How to start poultry farming in Kenya
A realistic guide from a farm that started with 17 chickens in Nyeri in 2008 and now runs tens of thousands of layers. The numbers, the order of work, and the mistakes that cost the most.
Updated October 24, 2026
The short answer
Start with 100 to 300 layers, not 5,000. Build or rent a house that can be cleaned and ventilated. Buy vaccinated pullets or day-old chicks from a reputable hatchery. Budget for feed before you budget for equipment. Keep records from day one. Expect the first meaningful income after 18 to 20 weeks, not after one month.
1. Choose the enterprise before the breed
Layers, broilers and dual-purpose birds are different businesses. Layers need patience and a steady egg market. Broilers need fast turnover, reliable feed supply and a buyer lined up before the chicks arrive. Dual-purpose birds such as Kenbro suit farmers who sell live birds in local markets and want some eggs as well.
If you have never kept poultry commercially, layers are usually the safer start. The flock stays for over a year, so you learn the routine without restarting every six weeks.
2. Work out the money before you build
A 500 bird layer unit commonly needs KES 500,000 to KES 800,000 to reach point of lay, depending on how much housing you build yourself. The biggest lines are pullets or chicks, feed to 18 weeks, housing, equipment and labour.
Use the startup cost calculator and the egg profit calculator to put your own numbers in. Add a 10% contingency. Feed prices move, and a flock that eats for a month before it lays anything needs working capital.
| Cost line | 100 birds | 500 birds | 1,000 birds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pullets at point of lay (approx.) | KES 60,000 | KES 300,000 | KES 600,000 |
| Housing and fencing | KES 40,000 | KES 150,000 | KES 250,000 |
| Feeders, drinkers, lighting | KES 15,000 | KES 50,000 | KES 90,000 |
| Feed buffer (1 month) | KES 20,000 | KES 95,000 | KES 190,000 |
| Health and sundries | KES 8,000 | KES 35,000 | KES 60,000 |
Ranges for planning only. Actual prices depend on breed, supplier, location and timing.
3. Get the house right
Chicken houses fail on three things: ventilation, drainage and access. Build on high ground, face the long side away from the prevailing wind, and leave enough roof overhang to keep rain out. Deep litter layers need about 0.18 square metres per bird inside the house, plus working space. Use the space calculator before you buy materials.
Wire mesh should keep out rats, snakes and hawks. Concrete floors are easier to clean than earth floors and reduce disease build-up. If you use cages, plan ventilation and manure handling first, because both become problems fast.
4. Buy healthy stock
Buy from a hatchery or farm that vaccinates and can show records. Day-old chicks should be active, dry and have bright eyes. Pullets at point of lay should have a uniform body weight and a clean vent. Ask for the vaccination history and keep it.
We supply ISA Brown and Kenbro pullets from Nyeri. If you compare breeds, read Kenbro vs ISA Brown before you commit.
5. Treat feed as the main input
Feed is 65% to 75% of the cost of producing an egg. Buy or mill feed that matches the bird's age: chick mash, growers mash, then layers mash. Do not feed layers mash to chicks, and do not stretch feed with maize to save money. The saving disappears in lower production and disease.
Calculate your monthly feed bill with the feed cost calculator. If you mill your own, check the feed programme and keep samples of each batch.
6. Keep water clean and available
Birds drink about twice as much water as the feed they eat. A flock that stops drinking stops eating soon after. Size tanks for at least one full day, flush drinker lines weekly, and check flow at the far end of the line, not only near the tank.
Use the water consumption calculator to size your tank and drinker capacity.
7. Follow a vaccination and biosecurity plan
Vaccinate against the diseases common in your area, and write the dates on a board in the house. Newcastle and Gumboro are the basics for most Kenyan flocks. Control who enters the house, keep a footbath, and never mix birds of different ages without a plan.
Record mortality weekly. A sudden rise is a signal, not a statistic. Use the mortality calculator and act early.
8. Find the market before the first egg
Talk to hotels, shops, cafeterias and neighbours before the flock starts laying. Egg prices move with supply, school terms and holidays. Know your break-even price so you can say no to a bad deal.
A mixed customer base is safer than one large buyer. Sell by the tray, keep a simple record of who bought what, and collect payment on delivery where possible.
9. Keep records that answer questions
Write down daily eggs, feed used, deaths, and money in and out. After one month you can calculate lay rate, feed conversion and cost per egg. Without records you are guessing, and guessing is expensive.
The mistakes that cost the most
- Building for 2,000 birds before selling 200 eggs a day.
- Buying cheap unvaccinated chicks and losing half the flock.
- Running out of feed for three days and expecting lay to recover immediately.
- Ignoring water quality and biofilm in the lines.
- Mixing ages in one house and cycling disease through the flock.
- Pricing eggs by what the neighbour charges instead of by cost.
A sensible first year
Start with 100 to 300 pullets. Run one full laying cycle, learn the routine and build a customer list. If the records show a real margin after feed, labour and mortality, expand in steps. Our own farm took years to reach commercial scale, and the lessons came from small flocks, not big ones.