After retiring in 2019, Zedekiah Ongango Ayoo started working full-time in poultry production.

Before this, he had worked as a primary school teacher, during which time he developed a passion for farming.

While still in public service, he became one of the beneficiaries of a training programme offered by an agricultural organisation.

Farmers from his village in Kowidi Location, Rachuonyo South, were enrolled on training courses in various farming sectors.

While some opted for banana production, Ayoo became interested in poultry farming, which he believes offers more opportunities.

He decided to try his luck with poultry farming by buying some birds and keeping them at his home in Osije Village for meat and eggs.

Initially, the business was not successful as the farmer had limited time to look after his birds.

However, after retiring, he decided to focus on his poultry business and pay more attention to his birds in order to make his venture thrive.

However, no matter how hard he worked, he always faced challenges.

Like other poultry farmers, he sometimes had to deal with mortality or a slow growth rate.

"I mainly produce Sasso breed chickens, which I keep for both egg and meat production. But I am not fully convinced that I am producing to my full capacity," says Ayoo.

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His farm currently has fewer than 100 birds, which he says is far below its full potential.

He has had more chickens in the past, but prevailing challenges have made it difficult for him to maintain a high number.

One of his main challenges is the source of power he uses to heat the chicken coop.

He has invested in electrical equipment, including infrared bulbs to warm chicks.

Zedekiah Ayoo — Photo credit: George Odiwuor | Nation Media Group

However, due to the unreliable power supply in the village, he sometimes switches to charcoal, which presents its own set of challenges.

“Using charcoal to heat a poultry house requires constant monitoring. Sometimes the temperature rises above the recommended level, and chicks can die if they fall into the burning charcoal,” says Ayoo.

Another challenge he faces is the high cost of feed.

Although Ayoo, a member of the Buye Block Poultry Farmers Group, formulates poultry feed, the results he achieves do not always meet his expectations.

"I mainly mix maize germ, soya and omena. The growth rate of the birds after feeding on the formula is sometimes lower than that of other poultry on other farms that are given better-formulated meals," says the farmer.

Brian Ochieng, a member of the Future Seed Youth Group in the neighbouring Kotieno Village, is also faced with the same challenges.

However, he has managed to overcome some of these challenges, having graduated from the University of Nairobi in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, specialising in livestock production.

After many unsuccessful attempts to find employment, he joined a farming group to become self-reliant.

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His group, Future Seed, has 23 members, all of whom are engaged in poultry production at an individual level, and the whole group owns a joint farm with 280 birds.

Just like Ayoo, the group uses charcoal to warm the brooder in which the chicks are kept.

"We take turns monitoring the temperature to ensure it is neither too high nor too low. We must also look out for cases of chicks dying from carbon monoxide inhalation by ensuring the ventilation is good," says Ochieng.

The group sometimes purchases processed feed from local manufacturers to ensure maximum growth.

Zedekiah Ayoo — Photo credit: George Odiwuor | Nation Media Group

However, Ochieng says the feeds are expensive, limiting how much they can buy.

“One of the companies sells starter crumbs at Sh4,000 for a 50-kilogram bag. This is too expensive for the group and discourages members from raising lots of chicks on the farm," he says.

His group includes ochonga (shrimps), rice germ and maize and soya.

“Having limited skills in feed formulation sometimes causes us to use too much of one ingredient. At one time, for example, we had too much protein in the feed, and the birds grew to a point where some were unable to lay eggs," says Ochieng.

According to Dr Charles Oduor, the veterinary director in Homa Bay, many poultry farmers make mistakes that prevent them from realising maximum profits.

He highlights ventilation in poultry houses as one factor that can lead to total losses.

The veterinary officer says that poultry houses should be oriented so that the longer side faces north and south.

“The short side should face east and west. This ensures a controlled temperature, improves natural airflow, and prevents heat stress,” says Dr Oduor.

He also cites overcrowding as a major threat to poultry production, saying that it promotes the spread of disease and reduces productivity.

Regarding feeding, he says that farmers may have the right feed, but do not give the correct amount.

“Others formulate their own feeds, but these are low quality,” says the animal health expert.

Experts also cite hygiene as an important element in successful poultry farming.

Dr Oduor says that if entry into the poultry house is not controlled, birds risk being attacked by diseases.

“Farmers must ensure they vaccinate their birds at the right time. This is meant to prevent disease outbreaks,” says the veterinary officer.

In Rachuonyo North, farmers have begun implementing strategies to help them raise chickens properly.

A total of 78 farmers, who belong to three farming groups, have enrolled in a 12-month programme implemented by the Kind Heart Organisation (KHO) and funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

The beneficiaries, including Ayoo and Ochieng, are being taught some of the best practices to ensure the success and profitability of their poultry venture.

The programme, dubbed Empowering Rural Communities through Sustainable Chicken Farming, involves five phases, and the beneficiaries are expected to increase their production when the support group ends in July next year.

Yusuf Oduor, the project manager, says that, despite the many advantages of poultry farming over other agricultural ventures, its potential has not yet been fully realised.

"Poultry farming can be done in a limited space. It also generates income quickly, improves protein intake and creates sustainable local enterprises by empowering individuals and groups through egg and meat sales," he says.

He adds that chicken meat is in high demand, constituting the largest source of animal protein, and that farmers can expect to generate an income within five months of investing in chicken production.

However, many farmers face challenges such as high poultry feed costs, a high mortality rate, and limited market access, which prevent them from fully benefiting from the venture.

Through the project, farmers have started switching to innovative ways of rearing birds, including implementing climate-smart agricultural practices, such as using solar-powered heaters instead of charcoal and electric heaters, which only work in areas with a reliable electricity supply.

Each group is also set to benefit from the construction of standardised poultry houses with proper ventilation and orientation in relation to sunrise and sunset.

In addition to the 78 individuals who have been identified, the initiative incorporates a further six vulnerable community members who will share their knowledge of poultry farming.

"The water that the chickens drink must be clean. This means that the poultry house must be kept to a high standard of hygiene," notes Oduor.

The training programme includes a module on feed formulation, in which beneficiaries learn about the main nutritional content required for good feed.

Farmers on the programme have also joined the Rural Harvest Cooperative Society Limited, which they use to procure supplies and save money.

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Groups are required to save at least 30 per cent of their income with the cooperative society, using the funds to access veterinary and agricultural extension services, including vaccinations.

"Purchasing inputs through the cooperative society is more economical and cost-effective than buying the same inputs individually," says Oduor.

He wants farmers to embrace modern technology when implementing the project.

Kind Heart Organisation (KHO) has developed an online tool to monitor farmers and assess their progress.

Additionally, beneficiaries will be taught about financial literacy and the benefits of saving.

“The success of the project depends on the cooperation of farmers. We expect the project to support food security,” says Oduor.

According to Peter Ogolla, the Rachuonyo South Livestock Officer, the region had 739,700 birds as of December 2025.

This figure is based on registration data held by the county government.

He says the programme will further increase this number.

“Besides the increased number of poultry, residents will have plenty to eat,” says the livestock officer.

Mark Soro, the executive director of KHO and founder of the Rural Harvest cooperative, says they conducted an initial pilot study in Kisumu, establishing that Kenya imports large quantities of eggs from Uganda despite having the capacity to produce them domestically.

He says this gap could be filled if farmers were trained in best practices to ensure their poultry produces more eggs.

He adds that farmers should be educated about poultry nutrition, as many cite the high cost of feed as an obstacle to expansion. Some opt for cheap, low-quality feed.

“We plan to set up production units where we will formulate feed and help farmers obtain it at an affordable price,” says Soro.

He says that most farmers are not trained in modern practices, and that some make simple mistakes which cause them to fail in their ventures.

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