How Much Does It Cost to Start a Poultry Farm in Kenya?

[Polle]

I'm a newbie to poultry farming and I would love to start a small-scale farm in Kitale.
Can anyone help me out with information about how much it will cost me to set up a poultry farm in Kenya? And more specifically in Kitale.

 

[Elizabeth Karanja]

Well, it depends on the type of kuku you want to keep. Kienyeji? Improved ama? Specify kiasi.

 

[Agripreneur]

Starting up with poultry farming in Kenya has no specific blueprint. You do not need to have a huge piece of land or a huge bank account to start keeping chickens. All you need is a hen and a rooster, or jogoo, or chicks for those who would like to start from scratch. You would also need some chicken feed to get you started, and a goal in mind. So, in general,

1. Have a Goal​

Determine the best way you could join the poultry farming market in Kenya. You would not want to enter a saturated market that will lead to losses and tears on your part. Do some research! In your area (Kitale), what do consumers or producers need most in the poultry farming space? Do they need chicks or do they need mature chickens? And which breed is preferred most? Many times, experimentation and testing your market will be required.

2. Pick a breed of Chicken​

Once you have determined what you want to do within the space, then you can pick a breed of chicken to start with.
The most common breed of chicken that is reared in Kenya is the indigenous chicken, which is also known as the kienyeji chicken. The kienyeji chicken is most preferred because of its unique taste and its hardiness. Other breeds of chicken that you can start with may include the new and improved kienyeji chicken, which has been proven to mature faster and grow quite larger than the indigenous chicken. Do you know about Kenbro?

3. Set up a Simple Poultry Housing Structure​

Housing your chickens will be just as important as feeding them. I know in Kitale kukus are kept literally anywhere... even in the kitchen. Keeping your chicken in your local kitchen will be a disservice to your poultry project and will even lead you astray. Try as much as possible to construct a dedicated simple structure for your chicken that is strategically located in your homestead.

4. Feed your Chicken​

The most important thing that you would like to consider is the feed that you will give your chicken. Feeds will determine the success or failure of your small poultry project. Feeds will determine whether your chicken will grow healthy and whether you will be able to profit from the venture at the end of the day.

5. Vaccinate your Chicken​

Chicken diseases are the worst things that could ever happen to a beginner farmer. Once they attack, you do not know what you are handling, you are losing chicken and the worst part is that you get discouraged. Get ahead of the game by vaccinating your chicken and making sure that you maintain the biosecurity of your poultry environment so as to avoid the transmission of dangerous infections.

6. Be Part of a Support Group​

Last but not least, you want to be part of a support system. There are many benefits to this. Some of which include even the marketing of your own poultry produce. Being part of a small poultry group helps with moral, educational, and even financial support. I appreciate social groups of farmers because they always have a solution for a poultry farmer at every stage of the growth and development of their projects.

Keep farming because it feeds the soul.
Agripreneur.

 

[Polle]

Starting up with poultry farming in Kenya has no specific blueprint. You do not need to have a huge piece of land or a huge bank account to start keeping chickens. All you need is a hen and a rooster or jogoo, or chicks for those who would like to start from scratch. You would also need some chicken feed to get you started, and a goal in mind. So, in general,

1. Have a goal;​

Determine the best way you could join the poultry farming market in Kenya. You would not want to join a saturated market that will lead to losses and tears on your part. Do some research! In your area (Kitale), what do consumers or producers need most in the poultry farming space? Do they need chicks or do they need mature chickens? And which breed is preferred most? Many times, experimentation and testing your market will be required.

2. Pick a breed of chicken;​

Once you have determined what you want to do within the space, then you can pick a breed of chicken to start with.
The most common breed of chicken that is reared in Kenya is the indigenous chicken which is also known as the kienyeji chicken. The kienyeji chicken is most preferred because of its unique taste and its hardiness. Other breeds of chicken that you can start with may include the new and improved kienyeji chicken which have been proven to mature faster and grow quite larger than the indigenous chicken. Do you know about Kenbro?

3. Set up a simple poultry housing structure;​

Housing your chicken will and should be just as important as feeding them. I know in Kitale kukus are kept literally anywhere... even in the kitchen. Keeping your chicken in your local kitchen will be a disservice to your poultry project and will even make you go astray. Try as much as possible to construct a dedicated simple structure for your chicken that is strategically located in your homestead.

4. Feed your chicken;​

The most important thing that you would like to consider is the feeds that you will give your chicken. Feeds will determine the success and failure of your small poultry project. Feeds will determine whether your chicken will grow healthy and whether you will be able to profit from the venture at the end of the day.

5. Vaccinate your chicken;​

Chicken diseases are the worst things that could ever happen to a beginner farmer. Once they attack, you do not know what you are handling, you are losing chicken and the worst part is that you get discouraged. Get ahead of the game by vaccinating your chicken and making sure that you maintain the biosecurity of your poultry environment so as to avoid the transmission of dangerous infections.

6. Be Part of a support Group;​

Last but not least, you want to be part of a support system. There are many benefits to this. Some of which include even the marketing of your own poultry produce. Being part of a small poultry group helps with moral, educational and even financial support. I appreciate social groups of farmers because they always have a solution for a poultry farmer at every stage of the growth and development of their projects.

Keep farming because it feeds the soul.
Agripreneur.

I love this. Well said. Thanks for your comprehensive response.

 

[Cynthia]

Starting up with poultry farming in Kenya has no specific blueprint. You do not need to have a huge piece of land or a huge bank account to start keeping chickens. All you need is a hen and a rooster or jogoo, or chicks for those who would like to start from scratch. You would also need some chicken feed to get you started, and a goal in mind. So, in general,

1. Have a goal;​

Determine the best way you could join the poultry farming market in Kenya. You would not want to join a saturated market that will lead to losses and tears on your part. Do some research! In your area (Kitale), what do consumers or producers need most in the poultry farming space? Do they need chicks or do they need mature chickens? And which breed is preferred most? Many times, experimentation and testing your market will be required.

2. Pick a breed of chicken;​

Once you have determined what you want to do within the space, then you can pick a breed of chicken to start with.
The most common breed of chicken that is reared in Kenya is the indigenous chicken which is also known as the kienyeji chicken. The kienyeji chicken is most preferred because of its unique taste and its hardiness. Other breeds of chicken that you can start with may include the new and improved kienyeji chicken which have been proven to mature faster and grow quite larger than the indigenous chicken. Do you know about Kenbro?

3. Set up a simple poultry housing structure;​

Housing your chicken will and should be just as important as feeding them. I know in Kitale kukus are kept literally anywhere... even in the kitchen. Keeping your chicken in your local kitchen will be a disservice to your poultry project and will even make you go astray. Try as much as possible to construct a dedicated simple structure for your chicken that is strategically located in your homestead.

4. Feed your chicken;​

The most important thing that you would like to consider is the feeds that you will give your chicken. Feeds will determine the success and failure of your small poultry project. Feeds will determine whether your chicken will grow healthy and whether you will be able to profit from the venture at the end of the day.

5. Vaccinate your chicken;​

Chicken diseases are the worst things that could ever happen to a beginner farmer. Once they attack, you do not know what you are handling, you are losing chicken and the worst part is that you get discouraged. Get ahead of the game by vaccinating your chicken and making sure that you maintain the biosecurity of your poultry environment so as to avoid the transmission of dangerous infections.

6. Be Part of a support Group;​

Last but not least, you want to be part of a support system. There are many benefits to this. Some of which include even the marketing of your own poultry produce. Being part of a small poultry group helps with moral, educational and even financial support. I appreciate social groups of farmers because they always have a solution for a poultry farmer at every stage of the growth and development of their projects.

Keep farming because it feeds the soul.
Agripreneur.

This is great @Agripreneur