Day-old chicks shortage looms, experts warn

Kenya’s poultry industry faces a severe shortage of day-old chicks due to high mortality rate resulting from unauthorised hatcheries across the country, a poultry association has warned.

Kenya Poultry Breeders Association Co-ordinator Humphrey Mbugua said poultry farmers are facing a daily demand of 400,000-day-old chicks amidst dwindling supplies due to their high death rates.

He said the unregulated facilities are substandard as they lack the necessary infrastructure, hygiene standards, and veterinary oversight, factors that are contributing to the high mortality rates of the day-old chicks.

“This, in turn, is imposing substantial economic burdens on poultry farmers who are striving to meet the nation’s growing demand for poultry products,” Mbugua added.

Jane Mwangi, a poultry veterinarian said it is important for the matter to be addressed urgently before it impacts on the quality of poultry products available to consumers.

“We need stringent measures to ensure that only compliant hatcheries and breeder farms are allowed to operate,” she said.

A farmer, John Kariuki from Kiambu County, who Business Hub spoke to over the weekend said the situation had become unbearable as they were being rendered uncompetitive.