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Some of the chicken reared by Mwangaza Women Group in Kapseret, Uasin Gishu County.
It is important to know the market requirements; the investment costs, running costs and the expected revenue for the different products before starting any production activity.
These include whole birds for meat, eggs, parts: gizzards, drumsticks, chicken wings, chicken breasts, manure among others.
Do you keep accurate records on your chicken farm?
Keeping records simply refers to collecting relevant information that can help you make good decisions and keep track of activities, production, and important events on the farm.
Keep records that are simple, systematic, complete and true.
Records are kept for income generating commodities help to see what the investment is, and what it costs to produce it.
They also help to evaluate whether an investment is more than expenditure and check if it enables and improves the products in the future.
They provide you with information concerning the profitability of your farm, tax purposes and for the purpose of getting loans or credit.
Production records to keep:
Flock size
Mortality (clinical signs and / suggested cause of death)
Flock structure
Expected general laying ability/ percentage lay (number of eggs per clutch)
Number of clutches per year
Number of chicks hatched
Number of chicks reared
Age of chicks/ chicken
Vaccination and other treatments applied (when and with what)
Birds for sale
The following categories are sold within the Kienyeji chicken farm setting
Day-old chicks
Cockerels at the age of 5 months
Breeding growers, cocks or hens
Spent hens
Eggs for sale
Table eggs – for consumption
Fertile eggs – pack eggs in boxes, eggs trays, or other suitable containers to avoid breakage
Cost Benefit Analysis
Before starting any poultry production enterprise, calculate if it is economically feasible, thereby making the right decisions regarding the production system and the necessary interventions.
Revenue or income
Revenue or income is all the money earned in relation to the poultry enterprise such as:
Income from the sale of live birds such as growers, cockerels or spent hens
Income from the sale of eggs
Value of eggs or poultry eaten or given away
It is important to also value the standing stock such as the production flock that is the foundation for future income.
Poultry manure, empty gunny bags also represent value when used on the farm or sold for other activities.
Expenditure costs
These are costs involved in relation to the poultry enterprise
Material for night baskets shelters or poultry houses
Starting up flock such as growers, hens or cocks
Fertile eggs for incubation
Supplementary feed, vitamins of minerals
Vaccines and other medicines
Labour
Technical advice
Record keeping is a must include the ingredient in a recipe for making a financially successful livestock enterprise. Think of your farm as a business.
-This article has been adapted from the KALRO App on Indigenous Kienyeji Chicken.
The Standard Group Plc is a multi-media organization
with investments in media platforms spanning newspaper print operations,
television, radio broadcasting, digital and online services. The Standard Group
is recognized as a leading multi-media house in Kenya with a key influence in
matters of national and international interest.
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