Is Layers farming in Kenya really profitable?
By Samuel | Published | 42 Comments
How much money can you make in poultry farming in Kenya? In this post, we give you a cost and profit analysis for rearing 100, 200, 500, and 1000 chicken layers.
We assume you are raising hybrid chicken breeds in a confined chicken house for eggs. You will have costs to buy commercial chicken feed, vaccination to control diseases, and labor among other expenses. In Kenya, Layers chicken mature in 20 weeks and lay eggs till they are 80-84 weeks old.
Facts about layers farming in Kenya
Kenya has an estimated population of 5.58 million layers according to the 2019 census results. Together with the indigenous chicken, they supply 1.6 billion eggs per year according to the FAOSTAT, 2019. In terms of trade, the value of the eggs was $167.4 million.
Related: Is Egg-Layers-Chicken Farming Profitable In Kenya-2024?
In terms of demand, the nation’s annual per capita consumption of eggs is 45 eggs per person. The domestic supply is inadequate, excess demand is imported from her neighbors especially Uganda. This unfilled demand opens a profitable opportunity for local farmers to raise layers for profits.
Key assumptions for layers farming in Kenya
The cost-benefit analysis makes the following assumptions for input quantities, prices for selling chicken and eggs and the costs of buying feed and vaccine supplies.
- The selling prices for an ex-layer chicken, a tray of eggs, and a sack of chicken manure are Ksh 400, Ksh 320, and Ksh 30, respectively.
- The price of Kenchic one-day-old chick layers is Ksh. 100 when they are one day old. You will then need to brood them for 21 days till they develop true feathers
- We include a vaccination schedule in the analysis. The Fowl Typhoid and Fowl Pox vaccines are available in packages of 1,000 doses only.
- You need three types of commercial chicken feed. So how many bags of feed do you need for 100 birds?
- 60g of chick Mash per chick till the young chicks are eight weeks of age (6 kg for 100 lchicks per day for 56 days).
- 90g per bird from week 9 to week 18 or 19 till when they start laying (9 kg for 100 pullets each day for 77 days) of growers mash feed.
- 120 g of layers mash feed per laying hen from week 20 to week 84 (12 kg for 100 layers each day for 455 days.)
- The costs or price of buying chick mash, growers mash and layers Mash is KES 3,300, KES 2,400 and KES 2,550 respectively for a 70kg bag.
- The cost of labor is KES 4,000 per month, for 21 months. When raising, 1000 birds, you employ two workers.
- One round Feeder can serve 30 laying birds while a round drinker serves 50 chicks in the poultry house.
- Use the plastic or the carton egg trays. A plastic one is Ksh 88, while the carton one’s trade for Ksh 40 from l Jumia.
Costs of rearing 100 Layers in Kenya
Click to view the costs and profits budget for 100 layers chicken
The following is the projected revenue and cost analysis of raising 100 egg laying chicken in Kenya. It uses the current market prices and recommended feed and nutrition needs.
The total sales revenue for selling the ex-layers, eggs, and poultry manure is Ksh. 313,090. It assumes a loss of 10 percent for both eggs and birds throughout the production period. Poor feeding, hygiene, and vaccination management can cause more loss than used here. Better practices such as hygiene will give you more revenue.
Related; How Profitable is Broiler Chicken Farming in Kenya?
The cost of rearing 100 layers in Kenya is Ksh. 276,940. It comprises the expenses for buying chicken feed and one day old chicks, vaccines, and treatment. The cost of feed is highest at around 95 % of the total cost. It is incurred to buy chick mash, growers and layers feed. Vaccines and treatment is almost negligible in comparison to feed at Ksh. 1680 only.
The gross revenue for raising 100 chickens is KSh. 36,150. After the deduction of Ksh 84,000 as the cost of labor, you will get a net loss of KSh. 47,850. You can improve your profits by securing better farm gate prices. For instance, a simple addition of Ksh 30 per tray would yield a gross profit of Ksh 96,350 and a net profit of Ksh 12,350.
For beginners, you will incur a one-time capital expenditure of Ksh 72,030. It will be for constructing a chicken coop and getting brooding equipment like chicken cages, waterers, feeders, and egg trays.
Profit margin of eggs chicken farming in Kenya- 200 birds
Costs for rearing 200 chicken birds in Kenya
The following is a cost-benefit analysis for 200 layers of chicken in Kenya. The analysis uses the current market prices and the above assumptions.
The revenue of selling ex-layers as live birds, eggs, and poultry manure is Ksh. 626,180. Most of this is from selling 1,720 trays of eggs at Ksh 550, 400.
The most production cost of raising them is getting chicken feed at KSh. 529,100. The total operating cost is Ksh 552,780 giving you a gross profit of Ksh 73400. Similar to raising 100 chickens, the labor cost is Ksh 84,000 getting you a net loss of Ksh 10,600.
As a beginner, you will incur a one-time capital expenditure of Ksh 144, 060. The overall costs and profits for keeping 200 laying chickens are as shown below.
Cost of rearing 500 Layers in Kenya
Expand to see the costs and profits of raising 500 chickens in Kenya
The following is a projection of revenues and expenses of raising 500 layers of chicken in Kenya. The analysis uses the current market prices and the above assumptions for feed quantities and vaccines.
The gross revenue for 500 egg chicken farms is Ksh 1,565,450. Key sales are from selling 4,300 trays of eggs at Ksh 320 each for each tray.
The operating costs for a 500-layer chicken are KSh. 1,364,000. It will give you a gross profit of Ksh 201,450 and a net profit of Ksh 117, 450 after deducting labour costs of Ksh 84,000.
As a startup venture, you need a capital expenditure of Ksh 366.525 for a fully functional 500-chicken house. The overall costs and profits for keeping 500 laying birds are as shown above.
Profit analysis for rearing 1000 Layers in Kenya
Costs of raising 1000 Layers in Kenya
The following is a layer farming profits analysis for a 1,000-chicken farm that raises eggs. It uses the current market cost, prices, and the above assumptions that require farm inputs and labor.
You will get a total revenue of Ksh 3,130,725 after marketing your ex-layers, all eggs and poultry manure.
The cost of rearing 1000 egg chickens in Kenya is Ksh. 2,636,900 for 84 weeks. It excludes the one-time capital expenditure of Ksh 455,100 if you are a first-time chicken farmer. The most significant expense is buying commercial chicken at a total value of Ksh 2,607, 800.
The projected gross revenue is Ksh 493,850. The only additional cost is labour at Ksh 168,000 getting you a net profit of Ksh 325,850. The overall profits for keeping 1000 birds are as shown on the figure above.
Looking for more information to succeed on layers chicken farming? Shop-related products below
Top FAQs in eggs chicken farming
The following are the most frequently asked questions by chicken farmers.
How many bags of chicken feed do I need to rear 1000 layers per day
The number of bags you need to feed a thousand chickens varies by their age and feed type; chick mash, growers mash and layers. The recommended maximum feed per day for each bird is 60g of chick Mash for the first 56 days. This is equal to 60 kilograms or almost 1 bag of 70kg for 1000 chicks per day.
For the next 77 days, each bird should be fed 90g of growers mash till when they start laying. This is equal to 90 kg or a bag a third for a 70 kg bag for your 100O birds.
120 g of layers mash feed per laying bird is needed from from week 20 to week 84. This is equal to 120 kg or 1.5 bags for 1000 layers per day.
How can I Make Extra Profits Raising Egg Chicken?
Wondering how you can make more money raising egg chickens in Kenya? Watch the YouTube video below about the best tips for making more profits in layers chicken farming. They include
- using Homemade Feeds: Formulate your chicken feed to control quality, reduce costs, and customize nutrition for optimal bird growth and health.
- Contract Farming: rear eggs on behalf of larger poultry companies, providing a reliable income stream and access to their markets.
Read Next: FAQs on Layers Chicken Rearing in Kenya
P.S. The article has since been updated to reflect 2024 prices.
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Please advice. I plan to keep 1920 layers. Where may I buy layer battery cages at best price in Kenya ?
Hello Kepher, We will update our site with a review od the best as requested
Westgate integrity poultry
Is it production per year or per month??
The layers Production cycle is 80-84weeks.
Nice article, but i think you have miscaulated the number of trays. Eg 500 chick you expect 455days × 450 Chicken = 204,750eggs ÷ 30 per tray = 6825 trays ×300 per value = 2,047,500khs
455days week 20 – 84.
Exactly! That’s a grave error. Almost got me discouraged
Good info
Thank you for the feedback. we appreciate
Good info 👌🏾👍🏾
👏🏾👏🏾
How do you arrive at 860 trays for 100 chicken?
Does it mean half of the population will not be laying eggs?
Hello @Tony, the analysis is conservative and assumes that birds are in full laying for 40 weeks or 75% only out of 60 (80-20) total productive weeks. Given proper nutrition, disease, pest and stress management, you can achieve upto 1134 trays of eggs
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Thanks for the info. Very helpful
Superb profits projections using the Costs Benefit Analysis (CBA) Method. Especially where my heart is. Thumbs up guys.
You are welcome Emmanuel.
Why did You go dormant at the time when majority of youth in Kenya are looking for sound counsel i.e in venturing into self employment opportunities now that there is no hope of formal employment in Kenya ?
Please come back with more content!
Hi Emmanuel, Apologies we have been dormant for the last 2 months. Our team has been undertaking research to come up with better and relevant content for you and other esteemed readers. Keep checking our site and social media pages for the latest updates.
Hi Sir,
Thank you for this excellent guidance. Can you please turn it into PDF or such so we may buy it!
This was really helpfull
Thank you for the feedback Allan.
Planning to buy layers nearing laying stage around 18weeks how much do they cost
I need a plan of rearing 100 layers
which company are the feeds from?
Very useful information here, Thank you. Just a quick question, is the information updated to the current market prices?
Thank Andrea, the information was based on prevailling market prices in 2019. We are yet to update with the current market prices on chicken feed, chick vaccination and egg prices.
How can you help someone who was to venture on the ground ?
Hi Laban, Contact us with the exact assistance that you may need.
Hello There. Please give us the latest layer farming profits analysis for this year.
Thank you,
Keep checking for an updated version
I reguest for ajob
Thank you for reaching out.
We currently do not have an opening. But we will definitely reach out when something comes up.
Best
Interested
All the best.
Its a lucrative business idea
Pretty nice information
It is a good project i will do if alah says
All the best
This very helpful information. Thank you.
Where can I buy layers that are around 5 months about to start laying? Please advise
Ruiru