Broilers are meat chickens bred to reach market weight quickly — typically 1.8–2.2 kg in just 5–6 weeks. Good management is the difference between a profitable batch and heavy losses.
This guide covers the essentials of broiler management for Kenyan conditions: brooding, housing, feeding, water, biosecurity and a week-by-week plan.
Brooding (Week 1–2)
Brooding is the most critical stage. Chicks cannot regulate their own body temperature, so they need supplementary heat. Start at about 33 °C in the brooder and reduce by roughly 3 °C each week until the birds are fully feathered.
Watch chick behaviour: huddling under the heat source means too cold; spreading to the edges means too hot; even, active distribution means just right.
- Pre-heat the brooder before chicks arrive
- Provide clean, warm water with a vitamin/electrolyte supplement on day one
- Use good-quality broiler starter crumbs
- Allow ~50 chicks per heat source and increase floor space as they grow
Housing and space
Broilers need clean, dry, well-ventilated housing with deep, absorbent litter such as wood shavings. Poor ventilation and damp litter cause ammonia build-up, respiratory disease and footpad burns.
Allow about 10–12 birds per square metre by market age. Overcrowding slows growth and spreads disease.
Feeding and water
Feed is 60–70% of the cost of production, so feed management drives profit. Use a three-phase programme: starter, grower then finisher. Always provide clean, cool water — a bird drinks roughly twice as much water as feed by weight.
Never let feeders run empty during the growing phase, and adjust feeder and drinker height as the birds grow to reduce waste and spillage.
Biosecurity and health
Biosecurity prevents disease from entering your farm. Restrict visitors, use a footbath at the entrance, keep wild birds and rodents out, and follow an all-in-all-out system so you clean and rest the house between batches.
Vaccinate against Newcastle disease and Gumboro (IBD) per your local schedule, and isolate sick birds immediately.
Week-by-week summary
A typical broiler cycle runs about 6 weeks. Keep records of weight, feed intake and mortality each week so you can spot problems early and benchmark performance.
- Week 1–2: Brooding, starter feed, careful temperature control
- Week 3–4: Grower feed, expand space, monitor litter and ventilation
- Week 5–6: Finisher feed, prepare for market at 1.8–2.2 kg
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do broilers take to mature in Kenya?
Most commercial broilers reach a market weight of 1.8–2.2 kg in 5–6 weeks with good feed and management.
How much feed does a broiler eat?
A broiler consumes roughly 3.5–4 kg of feed over its lifetime to reach ~2 kg, giving a feed conversion ratio of around 1.7–1.9.