Bernard Njoroge never thought he would one day do chicken business. After completing Form Four at Afraha High School, Nakuru, Njoroge joined Raybridge College in Nairobi to pursue diploma in electronics.
On graduating, he was employed at Silver Springs Hotel as Disc Jockey (DJ). Njoroge would later abandon his entertainment to do other jobs in the hotel. He left as hotel chief steward in 2009 after 30 years. Armed with Sh100,000 as capital, Njoroge bought an incubator at Sh80,000, eggs for hatching, feeds, and constructed chicken structures and began his business.
Today, Njoroge is a breeder of chicks, which he supplies to residents of Uthiru and its environs. “I am making good proceeds supplying chicks. I entirely depend on this business for livelihood,” he says.
He explains: “I also modified my incubator such that when I am not around it is able to refill its water tank by itself.” Njoroge, 55, put the incubator machine into his sitting room where he manages the breeding today. Once the chicks are hatched, they are transferred to other structures outside the house.
However, most of his chicks are bought after a day. “I deal mostly with one day old chicks, so l do not have space problem,” he says.
He says he started chicken business aware they are on demand but did not exactly know who he would sell to. He explains: “Since l produced chicks of high quality, my first customers spread the word and with time many people started coming to purchase. I have since developed a big network of market.”
He discloses that the demand for chicks is so high that he cannot meet, and at times he is forced to outsource from his friends to meet the demand.
His incubator carries a total of 440 eggs, which are hatched after 21 days. He says he makes Sh60,000 in a month and the expenses like buying eggs, electricity and immunisation of chicks and others takes around Sh 15,000. The rest he invests and uses some to pay his children school fees and other requirements at home. A one day old chick goes for Sh 100, and one week old cost Sh250. He says he buys each egg at Sh25. Njoroge advises that buying of eggs should be done with due care else they will not hatch, resulting into loses.
He warns: “It is good to know where you buy eggs for hatching. Not all people will provide you with quality eggs. In fact, they should be 1-7 days old.”
He also faces various challenges. One is of electricity blackouts which results in many eggs not hatching. After suffering several losses due to power blackouts, he says he was forced to install a backup-battery and solar that turns on immediately power disappears.
He also says managing diseases for chicks is expensive. His job is also involving for he needs to be around to inspect the processes. He has employed one person to help him with the management.
Njoroge has plans to expand his business. Apart from chick breeding, he also intends to start rearing chick and open a chicken restaurant. “The chicken l want to rear will be used in my eatery,” he concludes.
