STARTING A CHICKEN BUSINESS IN KENYA – STEP BY STEP

1. HAVE A BUSINESS PLAN

Like in any business,  an entrepreneur needs to have a plan of action. A business plan is one of the most important things in starting a chicken business in Kenya. Through a business plan, you visualize and state your goals and objectives for the chicken business as well as layout your mode of operation. You set goals and milestones for your chicken business and an elaborate plan for  achievement of your goals.

2. CAPITAL, MACHINERIES AND PREMISES,

Chicken farming requires capital investment. The good thing about chicken farming is that the capital needed is not fixed; you can customize your investment. However, you will need to acquire structures, buildings in which to raise your chickens in. Whatever structure you chose to build or acquire will depend on availability of capital and your disposal.  They may be barns, hutches, coups. You will also need a land to construct the above structures and for other uses. You need machinery and equipment in poultry farming.

3. CHOOSE YOUR APPROACH

You have to decide how want to raise your chicken. There are many ways of raising chicken, however lets examine a few main ones;

1. Conventional system- This is where chicken are confined in barns under controlled movements, virtually everything is controlled including feeding, watering, lighting etc.
2. Free range- this is where the chickens are allowed to move about the farm. Basically very little is controlled, the chicken roam free finding and salvaging for themselves. This method is generally used and suited for (kienyeji breed) the indigenous chicken. The system is cheap and easy to manage.
3. CHOOSE WHAT TYPE OF POULTRY TO KEEP

You can choose between three types of poultry for your farming. These are:

1. Layers -This are chickens raised for their eggs.
2. Broilers -This are chickens purely raised for meat only
3. Dual purpose – for production of eggs and meat
4. CHOOSE YOUR TARGET MARKET

You need to a good research about your target market and establish the opportunities and challenges you should expect in the segment of market you have chosen. This will enable you to decide whther should really stick to that target market and how to deal with expected outcomes. Take time to study the interests of consumers, their cultures, believes, ability and willingness to buy your chicken. All markets are determined by demand and supply . You should be a s solution to the market demands and that’s business.

4. SEEK TO BRAND YOURSELF

Seek to create an image, a niche for yourself and business. You will need to advertise your services to let the potential consumers be aware that you have eggs, chickens, chicks, manure, feathers, meat or any poultry products you intend to sell.

Advertising doesn’t have to be expensive, start by a word of mouth in your locality, social media and sms text messages are all but just cheaper options you can use. Whichever method works for you that is cheaper for a start, go for it before you pick on the popular means of advertising like radio, newspaper etc. One key thing to note is that’s you never lie in your advertising, do not masquerade what you  aren’t , do not advertise what you don’t have.

5. BOOK KEEPING AND BUSINESS RECORD

You surely want to keep record of how your poultry business is performing. In this regard, you need to keep track on your expenses and income. You also need also to keep contacts of suppliers, customers and business associates. You need to keep records of flock counts and how they have performed. Records can not be over emphasized, keep as much as necessary for you. Any record is good enough even if you are not an expert in the field of recording.

6. KNOWLEDGE

Be faithful and invest in learning and doing more research to making your products better every day