This archive report was first published on 31 August 2021.
Mr Nicodemus Mbaluka, a Kisauni Sub-County Teachers Service Commission director, has been a top chicken farmer in Kwale County for years. His journey began in 2012 when he and his wife took a Sh300,000 loan to start a poultry farm.
They built two mud-walled structures that could accommodate up to 300 hens and used some of the money to buy drugs, vaccines, and feeds. The first batch of 350 one-day-old chicks was bought from Sigma Feeds at Sh90 each.
Some of the birds began laying eggs at only three and a half months, defying the expected period of five to six months. The family collected an average of 10 trays per day, with one tray selling for Sh270. After deductions, they made Sh1,000 daily.
However, the family's success was short-lived. They lost about 800 birds and incurred a Sh300,000 loss when they administered an expired vaccine. They also lost another batch of 800 chicks months later due to dirty water.
With lessons learned, the family revived the business eight months later. Mr Mbaluka bought 500 layers and expanded the business by constructing more structures. In 2016, he imported cages from China, and now has at least 800 chickens under the cage system and another 400 in the deep litter system.
On average, Mr Mbaluka gets 25 trays of eggs daily, with one tray going for Sh330. His journey is a testament to the importance of learning from mistakes and perseverance in the face of challenges.
