Feedback: What determines chickens to keep

CHICKENS WITH HUGE RETURNS

Please advise me which chicken breeds have high economic returns. I have been keeping indigenous chickens but they feed a lot. So the project is expensive. 

Simon Kariuki Narok 

The type of poultry enterprise to engage in will be determined by feasibility study, financial projection, business plan, poultry management, poultry niche, standard operating procedure, target market, and farmer’s interest.

Factors contributing to poultry farming being profitable include increasing demand for food (eggs and meat) as human population rises and more awareness on health implications of red meat.

There are several niches in poultry production including egg production (layers), meat production (broilers), chicken breeding (hatchery), poultry feed production, poultry equipment manufacturing, egg and meat processing, packaging and marketing poultry marketing and consultancy.

Resources available will determine whether the farmer will venture into intensive, semi-intensive or extensive systems.

Poultry location, housing your birds, poultry equipment and appliances, feeding your birds, poor marketing, lack of support from the government, high start-up capital, outbreak of diseases, non-availability and affordability of vaccines, and adulteration and high cost of poultry food are some of the things that need to be sorted to ensure money ends in the farmer’s pocket.

When planning and consulting is properly done, any poultry enterprise earns the farmer good money.

Dennis Kigiri,
Department of Animal Science, Egerton University.

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GROWING YELLOW PASSION IN NAROK

I am writing from Narok County to ask if sweet yellow passion can grow well here. Also, where I can get seedlings from? 

Nasieku 

Passion fruits do well at an altitude of 1,200m to 1,800m above sea level east of the rift and up to 2,000m above sea level west of the rift.

The optimum temperature for yellow passion is 25°C to 30°C. Passion fruits require rainfall that is well-distributed, some 900mm to 2,000mm per year is suitable.

Excess rainfall causes poor fruit set and encourages diseases. Passion fruits do well in a variety of soils, which should be reasonably deep and fertile.

A soil pH of 6.0 to 6.5 is the best. In high rainfall areas, the soils should be well-drained, as plants will not withstand water logging or flooding.

Narok County lies at an altitude of 1,827m above sea level, temperature ranges from 12-28°C and rainfall of 500-1,800mm per year, therefore, yellow passion can do well in Narok County.

You can get seedlings from Kalro, Narok.

Carol Mutua,
Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Egerton University.

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BREEDING MEALWORMS

I am looking for contacts of anyone selling or breeding/rearing commercial and good mealworms. I need to keep some to offer my backyard chickens for alternative protein source. 

Lazarus Asewe

Protein sources are expensive thus adding the cost of production of chicken. However, it is very important to meet the protein requirement of chicken to ensure proper growth and structural purposes.

The worms contribute to energy, form hormones, enzymes and antibodies and proteins also regulate cell division, which acts to replenish aged or damaged cells to ensure a constant supply of healthy cells, among others.

Mealworms will contribute to protein requirement of the chicken. They are larval form of the locusts, grasshoppers, termites, crickets, silkworms and black soldier flies.

Apart from supplying proteins of up to 75 per cent crude protein, they also provide mono and poly unsaturated fatty acids, minerals, vitamins and fibre.

For more information about mealworms, kindly contact Sanergy Limited in Nairobi or Icipe Kasarani or http://abigalesedibles.com

Dennis Kigiri,
Department of Animal Science, Egerton University.

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I NEED A DORPER RAM

Where can I get a dorper pedigree ram? I’m live in Mombasa County. 

Anwar

The sheep breed adapts well to tough climatic conditions and matures faster. The sheep is hardy and performs well in dry areas.

It is advisable to be visiting agricultural shows to get contacts of other farm enterprises. For dorper, kindly contact Gicheha Farm Ltd, Ruiru on 0722205713.

Kisanana Dorper Sheep Breeders Society on Facebook, or Ms Kone Ole-Sein, a dorper farmer from Kajiado County, or Elgeyo Sawmills located on the border of Elgeyo-Marakwet and Uasin Gishu counties.

Dennis Kigiri,
Department of Animal Science, Egerton University.

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MY TOMATO HARVEST IS TOO LOW, WHY?

I just started and this is my second harvest in my greenhouse.  I need advice on the issue of quality seeds because I feel like my harvest is not like what other farmers get.

I am currently planting Prostar variety. Also in Bungoma, the issue of agricultural officers helping farmers is not there at all.

I personally have looked for them but they only came to my farm once and have never come back.

George Chenenje

It would have been good if you had indicated how much yield you got from your greenhouse in the first harvest because according to Kenya Seed Company, Prostar F1 tomato variety gives an average yield of 180,000kg per acre, which is high compared to other varieties like Anna F1, Kentom F1 and Libra F1.

Under good agricultural practices, Iam sure you can get high yields.

Carol Mutua,
Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Egerton University.

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YELLOW BEANS

This season, I would like to plant the yellow beans variety. Kindly advise me on the best fertiliser for planting and top dressing.

Also, advise me on the right code of maize seeds to plant in Njoro and Rongai area.

Joy Kale

The first thing is to get your soil tested to ascertain the nutrient levels. However, it is recommended that you use 60kg of DAP fertiliser during planting.

Just before flowering (budding stage), spray with a fruit and flower foliar mixed with a systemic insecticide. This will prevent flower abortion due to insect.

Maize code for the wet and higher Njoro and Rongai regions that are suitable are the 6-series from Kenya Seed Company, which include H614D, H624, H625, H626, H628, H629, H6210, H6213 and H6218. In the drier parts, you can plant the DH01, DH02, DH03 or DH04 also from Kenya Seed.

Muriuki Ruth Wangari,
Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Egerton University.

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CROP FARMING IN HOMA BAY

I am a young man from Homa Bay who wants to venture into crop farming. Having read many farming articles, I hope you can assist me. What crops do well in Homa Bay County, specifically, Rodi Kopany town?

Farmer

Bananas, sweet potatoes, groundnuts, soya beans, maize, sorghum, millet, cassava, pineapples, cotton and sunflower will do well in Homabay.

Carol Mutua, Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Egerton University.

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CROPS TO GROW IN EMBU COUNTY

We have five acres along Embu-Siakago Road and we would like advice on the best farming to carry out there.  So far, there is no irrigation water, therefore, we will rely on the rains.

Mary

Crops like maize, beans, sorghum, millet, cassava, avocado, banana, loquats, tree tomato, passion fruits, sweet potato, papaya, onions, capsicum and tomatoes can do well in Embu County.

Carol Mutua,
Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Egerton University.

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STRAWBERRY SEEDLINGS

I am a farmer from Bungoma with a keen interest in strawberry farming. I surely need to get seedlings especially the Chandler variety, which you have well documented in your articles.

But I don’t know how and where to get them.

Tonny Wandella

I am interested in strawberry farming but I am unable to procure seeds/cuttings. Kindly link me with potential supplies.

Fredrick owiti, Mombasa

Please contact Strawberry Farm on 0723701237.

Carol Mutua,
Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Egerton University.

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I NEED ATTACHMENT

I am Paul, a student taking BSc. Horticulture. I would like to request if you can connect me to a horticulture company for attachment. 

Mburu Paul

Yes we can, contact me through [email protected]. You can also write application letters to the companies you know requesting for attachment.

Carol Mutua, Egerton University.