Catherine Macharia, a dedicated medical professional in Nairobi, has found immense success in urban farming, particularly in poultry rearing.
Despite her demanding career in medicine, Macharia ventured into poultry farming two years ago during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her innovative approach and determination have turned this side hustle into a profitable venture.
Macharia, inspired by her mother who was also a poultry farmer, started raising broiler chicks on the rooftop of a residential building in Saika, Nairobi. With limited agricultural knowledge initially, she relied on her observations and willingness to learn.
Today, she buys day-old chicks at Ksh 95 each, nurtures them, and sells them as mature chickens for between Ksh 350 and Ksh 400 after just four weeks.
In an interview, Macharia explained why she chose broiler chicks over layers.
“I began with both broilers and layers, and based on my experience, I decided to concentrate solely on broilers because they take only 28 days to reach the market,” she said. This quick turnaround time allows her to start profiting much faster than with layers, which require several months of feeding before they begin laying eggs.
Currently, Macharia manages 200 two-week-old chicks and 350 three-week-old chicks. She estimates that she spends between Ksh 250 and Ksh 275 on each bird every month, covering the cost of the chicks, feed, and other necessities.
Despite these expenses, the business is highly profitable, enabling her to achieve milestones she never thought possible while solely relying on her medical profession.
Macharia’s primary market includes hotels and individual buyers who appreciate the quality of her poultry. However, she warns that success in poultry farming requires careful breed selection, thorough market research, and proper bird handling.
“Some people simply begin keeping poultry without any prior knowledge. You wind up buying a subpar breed that consumes more and takes longer to mature. Also, if you do not vaccinate your birds, they will begin to die,” she noted.