This archive report was first published on 16 October 2019.
Newton Florynda, a 37-year-old farmer from Kisumu County, has taken the leap into entrepreneurship with his chick-hatching business, Mayombe Incubators. The business, which started with a Sh200,000 capital from his savings and a friend's contribution, has seen Florynda break even after several trials.
Florynda's journey into the hatchery business began five years ago when his childhood friend ignited his interest in the venture. He visited his friend's farm in Ongata Rongai, where he had quit his job at a telecommunications firm to start the business.
Florynda's friend shared his experiences and the risks involved in hatching chicks, which sparked Florynda's curiosity. With the knowledge gained, Florynda started his hatchery unit, initially buying a 500-capacity incubator and quickly getting eggs. However, he soon realized that the farmer had sold him bad eggs, which led to a series of trials and errors.
Despite the setbacks, Florynda persevered and eventually broke even in the hatchery business. He quit his job as a medical lab technician at Kemri to concentrate on the demanding business. Florynda's business model allows farmers to hire incubators for a fee, and with two incubators of 2,600 and 2,100-egg capacity, he can produce up to 5,000 chicks per cycle in just a month.
Florynda's platform, Mayombe Incubators, has created a space where farmers can bring their fertilized eggs to be hatched for a fee of Sh20 per egg. On some occasions, the business buys eggs from farmers, hatches the chicks, and sells day-old ones at Sh100 each.
Before being incubated, the eggs must be evaluated, and irregular-shaped ones are not accepted. The eggs must also be turned regularly during the 21-day incubation period. Florynda emphasizes that the business is less risky when farmers supply eggs for hatching rather than Mayombe Incubators buying them.
According to Florynda, there are three key factors to consider in hatching chicks: temperature, humidity, and air flow. He ensures that the incubators are maintained at 37 to 38 degrees Celsius, humidity is kept at 50 to 60 per cent, and the eggs are turned at least twice a day to achieve an 80 per cent success rate.
However, Florynda's business faces a significant challenge in the form of high monthly electricity bills. Additionally, the market has been disrupted by cheap eggs and chicks from Uganda, which has affected the business.
Experts, such as Dennis Mujibi, a researcher in animal science, offer valuable advice to farmers. Mujibi warns against cleaning eggs, as this breaks the protective barrier, and advises farmers to pack eggs properly when transporting them to avoid dislodging the yolk.
