This archive report was first published on 2 November 2019.
Published on November 2, 2019, a farmer in Kilifi County has found a way to create wealth through a poultry business.
Kache Mitingi, a 60-year-old farmer, started her poultry farm in 2017 with a Sh20,000 capital, which was spent on the poultry house, chicks, and feeds.
Her children helped her set up the project on part of her three acres, and she bought 100 day-old Kenbrow chicks. At six months, they started laying eggs, with a tray going for Sh300.
"I sold 40 birds at Sh800 each that Christmas," Mitingi said.
She runs the business with her daughter-in-law, Mary Achieng, who explained that they keep a stock of hens from where they get eggs for hatching.
Once they get the chicks, they keep them in an oval-shaped brooder made of cardboard that is fitted with electric bulbs that provide heat.
"We vaccinate the birds against Newcastle at day six, then 14 days later we give them Gumboro vaccine," Achieng explained.
So far, the business has generated over Sh100,000, and they are working to grow it, says Achieng, who took a Sh40,000 loan from their table-banking group to expand the trade.
Talal Abeid, a financial analyst in Mombasa, notes that a sound financial plan is crucial for business success.
