Many farmers, especially from the North Rift region, do not take poultry farming as seriously as they do with maize, wheat or dairy farming.
This is probably a wrong perception based on the changing trends in farming.
According to Bidco Land O’Lakes Chief Executive Officer Herman Githinji, poultry farming is profitable and an industry that is changing and fast growing.
We spoke to Githinji during the University of Eldoret Annual Agri-Business Trade Fair on Friday where he addressed several must know facts about poultry farming;
Market
There is a growing demand for poultry products not only in Eldoret town and the North Rift region but also across the country.
“People want quick protein sources like eggs and chicken meat and with the growth of the middle class, demand for poultry products will automatically be high,” says the Bidco Land O’Lakes CEO.
He further points out that for a farmer targeting the local market, looking for kienyej chicken is the best option for his/her poultry farming as it is still popular.
Things that you must do right
According to Githinji, for a successful poultry farming, you must ensure you get the following things right;
1. Get the right chicks.
2. Brood the chicks properly.
3. Take care of the chicks using modern and latest technologies for temperature control among others.
You also need to employ the best practice in terms of house construction, feeding (giving the chicks right feeds) and water.
“Once you take good care of your chicks, they will be able to attain the right weight (broilers) or start laying eggs at the right time (for the layers),” he says.
Another thing you must do right is to get market for your products. “This is a challenge to most farmers, sometimes they have excess,” Githinji points out.
Challenges
Like any farming venture, poultry farming also has its challenges.
They include;
a) Lack of information about the good farming practice.
b) Lack of information on where to access good feeds and the chicks.
c) Lack of market to sell the poultry products and market (where to sell chicken and eggs profitably.
Githinji, the CEO of Bidco Land O’Lakes, the fifth largest feed manufacturer in the world with presence in Kenya (Feed Mill at Nakuru) and South Africa says if a farmer does everything right, he/she will get good returns from poultry.
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