From humble beginnings in Bomet County, Kenyan entrepreneur Winnie Cheruiyot turned her passion for poultry into a thriving business, earning her first Sh350,000 from selling chickens—a journey that started with just 300 chicks.
📌 Starting Small, Thinking Big
Winnie first ventured into chicken farming in 2015, acquiring 300 day-old chicks from KALRO, Kenya’s livestock research institute. She took part in comprehensive training programs covering feeding, vaccination, brooding, housing, record-keeping, and biosecurity—everything needed to run a sustainable poultry farm. Her dedication paid off after building a poultry house that met KALRO standards, allowing her to become a certified distributor of improved chicken breeds.
🌱 Meeting the Market Demand
She received a second batch of 500 chicks (KC1 breed), 300 of them hens known for early egg-laying and fast growth. Once they matured, she sold them to farmers in Bomet and Kericho counties, where demand was high.
The profits hit home immediately: from selling the chicks alone, Winnie made Sh350,000—more than she had ever handled at one time and without taking a loan. That early win motivated her to expand and diversify the business beyond layers.
📈 Expanding Beyond Chick Sales
* One-month-old chicks became a continued revenue stream—sold early before major feeding costs kicked in.
* Table eggs typically brought in Sh15 each, and fertilized eggs fetched Sh30.
* Surplus roosters and layers reaching 60 weeks were sold for meat.
As she scaled, Winnie increased production from a few hundred to brooding thousands at a time, eventually supplying Kericho, Narok, and other regions with chicks and eggs.
✅ Why Her Business Model Works
| Factor | Outcome |
| ————————- | ——————————————————— |
| Training + improved breed | Achieved lower mortality (5%) and greater productivity |
| Ready market access | Consistent demand in Bomet and neighboring counties |
| Focused income streams | Chick sales, egg production, and meat poultry sales |
| Reinvestment | Earnings funneled into expanding production and transport |
Her success also enabled the purchase of a vehicle—further improving delivery and distribution capabilities.
💬 Why It Matters
Winnie’s story proves that poultry farming can transform lives, especially when done right. With access to quality breeds and proper training, small-scale farmers can earn significant returns and build sustainable enterprises.
🌎 Final Thoughts
Winnie Cheruiyot’s journey from a school teacher to a poultry entrepreneur shows that dreams mixed with discipline yield results. Earning Sh350,000 from her first chicken batch changed everything—not just the numbers in her account, but her vision for the future.
To aspiring farmers: start small, learn smart, and let your passion hatch opportunity.
