Importance Of Kienyeji Birds

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Increasing productivity in Kienyeji birds
By Fredrick Agutu (Department of Animal Sciences, Egerton University)
Kienyeji birds play important role in the livelihoods of most families in Kenya. These families can improve their income and supply of products (meat and eggs) by practising a combination of the following recommendations.
Feeding
Adequate feeding to maintain the bird’s body condition, growth and to produce meat and eggs. Their diet should consist of different nutrients aimed at meeting their body requirement for growth and production. Lack or shortage of nutrients results in poor growth, low egg and meat production and increased disease attacks.
Carbohydrates and fats provides energy (for movement) and maintains body temperature
Proteins replenishes the body’s muscles, organs and fluids, contributes to the growth of feathers, beak, claws, egg and meat production.
Minerals builds bones, produces eggshells and assists in chemical reactions inside the body
Vitamins maintain the body’s functions and …show more content…

Perches are preferred as birds like to sleep above the floor. Roosting on perches reduces boredom, minimises the contact between the birds and their droppings, and therefore help to prevent diseases. The perches can be made from rounded stick or straight tree branches matching the size of birds’ feet. Each adult chicken requires about 20 cm of perch space and if more than one perch is needed, they should be about 50 cm apart and at the same level to prevent birds from fighting to reach the highest perch when they come in to roost in the evening. Several housing structures including the dome-shaped stick/wire baskets, stick-built and standard poultry houses are ideal for poultry housing. Cleaning the chicken house helps to prevent and control diseases, especially external parasites such as fleas and

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