Bulawayo farmer aims to phase out broilers with his black chickens
While broiler chicken is the poultry business of the day in Zimbabwe, however, it is a different story for a Bulawayo black Austrolope free range chickens farmer. Neville Sithole is a Bulawayo farmer based in Cowdray Park who dreams of phasing out the white chickens and paint the whole of Southern region with his black chickens.
The black Austrolope free range chickens is a rare and exotic breed that Sithole hopes will revolutionize the poultry industry in Zimbabwe. Neville Sithole is also a teacher who runs a small-scale chicken business. He breeds and sells day-old chicks of black Austrolope, a breed that originated in Australia and is known for its hardiness, productivity and meat quality.
“My dream is to paint whole of the Southern region black and phase out the broilers,” he declared.
Sithole revealed that he ventured into poultry business in 2018, after being introduced to the breed by his undergraduate classmate Obert Mashu. He said he fell in love with the chickens and decided to try them out with the support of his mother Dorcas Nkomo, who also has a deep passion for poultry.
The Breeds
“It was passion that led me to raise indigenous roadrunner chickens and l would be nothing if l don’t mention Obert Mashu my undergrad classmate who introduced me to these exotic roadrunners, specifically the Black Australorp and the bosch veld,” he said.
Sithole indicated that he chose to focus on chicks rather than grown-up birds because of the limited space and by-laws in his area. He said that he has to keep a small number of chickens in an enclosed space, which means they rely 100% on him for feeding. He also faces challenges such as diseases, predators and theft.
However, he stated that the benefits outweigh the challenges. He said he is closer to his market and has no labour expenses since he does everything on his own. He also revealed that he enjoys working with the chickens and seeing them grow.
Raising Them
“I do proper feeding and vaccination of chickens from day old up to maturity. I give myself time to inspect them while they are feeding. And after evry sale , l make sure l buy medications in case they get sick,” he highlighted.
To market his chicks, Sithole uses social media, word of mouth and referrals. He said that his customer base consists of individuals and small-scale farmers, but his aim is to grow big and supply some companies such as restaurants and chicks suppliers.
He also has ambitious plans to expand his production and meet the demand. He said that he has kept a bigger number of chicks for himself that will be the parent stock in next coming five months and he needs to acquire a bigger space in the periphery of town and a bigger incubator that can hold about 5000 eggs.
Sithole revealed that he balances his time and energy between teaching and farming by taking advantage of his hot sitting schedule at work. He indicated that he does his chickens in the morning if he goes to work in the afternoon and vice versa. He also gets assistance from his wife Thembie and family members when he is away.
Follow Your Passions
He also stated that he is proud of being a teacher and a farmer at the same time and he encourages others to follow their passions.
“Roadrunner chickens are a profitable business, so dont waste time thinking twice, get started than being worried abt getting employed. I urge them to contact me on 0774005709 for advice and l supply them wth chicks and get started,” he shared.
Sithole is one of the many young Zimbabweans who are turning to agriculture as a source of income and livelihood. His story shows how innovation, passion and hard work can transform an industry and create opportunities for others.
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