The early morning quietness in the homestead of mzee Hassan Musa is often interrupted by sharp sound of quail birds as they sing to welcome a new day.
And Musa knows very well the sound is a good sign that money is on his way.
There are over fourth quails, each caged in small cages weaved with reeds. The cages are hanging precariously on five, ten-meter masts of Cyprus trees that stand tall near the house where mzee Musa sleeps and are visible from a distance as one enters his compound.
Welcome to Musunguri Village in Shiraa Location, Butere Sub County, Busia County, where this 69-year-old father of eight has been engaging in the business of quail bird domestication since 1971.
These birds are an attraction to many visitors and a major source of income for him. Visitors mostly students have been trooping into his homestead to learn more about this wild birds and how they can be tamed.
“The best time for catching quail birds is at midnight. The high season is between March to August whereby during this time I catch an average of 20 birds per day. During low season, the catch averages between one and two birds a day. Sometimes I catch none,” Musa explains to a group of Egerton university students who have visited him.
He does not have a permit from Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to keep the wild birds. He explains that the business of taming these birds is traced to his fore fathers and which is passed on from one generation to another.
His son Arap Aramadhan aged 18 years takes care of the birds, an experience he has learnt from his father.
Locally known as isindu, Musa has caged 36 male and 6 female quail birds. He buys one cage at 50 shillings. But why the large number of male birds?
“I use the male birds to attract other birds. The traps are made from small and smooth sticks, a cow tail and copper wire. Then I place them where the birds frequently pass through,” he explains
“I charge little money for those coming to learn about the birds usually 1000 shillings. There is also a high demand of the birds from local people as they are a delicacy to them: mostly eaten with ugali. One bird goes for 50 shillings. A female bird that is bigger than a male can even fetch up to 300 shillings. On average, I fetch 40,000 shillings a month during high season. During low season, I can earn an average of 20,000 shillings,” mzee Musa says.
Catching the first bird was not easy for him. As he explains, he began by mastering the sound that quails make. Male birds make a different sound from female ones.
“I mastered each sound and then after some trials, I got one and tamed it and used it to attract others,” he adds.
Zainab Omusa, a wife to one of mzee Musa’s sons explains: “These birds are so sweet when prepared well. First you roast them until the heart burst open. Then you deep fry the bird for five minutes. Then your meal is ready to serve.”
Musa feeds the birds with sorghum and maize germ. Termites are also a delicacy for the birds.
One of the notable things inside the cages are cowrie shells that make sharp sound whenever the birds peck on them.
“The shells purposely alert when a predator comes close. Common predators are eagles and wild cats,” he explains. This is the reason why he hangs the birds on a mast.
Musa vaccinates the birds with the vaccination used for poultry to prevent them from diseases. He does not breed them. He sells the birds at a nearby local market.
Interested neighbours who want to venture into the business seek his services whereby he charges them an agreed fee.
“Through this business of domesticating quails, I have managed to pay school fees for my children. For my son Ramadhan, I got his entire school fees from these birds. Now he is waiting to join university,” Musa says.
Apart from domesticating quails, Mzee Musa also grows sugarcane as a way of supplementing his income from the birds.