Chicken Coop Cleanliness: A Success Story from Kibingoti Village

Off the Karatina–Sagana highway in Kirinyaga County lies Kibingoti village, a quiet but vibrant farming community. Here, maize, arrowroots, beans, French beans, and bananas thrive. But on one eighth-acre farm, Joseph and Margaret Muraguri have built something special: a clean, productive, and sustainable poultry business.

Chicken served water with nipple drinkers

From Quails to a Thriving Mixed Poultry Farm

The Muraguris began their farming journey in 2011, experimenting first with quails and later with broilers. Unfortunately, both ventures faced market challenges and incurred losses exceeding Sh200,000. But instead of giving up, the couple pivoted — and that decision changed everything.

Today, their small farm is home to 450 chickens, including 260 layers and 190 Kuroilers, 30 of which are cockerels. They call this approach mixed poultry farming. The breeds are kept in separate storied wooden coops, layers on the lower floor and Kuroilers above, to prevent crossbreeding.

“We keep the layers mainly for egg production, which brings consistent income, while the Kuroilers support our hatchery business,” explains Muraguri. “The two breeds complement each other perfectly.”

Smart Hatchery Management

The Muraguris own a 3,168-egg incubator, though they typically fill it with around 600 eggs weekly, ensuring a steady flow of 400 chicks hatched per week.

They collect between 170–190 eggs daily from layers and 110–130 eggs from Kuroilers. When not hatching, they sell surplus fertilized Kuroiler eggs at Sh25 each.

Their pricing structure is well organized:

• Day-old chicks: Sh100

• 1-week-old chicks: Sh120

• 2-week-old chicks: Sh150

• 3-week-old chicks: Sh200

• 4-week-old chicks: Sh250

• Tray of eggs: Sh280

• Fertilized eggs: Sh750 (tray) or Sh25 each

Clean Water, Healthy Chickens

One of the biggest secrets behind their success? Cleanliness.

Muraguri emphasizes the importance of maintaining hygiene inside the chicken coops, and his innovative nipple drinker system plays a huge role in that.

They invested in plastic-pipe-based nipple drinkers, a simple but effective system made from locally available materials. This design prevents water spillage, reduces ammonia levels, and allows for easy cleaning and medication delivery.

“The system keeps the coop dry and the birds healthy,” says Muraguri. “It’s affordable, practical, and makes a big difference in egg production and overall flock health.”

Feed Management and Disposal

The farm uses 30 kg of layers mash daily for the layers and 25 kg for the Kuroilers. After about 15 months, both breeds are sold to traders in Karatina, Nyeri, Sagana, and Kibingoti, ensuring the farm maintains productive, disease-free flocks.

Expert Advice: Why Clean Coops Matter

According to Doris Wambui, an agricultural officer at Wambugu Agricultural Training College, Nyeri, maintaining breed purity and coop hygiene is critical.

“Farmers should avoid cross-breeding hybrids, as it weakens genetic lines,” she advises. “Additionally, using nipple drinkers helps maintain hygiene since the birds don’t dip their beaks into shared water sources.”

She also recommends de-beaking hens to prevent them from pecking eggs or each other, a small but vital management practice for farmers keeping hybrid breeds.

Lessons from the Muraguris’ Success

The Muraguris’ journey shows that cleanliness, innovation, and resilience are the true foundations of profitable poultry farming.

Despite early setbacks, they turned their small farm into a model of efficiency, proving that even with limited land, smart systems and proper hygiene can lead to big rewards.

Their story is an inspiring reminder that in agribusiness, success is not just about the size of your farm, it’s about the cleanliness of your coop, the quality of your management, and the persistence of your spirit.

🧩 Key Takeaways for Poultry Farmers

• Maintain separate housing for different breeds to prevent crossbreeding.

• Use nipple drinkers to improve water hygiene and reduce ammonia.

• Schedule incubation cycles to ensure a consistent chick supply.

• Keep records of feed intake and egg production to manage efficiency.

• Never underestimate the power of cleanliness and persistence in farming success.