Friend inspired Kisumu farmer to start hatchery business

Newton Florynda displays day old chicks at his hatchery agribusiness in Migosi, Kisumu. He says his childhood friend ignited his interest in the business five years ago. PHOTO | ELIZABETH OJINA | NMG

What you need to know:

  • Farmers can hire incubators from Florynda for a fee. With 2,600 and 2,100-egg capacity incubators, Floryinda can produce up to 5,000 chicks per cycle in just a month.
  • On some occasions, Mayombe Incubators buys eggs from farmers, hatches the chicks and sells day-old ones at Sh100 each.
  • The eggs have to be turned regularly during the 21-day incubation period. Florynda says the business is less risky when farmers supply eggs for hatching rather than Mayombe Incubators buying them.
  • There are three factors that one should consider in hatching chicks — temperature, humidity and air flow.

Migosi in Kisumu County is where Newton Florynda has set up a chick-hatching business. Florynda has maximised the little space to build two structures, which serve brooders.

The brooder building has three floors partitioned into two. Each partition can hold 200 chicks. A few metres from the gate is a bath that acts as a disinfectant.

“Mayombe Incubators has around 2,400 improved one-day-old kienyeji chicks at the moment,” Florynda said. His childhood friend ignited Floryinda’s interest in the business five years ago.

“I visited his farm in Ongata Rongai. He had quit his job at a telecommunications firm to start the business,” he said.
“I asked him about the risks and the technology applied in hatching chicks.”

With a Sh200,000 capital from his savings and contribution from a friend, Florynda started the hatchery unit. Florynda says he learnt from his mistakes to improve the hatchery.

“I bought a 500-capacity incubator and quickly got the eggs. Little did I know that the farmer sold me bad eggs,” the 37-year-old said.

He broke even in the hatchery business after several trials. Florynda quit his job as a medical lab technician at Kemri to concentrate on the demanding business.

“I had worked for more than 10 years and lost interest in the job. I also could not serve two masters at the same time,” he said.

Farmers can hire incubators from Florynda for a fee. With 2,600 and 2,100-egg capacity incubators, Floryinda can produce up to 5,000 chicks per cycle in just a month.

NOT BE MORE THAN A WEEK OLD

“We have created a platform where farmers bring their fertilised eggs to be hatched. One only pays Sh20 per egg,” the father of three said.

On some occasions, Mayombe Incubators buys eggs from farmers, hatches the chicks and sells day-old ones at Sh100 each.

Before being incubated, the eggs must be evaluated. Irregular-shaped ones are not accepted.

“We don’t accept those that are cracked. The shell should be smooth. We usually advise farmers to label their eggs. An egg should not be more than a week old,” Florynda said.

The eggs have to be turned regularly during the 21-day incubation period. Florynda says the business is less risky when farmers supply eggs for hatching rather than Mayombe Incubators buying them.

“The ideal way would be to have a parent stock as you are sure of its productivity. But I believe in focusing on one part of the value chain and perfecting it,” he said.

There are three factors that one should consider in hatching chicks — temperature, humidity and air flow.

“Usually, we ensure the incubators are 37 to 38 degrees Celsius. Humidity should be 50 to 60 per cent. The eggs are turned at least twice a day. This ensures an 80 per cent success rate,” he said. Mayombe Incubators’ biggest challenge is the high monthly electricity bill.

Florynda says cheap eggs and chicks from Uganda have flooded Kisumu, disrupting the market. Dennis Mujibi, a researcher in animal science, tells farmers not to clean their eggs as that breaks the protective barrier.

“When transporting the eggs, make sure they are packed properly so as not to dislodge the yolk,” he said.