is practiced countrywide, especially in the rural parts of Kenya. Layer and Broiler chicken farming in Kenya is mostly done for commercial purposes. Poultry farming in Kenya categorizes kienyeji Chicken farming as one of the best quality poultry products. Farmers benefit from both poultry products and the chicken waste.

Kienyeji Chicken Farming In Kenya

Kienyeji Poultry farming in Kenya is the most practiced by the majority of poultry farmers. The breed is considered the easiest to keep since its feeding program is not as strict as the other breeds. The chicken has high resilience to the extreme weather conditions compared to the rest and can be left to fend for themselves from the environment.

Kienyeji chicken has a strong immune system, hence not susceptible to diseases from the surrounding environment. Farmers can verify the quality of a mature chicken from their weight and tasty and nutritious value above other breeds.

Although the chicken takes a bit longer to mature, their returns are greater compared to other types of poultry. Farmers specializing in Kienyeji chicken farming can practice both layer and broiler-type production.

Pure Kienyeji Chicken Farming In Kenya

Pure Kienyeji chicken farming in Kenya is mostly done in the rural parts of the country. The chicken breed tends to survive harsh climatic conditions and is highly disease resistant. Local chicken farming in Kenya can be handled to success, whether the farmer is literate or illiterate.

Pure Kienyeji can have all the chicken reared under the same roof for both layers and broilers. Farmers can leave the younger chicken to interact with the older ones during the day. The chicken is fed by the farmer early in the morning and late in the evening. The rest of the day, the chicken is left to fend food for themselves in the surrounding environment.

Pure kienyeji chicken can be reared together with other birds such as ducks, turkeys, pigeons, among others. As chicken roams in the surrounding environment, they learn survival tactics such as using the bush as shelter from the sun’s heat and as hiding places from predators.

Improved Kienyeji Chicken Farming In Kenya

The farming practice is not largely different from the pure kienyeji. Improved Kienyeji Chicken farming in Kenya comes with much more benefits than pure kienyeji chicken. The research sector of farming in Kenya did a lot of was done a lot on the improved version of the kienyeji breed before the breed was released into the Kenyan market.

The Improved Kienyeji Chicken farming in Kenya comes in two kinds, namely, KARI and Kuroiler. The chicken is larger in body size, matures faster, weighs more than the pure breed, and has more eggs than the pure breed’s one. The breed is preferred for commercial purposes as it has high returns within a short period.

The breed has a high yielding capacity since they are not left to roam around for long looking for food. Due to available feeds, it does not lose a lot of energy hence gains more weight significantly. The high egg-laying tendencies are due to a lack of interest in sitting on the eggs for hatching.

The layers are also not left to care for their chicks thus increasing egg-laying capacity after a short period.

Broiler Chicken Farming In Kenya

Broiler farming in Kenya is practiced by farmers whose main aim is the production of white poultry meat. The longest broiler farmers can wait to enjoy farm returns is up to 10 weeks. Failure to follow the poultry feeding schedule can cause a delay in the stated period of maturity.

As a result, the farmer may incur law production and increased expenses. Broiler chicken is highly delicate in contracting diseases. Therefore, high hygienic conditions should be applied for better results. Small scale poultry farming in Kenya

Small Scale Poultry Farming In Kenya

The farming practice involves farmers handling a small number of birds such as broilers, layers or both. Most beginner farmers with the vision of venturing into business largely for commercial purposes are highly advised to start at small scale production.

The small scale may entail rearing of about 100 to 500 birds. Some farmers may opt for small-scale poultry farming due to financial budget, lack of labor, or other relevant reasons.

Benefits Of Small Scale Chicken Farming

Some of the benefits that come with small-scale poultry farming are;

Not much space is needed for rearing the birds.
Fewer maintenance requirements, hence reduced costs
Easier marketing due to high demand of the product
No licensing is required as one can raise the birds in their homestead
Easier monitoring of the birds

Conclusion

Chicken farming in Kenya brings more benefits to the farmers besides chicken products and financial gain as the farmer can also sell live chicken to other vendors or local consumers. The farmer also gains from animal waste as farm manure. In case the farmer has no field crops, they can sell the poultry waste to other farmer handling field crops at a subsidized price per sack. With the kienyeji chicken, the farmer can also enjoy highly nutritious and tasty meat and eggs for him and his family.

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