Like many poultry farmers, I started marketing my products, meat, eggs, and chicks, through word of mouth. It was simple, low-cost, and familiar. But I’ve come to realize that this approach has serious limitations. Without defined marketing channels, farmers like me are often at the mercy of middlemen, many of whom exploit us by offering prices that barely cover production costs.
Currently, I have about 20 crates of fertilized eggs sitting in my store because the prices offered by brokers cannot offset my expenses. I even tried selling through social media, but I quickly learned that many brokers masquerade as end-users or grocery operators, distorting the market further.
As I continue searching for the best channels to sell my meat, eggs, and chicks, I’ve learned an important lesson: customers are increasingly discerning and interested in poultry products with special attributes.
One customer recently told me, “I prefer meat from indigenous birds because it is lean, flavorful, and organic.” Meanwhile, those who prefer broilers often say, “The meat is tender and lacks the strong odor found in indigenous birds.” Even within the same category, some customers prefer hens to cocks because hens can lay eggs; selling a hen at the same price as a cock is a financial loss, given the additional revenue from eggs and day-old chicks.
Balancing Customer Interests
A good farmer must balance the interests of different customer groups. For meat, I’ve experimented with a strategy that I believe can help farmers with improved breeds like Kenbro, Kuroiler, and Kari Kienyeji make better profits. Instead of selling birds at a flat rate per bird, I now sell Kari Kienyeji cocks per kilogram.
These improved birds have high feed conversion rates and gain weight consistently. A mature cock can weigh 2–2.5 kg in just a few weeks, compared to 1.5 kg for traditional birds. Selling per kilo, say Sh500 per kilogram, ensures farmers benefit more than selling at a flat rate of Sh800–Sh1,000.
I recently sold a cock at a flat rate of Sh1,000. The cold-dressed weight was 2.7 kg, making the customer happy, but I realized I had incurred a loss. On the second sale, when the cold-dressed weight was only 1.7 kg, the customer insisted on paying Sh700. I politely declined. Convincing customers to buy per kilo will take time, but I believe this approach works best for improved breeds rather than broilers or traditional indigenous birds.
Adding Value Through Processing
There’s also value in selling processed and packed chicken. Leading supermarkets now sell improved breeds in labeled packaging, often increasing prices by about 50%. Always wrap meat in cling film before placing it in a clean plastic bag, avoid recycled bags, and store in a freezer immediately if not delivered within the hour to prevent food poisoning.
Eggs and Pricing
Egg pricing remains a challenge. Many farmers sell Kienyeji eggs at Sh20 each, compared to Sh10 for exotic breeds. More research is needed to understand how much customers value the benefits of Kienyeji eggs, yellowness, taste, and nutritional value over cheaper alternatives. Production costs, especially feed, must also be factored in.
Chicks and Quality Assurance
Farmers buying chicks want assurance about their origin. I maintain my own breeding stock of fertilized eggs instead of outsourcing, because outsourced chicks often underperform. I keep detailed records of incubation, hatching, and vaccination schedules up to week 19, including first and second Gumboro vaccines, Newcastle vaccines, fowl typhoid, and fowl pox. Never accept verbal confirmation of vaccination; insist on complete records.
Marketing poultry products is no longer just about availability; it’s about quality, trust, and transparency. Understanding your customers’ preferences and adding value to your products can make all the difference between a loss and a sustainable profit.
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