Assessment of growth, survival and cost of feeding IKC chicks distributed to farmers in the drylands of Western Kenya

Abstract

Rearing improved indigenous chicken (IKC) fed on locally available low cost, sorghum-based diets in the Western Kenya drylands could address the region’s food insecurity resulting from low crop and livestock productivity. A study using a sample of 50 poultry keeping/sorghum growing households across 5 wards considered to be semi-arid regions of Siaya and Busia Counties, were supplied each with eight 4-weeks-old IKC growers ,trained on best management practices and monitored for 16 weeks for chicken growth, survival performance and cost of feeding on sorghum-based diets. Most (69.4%) farmers use sorghum variety Nyadundo , together with maize, soybeans, and fishmeal (omena) and/or omena dust,  in rations,  because of availability on the farm (78%)  and often, on the market (67%). Nyadundo is available throughout the year both on the farms and the market.. Most (55%) farmers keep chicken under free range. Most (75%) birds fed on home-made rations (HMR) where protein source was over 25% gained weight of 1.5kg. Most farmers (67%) who mixed maize to sorghum at 1:1 ratio incurred a marginally higher cost compared to those (33%) who included more sorghum at a ratio of 1:2 or 0:1. Most (79%) birds survived. These HMRs nutrient quality was quite comparable to commercial feeds on the market. Adoption of IKC production using sorghum-based feeds can help diversify chicken feed and broaden household diets to reduce malnutrition, hidden hunger, and food insecurity and alleviate poverty in the semi-arid regions of Western Kenya.

Keywords:    Homemade rations(HMR), Improved Kienyeji Chicken (IKC), Semi-arid regions, Sorghum-based diets.