Introduction to Different Types of Kienyeji Chicken in Kenya

Kienyeji chicken farming has always been practiced in the rural areas. These days, however, some people are raising kienyeji birds in their urban homes. Kienyeji or free range chickens are raised for their sweeter and healthier meat and eggs. They come in different breeds and each breed has its pros and cons. Before buying any chicken breed, investigate it further to discover the following

• The type of food it eats and in what quantities per day
• When this particular breed reaches the age of maturity and how much it weighs then
• Whether the breed is a layer, a broiler or both
• If it’s an egg-laying breed, learn about the color and quality of its eggs.
• The quality of meat to expect from it, if it’s a broiler breed
• Whether the bird can resist chicken diseases.
• The type of vaccinations the breed needs
• The highest amount of profit you can get from it.

Kienyeji chicken breeds

The following are the recognized free range chicken breeds available in Kenya. Each is briefly described. So read on to discover the birds you would like to raise first.

The KARI Improved breed

If your aim is to produce chicken meat and eggs in large quantities, the KARI Improved bird is your best pick. It has characteristics that make it more productive than any indigenous kienyeji chicken. Another advantage to raising this bird is that it adapts itself to any climatic conditions. Whether you live in arid or semi-arid areas, the KARI hens and roosters will fit in it well.

Moreover, you can let it roam freely or raise it in a semi-free range system (professionally called a semi-intensive system). This chicken doesn’t need hormones or commercial feed to grow fast. It makes a good eggs layer too, and you can expect to collect 220 to 280 eggs per year. In just five months, a KARI hen will have gained 1.5 kilograms while a rooster will be 0.5kg heavier.

Kuloirer chicken

Kuloirer is the ultimate kienyenji chicken breed. It is among the best scavengers around, and this makes it a low-maintenance bird. The Kuloirer chicken breed originated from Kegg’s farm in India, and has existed since 2009. If you want to avoid commercial feeds, or to buy it occasionally, your Kuloirer chickens can roam in the field and grave by itself.

Furthermore, Kuloirers are meat and egg providers that do equally well in a semi free range setup. To shield your poultry from various predators, build a chicken run with a firm fence. To keep this breed healthy, supplement its diet with termites, omena, grains and commercial feed. This breed loves to eat, and thanks to this it gains weight too fast —weighs 3kg in just 4 months.If you are feeding it well, the chicken should weigh at least 4kilograms by the 6th month. Concerning Kuloirer meat, it’s unanimously agreed that it’s tastier than the indigenous chickens’ meat.

What’s more, its meat is tender and leaner and the eggs are bigger and have a deep yellow yolk. If you feed your hen religiously, she will lay 140 to 150 eggs per year. Kuloirer chicks are known to resist diseases and grow extremely fast during their first 6 weeks of life. A surprising fact about the Kuloirer hens is that they don’t sit on their eggs. They were bred this way; so, you need a functional incubator. To maximise your chances of success, you can order brooders from www.Kuroilerchicken.com.

Rainbow Rooster

Raised for meat and eggs, the Rainbow Rooster breed has extremely colourful birds. Their feathers are multi-colored and as beautiful as a rainbow. This is a premium-quality breed with a few demands. The Rainbow Rooster eats a lot and that’s why it is likely to weigh three to four kilograms by the sixth month. How quickly it gains weight and mature depends on your ability to feed and nurture it.

As well, the Rainbow Rooster breed lays 180 to 200 eggs per annum. Reared best in a semi free range system, the Rainbow Rooster breed is another hybrid chicken that doesn’t sit on its eggs. Hence, you will require an incubator to care for it or order chicks from our. farrm..

Kenbro Chicken

Just like the KARI Improved chicken, Kenbro provides meat and eggs. A brainchild of the renowned Kenchic, Kenbro is a relatively old breed. It has been on the market for over a decade now. Raising Kenbro is less labour-intensive as it adapts well to varying climatic conditions and resists diseases. In just five months, a well-fed and nurtured Kenbro hen will lay its first egg and might weigh up to four kilograms. Kenbro chickens are voracious birds, explaining why they gain weight too quickly.