Poultry farming in Kenya

Chicken is the main type of poultry kept in Kenya. Others are ducks, turkeys, geese, guinea fowls and quails. Chicken are kept for meat production and for eggs. Chicken kept for egg-production are called layers while those for meat production are called broilers.

Areas where poultry farming is practised in Kenya

Poultry farming is practised close to urban centres where a large ready market for poultry products is available. Many families in rural areas culturally keep chicken using the free range system where chicken are allowed to walk freely to find food. Other kinds of poultry kept and sold mainly to tourist hotels include turkeys, geese, ducks, guinea fowls and quails.

Methods of poultry farming

1. Free range system. This is the traditional methods of rearing chicken.

The farmer allows the chicken to roam freely in the farm in search of food and water. The chicken are kept for the farmer's need of meat and eggs.

2. Deep litter system. This is a modern method of rearing chicken. They are kept indoors all the time. The structures are large and allow free. movement of the chicken. Food and water are alsoprovided for in the structure.

3. Battery system. This is also a modern method of rearing chicken. The chicken are kept each in its own cage, food and water are kept in front of each cage.

4. Use of folds. Chicken are kept in structures called folds. Feeding and water troughs are placed outside each fold. Birds feed through a  wire mesh.

Benefits of poultry farming

• Chicken are slaughtered for meat which is a good source of proteins in the diet.
• Chicken are sold to earn the farmers money to pay for their needs. This improves their standard of living.
• Poultry farming provides jobs for people living in the farming areas. This helps to boost businesses in the area.
• Some poultry products are sold to other countries to earn the country foreign exchange.

Problems facing poultry farming

• Large numbers of poultry die when there is an outbreak of disease like chicken flu. This makes farmers to lose a lot of money.
• Means of transport is not well developed in poultry farming areas. This makes it diffcult for farmers to earn good prices for their products.
• Poultry feeds as well as medicines are expensive and many farmers cannot afford them.