Assessment of indigenous chicken production in Western Kenya

Indigenous chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) are valued in Kenya for their important role of providing food in form of eggs and meat and also income to rural households especially in Western Kenya. However their productivity is low and their products are also of low quality as compared to exotic chicken. A baseline survey was thus conducted in Siaya, Busia and Kakamega Counties of Western Kenya during late February to early March 2016. A questionnaire was used to collect information related to indigenous chicken production. Three production systems were observed mainly free range, semi free range and intensive. Majority of the farmers in the three Counties practiced free range and semi free range systems of production. Farmers practicing free range production system were 60%, 58% and 29% in Kakamega, Busia and Siaya Counties, respectively. Semi-free range production system was practiced by 35%, 42% and 70% of farmers in Kakamega, Busia and Siaya Counties, respectively while intensive production system was minimally practiced ( Kakamega (5%), Busia ( 0%) and Siaya (2%) ). The study also revealed that chicken were fed once per day before they were released out to scavenge the rest of the day. Indigenous chicken production involved the use of various types of feeds ranging from whole grains to compounded feeds (chick mash and layer mash, among others). Most farmers feed their chicken on locally available feeds including kitchen remains. Therefore, there is need to improve the quality of these feeds through quality analysis and advisory services to the farming communities.