Poultry farmers in Kenya are facing a severe shortage of day-old chicks, increasing operational challenges and threatening to drive up egg prices. Joseph Karuri, chairman of the Association of Kenya Feed Manufacturers, highlighted that layer farmers are struggling to source these essential chicks. He warned that this shortage could result in higher market prices for eggs.

“There is a looming shortage of day-old chicks, and this may lead to higher egg prices in the market,” Karuri said.

He noted that the shortage has led to nearly a six-month delay from booking to receiving the chicks. The situation has worsened since the onset of Covid-19, which diminished farmers’ purchasing power and led breeders to scale back production due to decreased market demand.

“This is not just a Kenyan problem but a global issue. However, the process is slowly picking up, and with time, it might stabilize within a year,” Karuri added. Farmers nationwide are struggling with the high cost of accessing day-old chicks, which are now priced between Ksh140 and Ksh170 each. Additionally, the cost of production remains elevated due to the rising prices of feed.

“From day one up to the point of laying, farmers previously spent between Ksh650 and Ksh720 per bird. This cost has now increased to between Ksh850 and Ksh900 per bird,” Karuri explained, noting that many farmers have been forced to cut back their flocks or shut down their operations.

The high production costs are attributed to the scarcity and rising prices of raw materials for animal feed. Soybean, a critical source of animal protein, has risen from Ksh97 to Ksh123 per kilo, while fish meal, another key protein source, is both inadequate and often contaminated with aflatoxin.

“The alternative source, omena, is also difficult to obtain. We are now relying on artificial protein from countries like China. The price of maize germ has increased to Ksh29 to Ksh30 per kilo from Ksh23 to Ksh24. An increase of Ksh5 per kilo is significant for a farmer,” Karuri said.

Feed prices have also surged, with a 50kg bag of chick mash now costing Ksh4,200, layers mash Ksh3,800, growers mash Ksh3,400, and kienyeji mash Ksh2,600.

Farmers have called on the government to permit the importation of genetically modified yellow maize for animal feed production to alleviate pressure on white maize, which is reserved for human consumption. They also advocate for local production of soybean and sunflower to reduce reliance on imported raw materials and improve competitiveness in the poultry, pig, and dairy sectors.

Timothy Mulwa, chairman of the Kenya Poultry Breeders Association, said that breeders are struggling to keep up with the high demand for day-old chicks. He explained that fluctuations in egg and meat prices often lead to simultaneous orders from many farmers, straining production capabilities.

“Sometimes, when egg or meat prices are favorable, many farmers want to stock up on chicks at the same time, leading to competition for available production. However, breeders have increased their production capacity,” Mulwa said. He noted that while broiler poultry farmers used to wait two to three weeks for chicks, the waiting period has now reduced to about one week.

Mulwa encouraged farmers to plan their orders well in advance. “We urge farmers to plan ahead and provide hatcheries with their chick orders ahead of time. The process requires time, and waiting until the last minute is not feasible,” he said.

A day-old layers chick typically costs about Ksh150, with additional charges for services like vaccination. He assured farmers that hatcheries have expanded their capacity and that new companies have been established to boost production.

“I want to assure farmers that breeders have increased their capacity and can now meet the Kenyan market’s needs. Farmers should place their orders early, as chicks cannot be stored,” Mulwa concluded.