By Herbert Musoke
Local chicken is a viable business that many Ugandan farmers have ignored because of the perception that they take too long to mature and that they fetch little revenue.
A few who rear local chicken keep them only for home consumption and occasionally sale. But for Erias Kasamba, a local chicken farmer at Nabbingi-Kiyanja zone in Wakiso district, it’s a gold mine.
According to Kasamba, local chicken are easy to keep and manage with a steady market both locally and internationally.
Caring for local chicken
This is where many farmers go wrong, he explains that they (farmers) think local chicken don’t need special care. If not taken care of well, they will become stunted.
“Local chicken must be cared for from day one. Prepare the brooder days before the chicks are brought in. This will disinfect and keep the brooder warm,” he says.
Kasamba says on day one, vaccinate the chicks against Marek, at six weeks vaccinate fowl pox, at three months typhoid and every six months they should be given vitamins.
He says when feeding them, start with starter mash and it should be given without limits to enable them to grow fast.
“After four weeks, start giving them grower’s mash. 500 chicks can be fed on 20kgs. After four months, give them layers’/breeders’ mash,” he explains.
Kasamba says at three months a farmer should be able to sell chicken, they can be sold at sh20,000. At five months chicken will start laying eggs.
He also advises fellow farmers to clean drinkers and feeders at all times to avoid infections and disease outbreaks. Also, the poultry house should be kept dry and free from rats and wild birds. Rats and birds can transmit diseases to your chicken.
If you have a bigger space, he says fence it off to let your chicken move freely during the day. You can also feed them on grass like doodo.
When debeaking, do it right so as not to hurt them. He says hurting them will affect their feeding rate.
Making money from local chicken
Kasamba says it is always good to start small when beginning. For starters, at least rear 500 birds. You will need about sh5m to rear the 500 chickens to maturity.
“If from 500 chickens you had 200 cocks and sold them at sh20,000 you will get sh4m. For the 300 hens left, you can get 220 eggs (7 trays) a day. If you sell eggs at sh15,000 for each tray, you get sh105,000 on a daily. After 18 months, you can sell your hens at a minimum of sh20,000 and get sh6m,” he explains.
