Reuben Juma in the shed where he keeps his ornamental birds in Boochi village, Magena in Kisii county.
The rearing of ornamental birds is gaining momentum in the country, especially among young people, as unemployment rates continue to rise and they seek ways to make a living.
Aware that they are living in turbulent times occasioned by a harsh economy, many Kenyans are now exploring ways to supplement their incomes to make ends meet.
Reuben Juma of Magena village in the Bomachoge Borabu constituency of Kisii County is one such Kenyan who has ventured into ornamental bird keeping after learning that it can be lucrative if conducted properly.
Seeds of Gold magazine visited Juma at his farm to hear about his transformation from a domestic chicken farmer into a commercial entrepreneur with a large "empire" of ornamental birds.
The 33-year-old father of two now keeps various types of ornamental birds, having quit his job working for a local politician — a decision he has never regretted.
“I started rearing ornamental birds in 2021. I decided to start this business after realising that working for someone (a politician) was so demanding, and that the payment I received was not enough to support my family,” said Juma.
He added that before quitting, he had researched potential ventures that would generate quick cash so that his family would not suffer.
“I settled on ornamental birds for two reasons. Firstly, I read an article online about a successful farmer who had tried this venture, and I drew inspiration from him. Secondly, I realised that ornamental birds had not become popular in our area, so I decided to go for it, as I would not have any competition,” he noted.
Reuben Juma in the shed where he keeps his ornamental birds in Boochi village, Magena in Kisii county.
After severing ties with the politician, Juma says that it was initially difficult to find ornamental birds to start breeding his flock.
Thanks to globalisation, he was able to source a few birds from a farmer in Mombasa, who sold him the original birds. He found the Mombasa farmer on social media.
"Thanks to globalisation, I was able to find someone to sell me chicks, which I then used to create my ornamental breed. I found them using social media. I met the farmer from Mombasa County who sold me Brahma birds to start with,” said Juma.
He bought ten one-month-old chicks from the breeder, each for Sh5,000. This amounted to Sh50,000. Over time, Juma added other types of ornamental fowl to his collection, including Polish Bantams, Orpington Chickens, American Silkie Chickens, Kuchi Chickens, Pekin Bantams, Swedish Flower Chickens, Sebright Chickens, Pigeons and Guinea Fowl.
These birds have rabbit-like feathers.
Juma notes that ornamental birds are distinguished by their country of origin.
"Brahmas have feathers on their feet. They originate from the United States. When fully grown, the roosters can weigh up to 10kg, while the hens weigh around seven kilograms. The Oprington ornamental chicken originates from the Philippines,” Mr Juma noted.
He added that of the birds he rears on his farm, it is the pigeons that earn him the most money when he sells them.
According to him, there is a big market for pigeon farming and any willing farmer can make quick cash out of it.
He says that many customers usually buy pigeons from him, especially for weddings. Mr Juma says that white-feathered pigeons are particularly popular with brides.
Reuben Juma in the shed where he keeps his ornamental birds in Boochi village, Magena in Kisii county.
"Pigeons are a significant investment on my farm. Many of my customers are brides and grooms who want to release pigeons at their weddings.
Guests at weddings buy pigeons in pairs. I sell one pair for Sh50,000,” Mr Juma explained.
As well as meeting his daily needs, the ornamental birds have helped Mr Juma to pay for his children’s education.
He is currently preparing for next year's Kisii ASK show, where he intends to exhibit his birds in order to expand his market.
I am preparing for the Kisii agricultural exhibition, held every July. I want to take my ornamental chickens to the show, and I am confident that one of my chickens will win.
Juma encourages young people who have graduated from university but are still unemployed to consider farming as a career.
