Mombasa based poultry farmer, David Muturi (pictured) is all smiles for the second year running after winning the coveted 2018 Champion of Birds award at the ongoing Mombasa International Agricultural Society of Kenya (ASK) show.
Muturi's 2 year old Rainbow Rooster weighing 6.4 kilogrammes was adjudged the best bird during the annual event.
'' Apart from feeding on normal poultry feed, this Rainbow Rooster whom I have nicknamed Champion likes feeding on chapatis and ugali,'' he told The Standard after receiving a trophy for the champion bird.
Muturi said that he got the day old chic from Eldoret based chic breeder Kukuchic Limited and decided to rear the chic at his home backyard in Buxton estate, Mombasa County.
'' This is probably my best ever show result , but the same cock has been a champion previously winning in the same category last year when it weighed 4.5 kilogrames then,'' he said.
He said that since he started rearing poultry in his backyard, he has never looked back and relies from expert advice by Kukuchic extention officers who have provided him with the necessary knowledge he requires in poultry keeping and management.
Kukuchic Senior Extention officer, Mr Jackson Kiptanui said that the Raibow Rooster breed is an improved kienyeji chicken which can be reared for both meat and eggs.
'' These bird matures between 4 and 5 months. By that time, the male will weigh 3 kgs and the female 2 kgs. The female will start laying eggs at 5 months,'' Kipatanui said.
The extention officer said that he bird had a higher resistance against many poultry diseases .
'' We urge farmers to follow the vaccination programme provided for better yield results,'' he said.
Other couple of advantages for Rainbow Rooster is that they are free range.In addition to commercially formulated feeds, the chicken can feed on grass, sukuma wiki, tomatoes among others.
'' Rainbow Roosters meat has low fat.It is sweet and tender meaning it cooks faster than traditional kienyeni chicken. Farming of these birds can be done with very low investments as it requires simple housing and a farmer can improvise drinkers and feeders using available materials like plastic jerricans,'' Kiptanui said.
The Standard Group Plc is a
multi-media organization with investments in media platforms spanning newspaper
print operations, television, radio broadcasting, digital and online services. The
Standard Group is recognized as a leading multi-media house in Kenya with a key
influence in matters of national and international interest.
join