Quail farming is rarely practiced in Vihiga County but after realising the profitability of this enterprise, a young entrepreneur ventured into this business.
Kevin Onsongo from Maragoli Central location in Vihiga Sub County settled for this unexploited opportunity and started keeping quails for eggs and meat production.
Onsongo states that with the ever reducing land sizes in the area due to population increase, the quails’ business is highly viable and there is a ready market for the products from the residents and hoteliers.
He points out that for one to be allowed to keep the birds, they are supposed to get a license from the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) because the birds are regarded as wildlife.
“The KWS officials visit your farm to ascertain whether it meets the required standard conditions before issuing a Sh2, 000 license which is renewed annually,” he said.
He discloses that the birds mature after 5-6 weeks of age and there are egg-laying as well as meat-producing breeds.
A mature broiler can fetch between Sh300-400 while an egg goes for between Sh50-70 in the market.
He added that the broiler / meat-producing, include the Bob white and the white-breasted while the British range, English white, Manchurian golden and Tuxedo are layers.
The birds are kept in the cages measuring 4×2.5×1 square feet holding about 50 of them and the cages should be well lit and with proper aeration.
The entrepreneur explains that the birds should be fed on a well-balanced diet including crushed maize, sorghum, sunflower cake, and soya meal and groundnut cakes.
“Quail meat and eggs, considered as delicacies in this region, are rich in protein, phosphorus, iron, vitamin A, B1 and B2,” he stated.
By Tony Gisairo and Sammy Mwibanda
