After Being Fired from K24 Barely 6 Months Ago former Reporter Now Owns an 800,000 Poultry Farm. Here’s His Success Story

 

In August 2013, K24 sent home over 70 journalists in a move that shook the media industry. Among them was renowned K24 reporter, Caleb Karuga. Prior to his sacking, Karuga had been with the station for 6 years and that marked the end of his media career.

Defying all odds, today Karuga is the proud owner of Wendy Farms Ltd, an KSh800,000 agri-business empire that sustains him. Following his dismissal Karuga worked out a plan that saw him lease a plot of land and today he’s headed to be a millionaire!

Like many youths, Karuga’s family had a very small piece of land to its name – quarter an acre of land. With five beneficiaries to the land, he could not rely on it.

“I leased an acre of land in Kikuyu and started to build structures for kienyeji chicken. The lease costs me KSh8,000 a year!” he explains his humble beginnings to Mkulima Young adding, “I bought three kienyeji chicken and three pigs. One does not have to start big. That is the mistake most young people make.”

Karuga then bought 500 Day-Old KARI improved kienyeji chicken after losing most indigenous chicken he had bought from several farmers in order to increase his stock because most of them were not vaccinated.

Today, his Kikuyu farm has over 1,500 kienyeji chickens, while two other pieces of land in Nanyuki and Nyeri have 400 and 200 kienyeji chicken respectively.

Although the kienyeji chickens take longer to mature, Caleb chose them because they are cheaper to feed and are quite disease resistant.

“I sell a one day chick at KSh100 and a kienyeji egg at KSh 15 or KSh 20. A full grown kienyeji chicken goes for about KSh800 while the broilers/ ex layers go for KSh 270-Sh 300. When you do your math, you realize that the kienyeji chicken is more profitable,” reveals the former K24 reporter.

 

Karuga reveals that on a good month the kienyeji chicken can earn him a handsome figure in the neighborhood of KSh800,000 shillings or more. At times, he sells cocks at Sh 1,200 and above during holidays such as April, August and December.

“In most cases, I determine the cost of the chicken since the demand for kienyeji meat far outstrips supply. It’s a very good business.”

Karuga has since expanded to quails, guinea fowls, dairy goat and strawberry farming.

 

 

As a parting shot Karuga says;

“You can lose the job you have today. Don’t be obsessed with a formal job or get stuck at the plateau of success. Look for a way in which you can have a plan B business to cushion you during hard times. Learn to create employment, not look for it.”

 

Props: @mkulimayoung