We have written a great deal on how to best to build a Kienyeji chicken house and even have a Kienyeji Housing Manual with diagrams, housing plans, materials and costing in order to guide you through the process of constructing Kienyeji Housing Structure.
Remember that the models given in the manual as well as tips given here do not just apply for Kienyeji house but also for the hybrid poultry breeds such as Rainbow Rooster, Kuroiler, Indbro, Kenbro and fast white layers amongst others. For layers and broilers, you may need to invest in cages which provide a more intensive rearing mode for your poultry for maximum yields.
Here are some useful points to ponder when you are planning to build a KARI Kienyeji chicken house, Rainbow Rooster house, Kuroiler house, Kenbro house etc. The housing model is the same:-
- Choose Appropriate Size: For broilers, kienyeji or improved kienyeji, Kenbro, Rainbow Rooster, Kuroiler or Indbro, every chicken will need 1 square foot. For example, for 250 of these chickens, you will need 250 square feet. You can play with the dimensions to get 250 square feet. Layers on the other hand will need 2 square feet. For example, for 250 layers, you will need 500 square feet or house that is 30 feet by 17 feet or 25 feet by 20 feet and so on. In case you build a house that is too small for the number of chickens you plan to keep, you are going to unlock lots of problems that come with overcrowding including pecking, injuries and diseases.
- House Orientation: The house should be in the East-West orientation. On the East and West ends, have solid walls in order to prevent draught and direct sunlight into the house. On the North-South end, have at least 3-4feet of chicken wire at the top end. These can be covered with curtains or heavy sacks at night in order to keep away cold.
- Have a footbath with disinfectants: This is just a small pool at the entrance into the chicken run or the chicken house. If the chicks are already feeding in the range, put it at the entrance of chicken run. There are several disinfectants that you can use here such as Kupacide fro Coopers Kenya(LTD) or Ultraxide from Ultravetis. The disinfectant should be changed on a weekly basis.
- House Ventilation:- Chickens always need a fresh supplier of air in order to prevent some of the common respiratory diseases which affect them. Install four feet of wire mesh on both the north and south sides of chicken house. Check out the diagram below or those on our Kienyeji Housing Manual. You will need to attach curtains made of sacks to the bottom of the chicken wire mesh that you have installed. These should be closed at night in order to prevent draught or strong winds from entering the house.
- Perches: Put 1-inch diameter roosting poles in the house where the birds can rest.
- The Floor:- There should be a hard floor made of concrete or murram. In order to keep the house dry, add 3 or 4 inches of sawdust or wood shavings. Change the wood shavings every two weeks when they simply need replacement based on observation.
- Cleaning: The house should be cleaned every wee. If you are planning to introduce new chicks, disinfect the entire house a day before the introduction of the new batch of chicks. This will prevent parasites and diseases from afflicting the new chicks.