Snakes! I have ‘GSU’ on my farm

Meet Francis Sunda a 60 years old man who has been doing poultry farming for over 37 years now

When Smart Harvest visited Francis Sunda at his farm in Bomwancha village Suneka Kisii County, we found him ‘bonding’ with his poultry.

“These birds are like my friends. We get along very well. I know when they are hungry, when they are about to fall sick or when they are unwell. I can preempt their every move. They rarely get sick because I take good care of them,” Mzee Sunda says.

The 60-year-old farmer who started with just two chicks in 1984, has hundreds of chicken, geese, and turkey and guinea fowl at his farm.

He sells the poultry within the community and also trains young upcoming farmers on matters poultry.

“I like to share this wealth of knowledge with young farmers like you. The problem with you young people, is that you want quick money.

"You want to buy day-old chicks today, hit the market tomorrow and be a millionaire within a month,” he says. "But that is not possible because farming requires patience.”

Listening to this passionate farmer who has been at it for more than 30 years, it is clear this sage has a lot to offer about rearing poultry.

“When I started with my two chicks, as expected, they grew and within four months they were mature and a jogoo somewhere ‘spotted’ them and within a few weeks they had laid several eggs. That is how my farm started,” he says.

Do your research

As his brood grew over the years, so did the challenges.

“There were so many predators I had to deal with. But snakes were my biggest headache.

"They used to sneak into the chicken house and disappear with the eggs and chicks. The hawks would also attack my chicks whenever they were outside. By the end of every season, I had no eggs or hens to sell,” he recalls.

So how did he deal with the predators? After doing his research, he found a way to outsmart these ‘spoilers’, he says. And the solution was guinea fowls.

“Many people do not know this but guinea fowls are like ‘GSU’ on the farm. When they sense danger in the form of a hawk or a snake, they send a ‘laughing signal’. The other birds pick the cue and hide from the attacker just before it pounces.

"If the attacker strikes before the birds can take cover, the guinea fowls are so brave, they engage the enemy to give the poor birds time to flee,” he explains.

But experts advice that different types of poultry should not be mixed because of the increased risk of diseases spreading from bird to bird. How does he deal with that?

“Yes I am very well aware of that. The birds live in separate corners of the farm and the only time they interact is when the guinea fowls come to the rescue of the chicks otherwise I keep them apart,” he says.

Vaccination timetable

On top of offering security at his farm, he says the exotic birds are a fascination to many in the area and they fetch good money. He sells a turkey chick at Sh4,000 and a big one at Sh8,000.

High-end hotels, supermarkets and prominent politicians are the biggest customers. To ensure his birds are healthy and do not succumb to poultry diseases like New castle, he adheres to a strict vaccination timetable.

“Vaccination is very important if you rear poultry. Different breeds of birds have different vaccination schedules.

"So farmers should make sure they get the right schedule from professional poultry dealers or institutions like KARLO. Once you get the timetable, it is important to follow it to the letter,” Sunda advises.

Another important aspect for a healthy flock, he says is strict bio-security measures. The farmer stresses the importance of high hygiene standards on the farm.

“All my poultry houses, though not modern, are very clean. Chicken diseases thrive in a dirty environment, so I strive to always keep the coops spotless, dry and well air rated,” Sunda explains.

Commercial chicken feed is also a big problem for many poultry keepers, so, how does he manage?

“Commercial feeds are expensive and eat into a farmer’s profits. To get around that hurdle, I subside the birds’ meals with local feeds. I give them maize, greens and other edible kitchen wastes.”

Another vital lesson he has learnt in his journey, is value of dealing with a trained veterinary doctor.

“Most farmers tend to seek the services of quacks because they are cheaper. But in the long run it is an expensive undertaking.

"You see when you call that ‘miti shamba’ they may come and prescribe some concoction and charge you Sh100. But within a week, the birds do not recover and they all die and you suffer a loss of Sh100,000. Short cut is expensive,” he says.

His parting shot.

“Farming pays. I have managed to educate my children with money from poultry. Farming gives you freedom and flexibility you cannot get with an office job. I would advise more young people to join it,” the father of eight says.