Broiler Chicken Farming in Kenya: A Complete Guide
Introduction to Broiler Chicken Farming in Kenya
Chicken farming is a big business in Kenya. It is a respectable source of money for many people. Broiler chickens are special. We breed them only for meat. They are one of the fastest growing. Ready for sale from 5-7 weeks. Worse, more and more Kenyans prefer eating chicken. Hence, this is a profitable broiler farming in Kenya.
In this article, will discuss how you can start and run an economically viable broiler chicken farm. Here’s what you’ll learn:
- What to feed your chickens
- Maintaining The Health Of Your Chickens
- How chickens grow
- How to sell chickens and make profit
- What to do with chicken waste
- How to solve common problems
- The potential future of broiler rearing
If you are new to farming or if experienced there is everything here that you need to know about raising chickens and remind yourself of a thing or two, you will find this guide most valuable in ensuring your chickens are healthy as well as how to make money off it.
Selecting the Right Broiler Breed

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1. Cornish Cross Chickens
Key Characteristics:
- Age at Maturity: 8-10 weeks
- Average Mature Weight: 9-12 lbs (5-10 lb processed weight)
Pros:
- Fast growth rate
- Heavy meat production
- Profitable
- Good disposition
Cons:
- Health problems (heart issues, leg problems)
- Not recommended for reproduction
- Require a lot of feed
- Not sustainable for the long term
2. Big Red Broilers
Key Characteristics:
- Age at Maturity: 12 weeks
- Average Mature Weight: 7-10 lbs (3-8 lb processed weight)
Pros:
- Good foragers
- Fast growth
- Lots of meat without health issues
- Good taste
Cons:
- Not recommended for reproduction
- Take longer than Cornish Cross
- Inconsistent growth rates between hens and roosters
3. Bresse
Key Characteristics:
- Age at Maturity: 16 weeks
- Average Mature Weight: 5-7 lbs (3-6 lb processed weight)
Pros:
- Tasty, marbled meat
- Great temperament
- Active forager
Cons:
- Slower rate of growth
- Special diet for traditional French Bresse flavor
- Not common in US
4. Turken (Naked Neck)
Key Characteristics:
- Age at Maturity: 20 weeks
- Average Mature Weight: 6-8 lbs
Pros:
- Cold weather tolerant
- Good egg layers
- Dual-purpose chicken
- Fewer feathers to pluck in processing
- Good foragers
- Docile
Cons:
- 20 weeks to maturity
- Not eye-appealing
- Usually won't raise their own chicks
5. Kosher King
Key Characteristics:
- Age at Maturity: 12 weeks
- Average Mature Weight: 5-7 lbs
Pros:
- Excellent foragers
- Rapid growth rate, but more natural than Cornish Cross
- Good adaptability to different environments
6. Dark Cornish
Key Characteristics:
- Age at Maturity: 22 weeks
- Average Mature Weight: 8-10 lbs
Pros:
- Broad breasts
- Heavy mature weight
- Good layers
Cons:
- Poor disposition
- Slower growth rate
7. Ginger Broiler
Key Characteristics:
- Age at Maturity: 8 weeks (can be kept longer)
- Average Mature Weight: 5 lbs
Pros:
- Heavy growth similar to Cornish Cross
- No common serious health issues
- Higher livability rate than Cornish Cross
- Good foragers
8. Jersey Giant
Key Characteristics:
- Age at Maturity: 20 weeks
- Average Mature Weight: 10-13 lbs
Pros:
- Large birds
- Good egg layers
- Sustainable (will raise their own young)
Cons:
- Slower growth rate
9. Orpington
Key Characteristics:
- Age at Maturity: 20-22 weeks
- Average Mature Weight: 8-10 lbs
Pros:
- Good foragers
- Great disposition
- Good egg layers
Cons:
- Slower growth rate
10. Delaware
Key Characteristics:
- Age at Maturity: 16-20 weeks
- Average Mature Weight: 6-8 lbs
Pros:
- Active foragers
- Dual-purpose chickens
- Excellent disposition
Cons:
- Smaller breed
11. Buckeye
Key Characteristics:
- Age at Maturity: 16-21 weeks
- Average Mature Weight: 6-9 lbs
Pros:
- Cold hardy
- Good foragers
- Adaptable to different climates
- Sustainable
- Gentle disposition
- Good flock protection instincts
Cons:
- Slower maturation rate
- Hens may take longer to lay eggs
- Lots of vocalization
12. Chantecler
Key Characteristics:
- Age at Maturity: 16 weeks
- Average Mature Weight: 6-8 lbs
Pros:
- Excellent choice for cold weather
- Good brown egg layer
- Gentle disposition
Cons:
- Do not thrive in hot climates
13. Dorking
Key Characteristics:
- Age at Maturity: 19 weeks
- Average Mature Weight: 7-9 lbs
Pros:
- Broad breasts
- Great foragers
- Gentle disposition
- Dual purpose
Cons:
- At risk of endangerment
14. New Hampshire Red
Key Characteristics:
- Age at Maturity: 20 weeks
- Average Mature Weight: 6-8 lbs
Pros:
- Good disposition
- Cold hardy
- Does well free-ranged or in confinement
- Meaty for a dual-purpose bird
Cons:
- Food aggressive
15. White Rocks
Key Characteristics:
- Age at Maturity: 20 weeks
- Average Mature Weight: 7-9 lbs
Pros:
- Good winter layers
- Excellent forager
- Friendly disposition
Cons:
- Trouble hiding from predators
16. Rhode Island Red
Key Characteristics:
- Age at Maturity: 19 weeks
- Average Mature Weight: 6-8 lbs
Pros:
- Great egg production
- Active foragers
- Large birds
- Alert
Cons:
- Roosters can be aggressive
Each type grows a bit differently. Some grow faster or use food better. Others give more meat. You need to pick the one that works best for you.
When you buy baby chicks, go to a good hatchery. Good hatcheries sell chicks that:
- Live longer
- Don't get sick easily
Here's how to pick healthy chicks:
- They move around a lot
- Their eyes are bright
- They don't have any odd shapes
Picking the right chickens helps your farm start strong.
Aspect | Description |
---|---|
Breeds | Select breeds based on factors like growth rate, meat yield, and maturity time. Cornish Cross, Big Red Broilers, and Kenchic Broiler are popular choices in Kenya. |
Housing | Provide adequate space, ventilation, and temperature control using deep litter or battery cage systems. |
Feeding | Implement a staged feeding program with starter, grower, and finisher feeds to optimize growth and nutrient intake. |
Health Management | Vaccination, sanitation, and biosecurity measures are crucial to prevent diseases like Newcastle disease and Coccidiosis. |
Waste Management | Regularly remove manure to maintain hygiene and utilize it as fertilizer or for biogas production. |
Market Strategies | Identify reliable buyers like supermarkets, butcheries, or directly to consumers. Consider selling value-added products like ready-to-cook chicken. |
Housing for Broiler Chickens
Good houses help chickens grow fast and stay healthy. There are two main types of houses:
- Deep litter: You use sawdust or wood chips on the floor.
- Battery cage: Big farms use these. Chickens live in small cages.
Your chicken house needs:
- Space: Each chicken needs at least 1 square foot.
- Air: Good airflow stops chickens from getting sick.
- Right temperature: Baby chicks need it very warm (32-35°C) in the first week. Then you make it cooler as they grow.
- Light: Use lights for 24 hours in the first week. Then reduce to 18 hours to help chickens grow.
Clean the house often. This stops diseases from spreading.

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Feeding and Nutrition for Broiler Chicken
Feeding Stages

- Starter Feed (0-3 weeks)
- High protein content: 20-22%
- Purpose: Supports rapid growth in the early stages
- Grower Feed (3-5 weeks)
- Slightly lower protein content: 18-20%
- Purpose: Continues to support growth as chickens develop
- Finisher Feed (5-7 weeks)
- Focus on energy content
- Purpose: Promotes weight gain and meat quality
Feed Efficiency
Good nutrition is essential for efficient growth. A well-fed chicken should gain approximately 1 kg of weight for every 1.6-1.8 kg of feed consumed.
Water
Always provide clean, fresh water. Proper hydration is crucial for:
- Efficient food digestion
- Overall health maintenance
Additional Feeding Tips
- Custom Feed Options:
- You can create your own feed mixes
- Consider adding supplements to enhance growth
- Food Storage:
- Store feed properly to maintain cleanliness and dryness
- Proper storage prevents contamination and nutrient degradation
- Monitor and Adjust:
- Regularly assess your chickens' growth and health
- Adjust feed type and quantity as needed based on their development
Health Management and Biosecurity for Broiler Chicken
Maintaining the health of your broiler chickens is crucial for successful production. Proper health management and biosecurity measures can prevent diseases, ensure optimal growth, and maximize profitability.
Common Diseases
- Newcastle Disease
- Affects respiratory and nervous systems
- Can cause severe illness and death
- Coccidiosis
- Parasitic disease affecting the digestive tract
- Can lead to poor growth and increased mortality
- Gumboro Disease (Infectious Bursal Disease)
- Weakens the chicken's immune system
- Makes birds more susceptible to other diseases
Vaccination Schedule
Implement a proper vaccination program to protect your flock:
- Day 1: Marek's Disease vaccine
- Day 7: Newcastle Disease vaccine
- Week 2: Gumboro Disease vaccine
Note: This is a basic schedule. Consult with a local veterinarian for a vaccination program tailored to your specific region and farm conditions.
Biosecurity Measures
Implement these practices to prevent disease introduction and spread:
- Visitor Control
- Limit farm access to essential personnel only
- Provide clean boots and clothing for necessary visitors
- Sanitation
- Regularly clean and disinfect all equipment and housing
- Maintain clean feeding and watering systems
- Quarantine
- Isolate new birds for at least 2 weeks before introducing them to the flock
- Monitor quarantined birds closely for any signs of illness
- Pest Control
- Implement measures to control rodents, wild birds, and insects
- These can be vectors for various diseases
- All-In-All-Out System
- Raise birds of the same age together
- Thoroughly clean and disinfect between flocks
Daily Health Checks
Monitor your chickens daily for signs of illness:
- Reduced activity or lethargy
- Decreased feed and water consumption
- Abnormal droppings (watery, bloody, or unusual color)
- Respiratory issues (gasping, coughing, sneezing)
- Swollen eyes or sinuses
- Discoloration of comb or wattles
Response to Illness
If you notice signs of illness:
- Isolate-affected birds immediately
- Consult with a veterinarian for proper diagnosis and treatment
- Enhance biosecurity measures to prevent the spread
Remember, healthy chickens grow better, produce higher qu
Broiler Chicken Growth Cycle
1. Brooding Stage (Day 0 to 3 weeks)
- Provide a warm, controlled environment
- Use brooder heaters to mimic the mother hen's warmth
- Gradually decrease temperature as chicks grow
- Ensure good ventilation, clean water, and starter feed
2. Early Growth Phase (3 to 6 weeks)
- Rapid growth in size and weight
- High-quality starter feed crucial for optimal development
- Balance of protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals important
3. Mid-Growth Phase (6 to 10 weeks)
- Steady growth continues
- Transition from starter to grower feed
- Ensure adequate space to prevent overcrowding
4. Late Growth Phase (10 weeks to market weight)
- Rapid muscle development
- Use finisher feed to promote efficient growth and meat production
- Close monitoring of feed consumption and overall health
Management Tips
- Regularly monitor growth rates
- If growth is suboptimal, consider adjusting feed or housing conditions
- Ensure proper space as chickens grow to prevent overcrowding
- Maintain clean water and appropriate feed at all times
- Adjust environment (temperature, ventilation) as chickens progress through growth stages
Market Trends and Profitability of Broiler Farming
More and more people in Kenya want to eat chicken. This is good news for chicken farmers. Restaurants, supermarkets, and hotels buy a lot of chicken.
Chicken prices change during the year. They're higher during holidays when more people want to buy chicken.
Let's look at the money side:
- Starting costs: You need money for the chicken house, baby chicks, food, and workers.
- Running costs: Food is the biggest cost. It's about 60-70% of what you spend.
- Making money: A chicken weighing 2 kg can sell for 350-500 Kenyan Shillings. If you do things right, you can make 40-80 Shillings per chicken.
Where to sell your chickens:
- Local butchers
- Supermarkets
- Hotels
- Fast-food places
- Directly to people who want to eat them
Some farmers even sell chickens to other countries nearby.
Waste Management and Manure Use
Proper waste management is crucial in broiler chicken farming. It not only maintains a healthy environment for the chickens but also provides opportunities for additional farm income and sustainable practices.
Importance of Proper Manure Management
- Health and Hygiene
- Regular removal of manure keeps the air fresh
- Reduces ammonia levels, promoting better respiratory health for chickens
- Helps prevent the spread of diseases
- Environmental Impact
- Proper management prevents soil and water pollution
- Reduces odor issues, which is important for farms near residential areas
Manure as a Valuable Resource
Chicken manure is a nutrient-rich fertilizer that can be used in various ways:
- Crop Fertilization
- Excellent for vegetable gardens and maize fields
- Rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium - essential plant nutrients
- Composting
- Allow manure to decompose before using it on plants
- Composting reduces the risk of burning plants and kills potential pathogens
- Additional Income Stream
- Sell composted manure to crop farmers
- Can be a significant source of extra income for the farm
- Biogas Production
- Chicken manure can be used to produce biogas
- Biogas can be used for cooking or lighting, reducing energy costs
Best Practices for Manure Management
- Regular Cleaning
- Remove manure frequently to maintain a clean environment
- Implement a cleaning schedule based on your farm's size and setup
- Proper Storage
- Store manure in a covered area to prevent nutrient leaching
- Ensure storage is away from water sources to prevent contamination
- Composting
- Create a composting system to process manure before use or sale
- Monitor temperature and moisture levels for effective composting
- Application as Fertilizer
- Apply composted manure to fields at appropriate rates
- Consider soil testing to determine optimal application rates
Managing Wastewater
Wastewater from cleaning chicken houses requires careful handling:
- Treatment
- Implement a basic treatment system to remove solids and reduce nutrient content
- Consider using settling ponds or constructed wetlands for natural filtration
- Reuse
- Treated wastewater can potentially be used for irrigation or cleaning purposes
- Ensure treated water meets local environmental standards before reuse or disposal
- Compliance
- Be aware of local regulations regarding wastewater disposal
- Implement practices that meet or exceed these regulations
Common Challenges in Broiler Chicken Farming and Solutions
Chicken farming can be tough. Here are some common problems and how to solve them:
- High feed costs: Food for chickens is expensive. Solution: Make your own feed or buy in bulk to save money. Use special additives to help chickens grow with less food.
- Disease outbreaks: Diseases can kill many chickens quickly. Solution: Keep everything clean, give vaccines on time, and check chickens' health every day.
- Changing market prices: Sometimes chicken prices go down when too many farmers are selling. Solution: Try to sell chickens when prices are high, like during holidays. Find regular buyers like supermarkets or hotels.
- Getting good baby chicks: Bad quality chicks might die easily or grow slowly. Solution: Always buy chicks from trusted hatcheries with a good name.
Future Prospects and Opportunities in Broiler Farming in Kenya
The future looks good for broiler farming in Kenya:
- More people want to eat chicken: As more people move to cities, they eat more chicken.
- Help from the government: You might get training or money to help your farm grow.
- New ways to sell chicken: Try selling ready-to-cook chicken or organic chicken to make more money.
- Selling to other countries: Big farms might sell chicken to nearby countries.
- New technology: Better chicken breeds and new farming tools can help you produce more with less work.
Broiler farming in Kenya has many opportunities to grow and succeed.
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Conclusion
To succeed in broiler chicken farming, remember these key things:
- Build good chicken houses
- Feed your chickens the right food
- Keep them healthy
- Sell your chickens at the right time and place
Broiler farming can be a good business in Kenya. Chickens grow fast, and many people want to buy them. Whether you have a small farm or a big one, you can make money and help feed people in Kenya.
Following the advice in this guide, you can start a successful broiler chicken farm. It's a great way to make money and help your community have good food to eat.
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