Tips for productive poultry farming according to industry experts

The poultry farms set up at the recently concluded show were marked by attracting huge crowds.

Exhibitors had brought their best poultry to showcase and sell to willing farmers who wanted to juice all the information they could, on how to achieve huge production of the birds.

Farmers.co.ke spotted and spoke to Kienyeji Kenya and Muguku Poultry farm among others on the best practices in poultry farming to achieve maximum productivity.

Some of the poultry showcased included hens, cocks, geese, guinea fowls, turkey, and ducks.

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Dr. Subiri Obwogo of Kienyeji Kenya whose stand attracted the most number of curious farmers and students began by saying that 76 percent of Kenyan chicken is Kienyeji.

“Chicken farming is the easiest kind of farming and the best poverty eradication”, said Obwogo.

Ezekiel the farmer who kept the winning birds at the show shared with Farmers.co.ke the tips poultry farmers need to be keen on to achieve maximum production. These include:

• Proper feeding of the birds with the right quality feeds.

A farmer should ensure poultry gets a balanced diet for faster healthy growth for broilers and good egg production for layers.

Since most manufactured feeds are expensive farmers should consider learning how to make their own feeds at home by selling the surplus to neighbors.

A farmer can use maize, sorghum, and millet to make their own feeds.

Vegetables such as kales and cabbages from kitchen waste should also be fed to the birds.

The poultry should also be let out once in a while to feed on the green grass.

The birds should also be given vitamins and limestone for good egg production.

• A farmer should ensure the birds are provided with enough clean drinking water.

• The birds should also be kept in a properly constructed clean shelter that is not damp to not act as a breeding place for pests causing diseases.

• The birds should be vaccinated against poultry diseases and dewormed at the desired right stages.

Vaccination should be done against diseases like

• Ensuring poultry birds have the right amount of light and temperatures.

Obwogo speaking to Farmers.co.ke told us that the common challenges facing poultry farming that farmers willing to start keeping the birds should be aware of are:

• Challenges with vaccination. Farmers should be aware of all the necessary vaccinations and their time flames to avoid the birds’ mortality and incurring losses.
• Poor low quality feeds.
• The high cost of feeds which makes them unfordable to many farmers.
• Lack of availability of clean water for the poultry as the chicken body is made up of 60 percent water.

Dr. Subiri added that the future of poultry farming is looking bright with the industry having mobile apps to market kitchen products such as meat and eggs.

Farmers are also encouraged to venture into ornamental birds farming whose valuable meat fetch better prices in the market.

For instance, guinea fowl meat is tastier and leaner than chicken.

Ornamental birds are also resistant to diseases than chicken thus easier to rear.

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