My Chicken Story

Here goes my Chicken Story!

Zoea huyu hustler mapema.. Kabla aomoke kama fellow chicken seller, #TheeHustlerKing #WSR

It was the first side hustle I did, after taking up formal employment. Year. 2013.

After 1 busy year, I took leave and went home.

My mum gave me one or two trees. If you come from the village like me.. You understand that ka process.. You go to Kianda(furthest part of the land) and your parent points around , that one and that one, I have given you.

Called powersaw people and they got to work, to saw timber and poles for the chicken coop.

Next on, went to the local hardware, kama kawaida, Kiahungu, Mukurweini and ordered the michumari(nails), wires, mesh etc etc.

Then asked around for a good fundi for the chicken coop. We set up a structure for about 100 kuku.

In picture, a recent photo I took of chicken in the same coop. Done 10 years ago. We can say the fundi did a fair job.

Then ordered the chicks from the neighborhood and off we started.

The good.

. Having animals in a homestead is great. They are flowers of the home

. The structure has served and continues to serve. #10 years later.

. You can make chicken for the family any time, any day.

. Chicken manure is soo good for veges and the farm generally.

. Eggs supply. Perfect for home consumption. Breakfast. Snacks. Cooking for visitors.. Lol. If you visited our home during that season, you would eat eggs and carry... Eiii..

The Lessons.

. Comercial chicken farming needs profesional work and effort.

. There's so many moving parts. Chicken food prices, these chicks get sick and die overnight, costs keeping going high, you may never make a margin on some batches of chicken. They can be stolen at night or eaten by dogs or those animals that eat chicken(Kiihu) or birds(Rwigi) .

Chicken farming is labour intensive. Feeding. Watering. Removing manure. Plan accordingly.

If you manage to balance out the moving parts, you can grow to a commercial production and make small small coins like our #hustler friend.

Looking to do chicken farming?

*Research on the chicken breeds to keep, costs, feeds etc.

* Start small. Then you grow. It's better to learn on a smaller scale. Learn the ropes and grow your farm pole pole from the learning.

* Get a Mentor. Go around and visit farms, even small scale farmers who have done it.

Mentorship helps you to adapt best practice from the outset.

You'll cut mistakes and losses.

It increases your chances of business survival.

* Research your market. A helpful tip is before kicking off, define your customer. Reach out to them and ask if they can order from your periodically. Enter into agreements and contracts.

You'll find many farmers stuck with ready grown chicken and desperately looking for market. Don't be that farmer.

*People. You will realize each business story has people. Constant in all my side hustles is my family. From my mother donating trees and space to me, my brothers assisting me to oversee taking care of the chicken, coop repairs etc. The fundi, the people I ordered from among others.

*Finances.

Start small, to cut startup capital, then grow.

* Make use of social media and the Internet. In 2013, there was not much resource readily and freely available. Now there is YouTube, Influencer farmers and many pages and groups dedicated to sharing farming stories and tips. Knowledge is a game changer.

Have you been intending to start chicken farming?

Just start. Don't wait to make it #2024 goals.

Good luck!

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