Diary of a poultry farmer: Have a business mindset to succeed in poultry keeping

James Kirubi feeds his 200 layers at Ribot Farm in Elburgon, Nakuru County. The use of insects or their larvae as a source of animal proteins and for feeding chicken has been tried and shown to save costs. PHOTO | JOHN NJOROGE | NMG

What you need to know:

  • Being a successful farmer also requires one to have a business mindset and entrepreneurial knowledge and skills.
  • Entrepreneurs are always ready to try and fail while figuring out what works and what doesn’t and for that, you’ll require unrelenting fortitude.
  • The use of insects or their larvae as a source of animal proteins and for feeding chicken has been tried and shown to save costs.
  • Candling should be done only on day seven and 14 after incubation.

In case you’re struggling with many farming ideas and wondering which one to go for, you’re certainly not alone. In fact, this is a nagging question for most budding entrepreneurs.

If you’re struggling to tell a fertile egg from an infertile one, I have a table to help you interpret results of a common technique known as candling. If you are wondering if maggots are good for your chicken, I have a concrete answer for you.

Mukami Rimberia: The more I read your articles, the more I appreciate the skills and knowledge gaps in animal production and in agribusiness. 

I think many people venture into farming without sufficient knowledge and use ‘kienyeji’ methods and techniques that often don’t work.

I wish we could get to a point where we seek professional advice and follow it through.

As a matter of fact, access to capital and knowledge in animal husbandry and agronomy are not enough for one to become a successful farmer.

Today, being a successful farmer also requires one to have a business mindset and entrepreneurial knowledge and skills.

Second, we must invest in and nurture growth-oriented enterprises, including agribusinesses for the sector to transform the economy and create jobs.

According to Bloomberg, eight out of 10 start-ups fail within the first 18 months.

Stephen Kimani: What causes leg paralysis in chickens?

There are several causes of lameness (weakness/paralysis) in chicken. These include diseases caused by viruses (viral arthritis and Marek’s disease) and bacteria (mycoplasama and staphylococcus).

There are also nutritional conditions like rickets and cage layer fatigue syndrome. Please get in touch with a vet near you.

Muksie Farming Inc., Kamulu: Although I’m a pig farmer, I’ve become increasingly drawn to other farm animals such as Kienyeji chickens, goats, ducks and fish.

My sister, Ivy, has even enticed me with a ready market for Kienyeji chicken in Nairobi City. Recently, my good neighbour, Baba Mike, visited and introduced me to maggot farming for feeding chicken and fish.

Although my passion is still in pigs, I’m now spoilt for choice. Please advise.

First, it’s okay to have multiple business ideas to try out. Please, don’t let these ideas die. Second, distinguish between a start-up and an established business.

Kienyeji Kenya Ltd chart for distinguishing between fertile and infertile eggs using candling technique. TABLE | COURTESY

The former is not a smaller version of the latter. A start-up must experiment with different ideas (maggots, fish, pigs and chickens, among others) in order to find the right product-market mix that established firms would already have.

In fact, experimenting with ideas is what I’ve been doing at Kienyeji Kenya Ltd in the last three years. The limiting factor for trying out many ideas at a go would be availability of resources.

If you’ve enough resources, then experiment with all these ideas at ago (but start on a small-scale to learn as you go along to minimise loses).

The bottom line is that you win some battles and lose others. Entrepreneurs are always ready to try and fail while figuring out what works and what doesn’t and for that, you’ll require unrelenting fortitude.

As the saying goes, a calm sea never made a skilled sailor. Third, seek advice where possible but do not listen to naysayers who will offer discouraging comments like: “This can’t work,” or “It’s been tried before and it didn’t work.”

Connie: I read somewhere that maggots are good for feeding chickens.

The use of insects or their larvae as a source of animal proteins and for feeding chicken has been tried and shown to save costs.

Animal protein (fish meal, feather meal and bone meal) is richer than plant protein (soya meal, sunflower cake). It contains more essential amino acids and micronutrients.

That is why I always include at least one animal protein in my poultry feeds. I also read somewhere that the larvae of an insect known as Black Soldier Fly (BSFL) has been tested and found to be a promising source of nutrients in poultry and fish.

It contains up to 42 per cent protein, 35 per cent fat and essential amino acids and minerals. In some countries, BSFL has substituted soya meal and fish meal in poultry feeds.

Joash Nyagisera: I’ve a problem identifying fertile eggs to give to a broody hen. Recently, I lost 60 eggs. Explain how to use egg candling to isolate infertile ones.

Candling should be done only on day seven and 14 after incubation. Please refer to the table below for details.