Rearing kienyeji chicken: Beginners Guide.
Guide to rearing kienyeji chicken at home.
Keeping chicken is a task. You have to do it right in order to guarantee success. There are different types of chicken reared in Kenya. Kienyeji chicken is the most common. While keeping kienyeji chicken is regarded as the easiest, other forms of chicken farming like commercial layer farming and broiler farming in Kenya require a huge capital and resource investment. I came up with this post just to help a beginner with some little information on how to start rearing specifically kienyeji poultry farming.
In Kenya, there are different kinds of breeds, but the main categories of kienyeji chicken are pure kienyeji chicken and improved kienyeji chicken.
- Pure Kienyeji chicken.
Pure kienyeji are the indigenous chicken that is kept in most parts of the western region in Kenya. This breed is a super chicken in terms of survival rate. It is highly resistant to diseases and consumes less feed. In fact, it is a scavenger and can be kept in a free-range system.
These are the genetically enhanced kienyeji chicken that has better productivity than the pure kienyeji chicken. In terms of weight and egg production, the improved kienyeji chicken is the best dual-purpose breed of chicken. By dual purpose, I mean it can be kept for both meat and eggs. There are different types of improved kienyeji chicken on the market; Kari improved kienyeji, kuroiler, kenbro, and rainbow rooster.
ARE YOU LOOKING TO IMPROVE YOUR KIENYEJI CHICKEN BUSINESS? SEE MORE.
How to start: How do I start a kienyeji poultry farm?
Starting out can be intimidating in the initial stages. And learning how to carve out a niche for yourself can be stressful. In order for you to gain the success you require in poultry farming, you need to take into account the following things;
- Housing.
Housing is very important to a kienyeji chicken farmer. There are different types of housing that one can choose for their kienyeji chicken. Generally, kienyeji chickens are hardy birds and they do not need much in terms of farm care. They can even sleep on trees or on your roof and survive! However, for a long-term, less risky, and profitable venture, your best bet will be to construct a chicken coop first for your kienyeji chicken.
Feeding kienyeji chicken is considered both the easiest thing and the most difficult part of this venture. As feed prices continue to rise, the kienyeji chicken prices also rise. In order for your chicken to grow to the right size and weight, they need to feed on the right feeds. You can feed kienyeji chicken by creating a compost pit for them where they can scavenge for bugs, insects, and other material or you can purchase kienyeji mash, which is the cheapest and most nutritious commercial feed for kienyeji chicken.
- Vaccines and Antibiotics.
Vaccines are the most important remedy for poultry diseases in a poultry farm. Depending on the disease being vaccinated against, there a farmer must maintain proper procedures while vaccinating his or her flock in order for the vaccine to be effective. Vaccines and antibiotics can be purchased at any local agro vet at a standard rate.
CLICK HERE TO FIND THE CHEAPEST INCUBATORS FOR YOUR POULTRY PROJECT TODAY.
- Maturity: How do you make kienyeji chicken grow faster?
A pure kienyeji chicken can take as much as a year to mature and start laying eggs. This will fully depend on the system of keeping your chicken. Be it, deep litter system, cages, or free-range system. Each of the systems of keeping kienyeji chicken is fully dependent upon the farmer and the financial capability of the venture. While starting out, provide the right feed to your chicken in the following schedule;
Chicks Week 1-4; Chich Mash, Chick Starter, or Duck Chick Mash for faster growth.
Chicks Week 4-8; Chick Mash
Chicks Week 8-20; Growers Mash
Week 20 onwards; Growers Mash
This schedule will fully depend on whether you are keeping the pure kienyeji chicken or the improved kienyeji chicken which matures at five to six months. But, for the pure kienyeji chicken, there is no specific blueprint for feeds, as long as it provides the appropriate nutrients to support the growth of the chicken.
