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- Jan 23, 2014
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[h=1]High profits lure many into quail farming[/h]
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Quail birds at a farm. Most poultry farmers are now replacing chicken with quails or rearing the two birds concurrently as expected huge returns lure many others to join the trade. Photo/Solomon Mbatiah
By Xinhua
Posted Tuesday, January 14 2014 at 12:14
In Summary
Poultry farmers have found a new way of making huge profits as quail farming has turned into a goldmine due to increase in demand for the bird and its eggs.
Most poultry farmers are now replacing chicken with quails or rearing the two birds concurrently as expected huge returns lure many others to join the trade.
The craze for quail and its eggs is growing fast in the country and can only be compared to a fad for brewed coffee that swept Kenyans some years ago.
ALSO READ: Engineer drops chickens for big life in small birds
"Quail farming is the in-thing. The market for the birds is growing fast both as a source of meat and chicks for rearing. The eggs are also in great demand," noted poultry farmer George Andanje.
For three years, Mr Andanje has been rearing exotic and indigenous chicken for meat but last month, he added quails to his business.
"I decided to try my hand on quails after realising that they had great potential due to high prices its products fetch," recounted Mr Andanje, who runs his business in Kayole on the east of the capital, Nairobi.
The farmer bought 10 birds from a hatchery in Thika, a district on the outskirts of Nairobi, as he ventured into what he believed was a money-minting scheme.
"I was buying each a week old chick at Sh370, which is a lot of money. The high prices could not allow me to buy as many chicks as I wanted," he noted.
Since then, Mr Andanje has been keeping the birds, which are doing well.
"I am hopeful that soon they will start laying eggs and thereafter hatch them so that my brood increases. I know it will take time but I am in it for long because the profits are rewarding," he said.
Quails start laying eggs after about six weeks and they produce fertile eggs from eight weeks once they begin mating.
"I have read and learned a lot about quails as I prepare to succeed in the business. Once the bird starts laying eggs, it is good to leave the male and female together for a week or so before you take the eggs for incubation," noted Mr Andanje as he displayed his new acquired knowledge on quails.
Found way to supermarkets
Quail eggs have found way into Kenyan supermarkets where they are mainly sold to the middle and upper income earners. An egg in a retail outlet is going for an average of Sh70.
By Xinhua
Posted Tuesday, January 14 2014 at 12:14
In Summary
- The craze for quail and its eggs is growing fast in the country.
- Most poultry farmers are now replacing chicken with quails or rearing the two birds concurrently as expected huge returns lure many others to join the trade.
- Quail eggs have found way into Kenyan supermarkets where they are mainly sold to the middle and upper income earners. An egg in a retail outlet is going for an average of Sh70.
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Tweet Poultry farmers have found a new way of making huge profits as quail farming has turned into a goldmine due to increase in demand for the bird and its eggs.
Most poultry farmers are now replacing chicken with quails or rearing the two birds concurrently as expected huge returns lure many others to join the trade.
The craze for quail and its eggs is growing fast in the country and can only be compared to a fad for brewed coffee that swept Kenyans some years ago.
ALSO READ: Engineer drops chickens for big life in small birds
"Quail farming is the in-thing. The market for the birds is growing fast both as a source of meat and chicks for rearing. The eggs are also in great demand," noted poultry farmer George Andanje.
For three years, Mr Andanje has been rearing exotic and indigenous chicken for meat but last month, he added quails to his business.
"I decided to try my hand on quails after realising that they had great potential due to high prices its products fetch," recounted Mr Andanje, who runs his business in Kayole on the east of the capital, Nairobi.
The farmer bought 10 birds from a hatchery in Thika, a district on the outskirts of Nairobi, as he ventured into what he believed was a money-minting scheme.
"I was buying each a week old chick at Sh370, which is a lot of money. The high prices could not allow me to buy as many chicks as I wanted," he noted.
Since then, Mr Andanje has been keeping the birds, which are doing well.
"I am hopeful that soon they will start laying eggs and thereafter hatch them so that my brood increases. I know it will take time but I am in it for long because the profits are rewarding," he said.
Quails start laying eggs after about six weeks and they produce fertile eggs from eight weeks once they begin mating.
"I have read and learned a lot about quails as I prepare to succeed in the business. Once the bird starts laying eggs, it is good to leave the male and female together for a week or so before you take the eggs for incubation," noted Mr Andanje as he displayed his new acquired knowledge on quails.
Found way to supermarkets
Quail eggs have found way into Kenyan supermarkets where they are mainly sold to the middle and upper income earners. An egg in a retail outlet is going for an average of Sh70.
