Poultry farming in Kenya is playing an important role in the total economy and fulfilling the nutrition demand in Kenya. Reports shows that some people are becoming billionaires by commercial poultry farming in Kenya.
Most of the farmers of Kenya raise egg laying or broiler chicken. Raising some other domestic birds can also be seen in Kenya.
Among the poultry birds, quail farming is becoming popular day by day. Some people raise poultry for family consumption and most of the farmers raise poultry commercial for profit.
Poultry egg consuming rate is relatively high than meat consumption in Kenya. Schools, hotels and homes are the biggest market for poultry eggs in Kenya. In case of meat, hotels are the major customer of chicken meat.
How to Start Poultry Farming in Kenya
You can start poultry farming in Kenya by keeping in mind both local and international market. If you don’t want to spend money in buying poultry products then you can go with small scale poultry farming in Kenya.
But for commercial production you have to focus on the marketing of your products. You can target large hotels, companies and also exporting to foreign countries for marketing your products.
Farming Method
Poultry farming in Kenya can be done by using two methods and those are organic and inorganic. Both organic and inorganic methods are used for commercial poultry farming in Kenya.
There is a high competition between this two types of poultry farmers. There are some poultry products buying companies in Kenya that are not accepting inorganic poultry products (meat and eggs).
Some health conscious people are rejecting all types of inorganic foods including poultry eggs and meat. This is resulting a little drop in inorganic poultry farming in Kenya (not greatly).
Breeds
In Kenya, broiler and layer poultry are used for commercial meat and egg production. There are numerous world famous meat and egg producing poultry breeds available.
Select proper breeds according to your desired production. For commercial egg production choose highly productive layer breeds which are suitable for farming in Kenyan environment.
In case of meat production select highly meat producing broiler poultry breeds. You can visit your nearest poultry farming or training center for getting some information about suitable breeds for commercial poultry farming in Kenya.
Housing
Good designed and well facilitated poultry housing is a must for commercial poultry farming in Kenya. Housing system and design depends on the farming system and chosen poultry breeds.
But follow some instructions while building house for all types of poultry breeds. Proper ventilation system is very urgent. This keeps the birds healthy and productive.
Make sure that your poultry house is well ventilated. Keep proper facilities for entrancing sufficient amount of fresh air and light inside the house.
If you want to start large scale poultry farming, then making numerous houses will be effective. Keep about 40 feet distance from one house to another house while making numerous houses.
Always clean the house perfectly before bringing the chicks inside the farm. Clear the litter on a regular basis.
Wooden or rice bran can be used for making litter for the poultry birds. Keep all the poultry equipment clean and germ free. Clean all equipment on regular basis.
Feeding
Feeding good quality nutritious food keeps the poultry birds healthy and productive. High quality fresh foods with availability of all types of nutrient ingredients is the key to success in commercial poultry farming business.
Along with providing good quality foods serve them sufficient amount of fresh and clean water according to their demand.
Care & Management
Always take good care of your poultry. Vaccinate timely to keep them free from all types of poultry diseases. Keep your farm free from other harmful animals and prevent all types of predators.
Marketing
There is already a ready market available for marketing your poultry products. Small scale farmers can easily sell their products in local market.
And large scale poultry farmer can try to sell their products in large hotels, companies or in international market.
Poultry farming has a great contribution to the economy and food demand of Kenya. The main benefits of commercial poultry farming in Kenya is that, diseases are less in poultry and as a result we don’t have to import poultry products from foreign country. Along with gaining profit from commercial poultry farming in Kenya we have to ensure the availability of required food demand.
Frequently Asked Questions
People ask many questions about poultry farming in Kenya. Here we are trying to list the most common questions about starting and operating poultry farming in Kenya, and trying to answer them. Hope you will find your answer. Don’t hesitate to ask us if you have more questions.
Is poultry farming profitable in Kenya?
Yes, sure! Poultry farming is a very lucrative business in Kenya and many people are doing this business for making money.
How much does it cost to start a poultry farm in Kenya?
Starting a small to medium sized poultry farms will cost you approximately Ksh 3000 to Ksh 25000 depending on the number of birds.
What is the main problem facing poultry farming in Kenya?
Large numbers of poultry die when there is an outbreak of disease like chicken flu is the main problem of poultry farming in Kenya.
How can I succeed in poultry farming in Kenya?
You can make good profits from poultry farming business through proper care and management.
How long do broilers take to mature in Kenya?
Broiler chickens generally take around 35-42 days to reach marketing size when they reach around 1.75 kg live body weight.
How much does it cost to build a chicken house in Kenya?
Depends on the number of birds you want to raise.
Which chicken breed is best for eggs in Kenya?
Kuroiler chickens are considered best chicken breed in Kenya. It is a dual purpose breed which is good for both meat and eggs production purpose.
How do I sell my chicken in Kenya?
You can target selling your chickens directly in the market.
How much does chicken feed cost in Kenya?
Cost of chicken feed can vary from Ksh 2,500 to Ksh 4,500 depending on the type of feed.
How much is a kilo of chicken in Kenya?
A kilo of chicken will cost around Ksh 510.26 per kg.
How much is a crate of eggs in Kenya?
A crate of eggs will cost Ksh 360 in Kenya.
Information very useful
Thanks for your honest opinion! Good luck!
This is so informative thank you.