Is farming chickens still profitable? The story of Andrew Ashibila shows that this is still a profitable venture if it is run properly.
Andrew is currently deep into chicken farming. He is averaging about Sh. 4 million in profit per year from this venture. This is the equivalent of Sh. 333,000 per month. How did he get here?
“When I was starting, I didn’t have enough knowledge or a strong background in raising chicken, but was ready to learn. The easiest part was selling the chicks since the demand was very high,” Andrew told a local daily recently.
He started off his business with 100 chicks which earned him Sh. 35,000.
“I realised that poultry farming can be profitable, and invested Sh. 150,000 into the business, buying an incubator and a small generator. That is how Lianfam Africa Ltd was established in October 2018,” he said.
“This venture has been a life-changing experience. I have so far signed contracts with Kakamega and Vihiga county governments and other partners worth more than Sh. 14 million. The biggest contract I have signed is Sh. 9 million with the Kakamega County government,” he said.
His business venture sits on one-eighth of an acre. The company has five employees and also engages boda boda riders and other transporters to distribute the chicks.
Andrew has also partnered with One Acre Fund, enabling him to sell chicks to their farmers in four counties of Kakamega, Trans Nzoia, Bungoma and Vihiga.
“During my first year of business, I made a profit of Sh. 3.4 million, in 2020, the profit margin dropped to Sh. 2.8 million in 2020, while last year our average profit bounced to Sh. 4 million, which has enabled me import equipment worth Sh. 1.8 million to boost my business,” he said.
Andrew says that the secret of his success is goodwill, determination, hard work and patience as well as networking with the right people and having a business plan.
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“The best part about this enterprise is its high growth rate. It takes about 27 to 28 weeks when the birds are ready for the market. That means a poultry farmer starts earning his income in just 31 weeks after successfully starting his business,” he says. He sells a full grown hen at around Sh. 1,000.
His success has seen the entrepreneur invited to speak in major international conferences such as the Africa Farm Management Association and public universities offering agriculture courses such as Egerton University and Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions.
A version of this feature was also published in the Saturday Nation. The Saturday Nation is a publication of the Nation Media Group.