Dennis Chege’s journey from a corporate Information Technology job to a thriving dove farming business is a story of bold entrepreneurship and seizing opportunities in an unexpected market.
Mr. Chege’s venture into dove farming was propelled by the soaring demand for doves, particularly among churches, which led him to take a leap of faith and embrace a new career path.
In 2020, Dennis Chege made a life-changing decision – he quit his job to pursue dove farming full-time.
This bold move was driven by the rapidly increasing demand for doves, a market that showed no signs of slowing down.
With no assistance and his wife managing their co-owned general shop, Mr. Chege felt compelled to focus on this promising venture.
The seeds of Mr. Chege’s dove farming venture were sown back in 1998 when, as a young boy, he bought a pair of doves – a male and a female – for a mere Sh100.
Initially, these birds were cherished as pets.
However, it wasn’t until 2008 that he recognized the untapped commercial potential and began breeding doves on his farm in Meru.
The dove farming process is remarkably efficient. Doves typically lay two eggs, and these eggs hatch into squabs in just 18 days.
Within three months, the squabs mature into adult doves capable of laying eggs themselves, continuing the cycle of reproduction.
Over the years, Mr. Chege has significantly expanded his dove stock, currently maintaining a flock of 1,000 birds.
Despite this substantial increase, he struggles to meet the ever-growing demand for doves in the market.
His dove farm boasts various breeds, including Fantails’ doves, highly sought after by churches, and parrot beak doves, favored as pets.
Selling a pair of doves for Sh1,000, Mr. Chege caters to a diverse clientele, including churches – especially Catholic ones – wedding planners, and individuals who treasure these birds as ornamental pets.
“I sell between 50 and 60 pairs of the birds in a month, making an average of between Sh50,000 and Sh60,000,” says Mr Chege, a former Information Technology employee of St Andrew’s School, Turi in Molo, Nakuru County.
One of the key advantages of dove farming, according to Mr. Chege, is its comparative ease and lower costs compared to poultry farming.
Doves are released in the morning to forage for food and return to their cages in the evening, requiring minimal attention.
Moreover, the cost of keeping a dove is significantly lower than that of a chicken, with one dove costing a maximum of Sh75 per month compared to Sh450 for a chicken.
Doves also excel in space efficiency, making them suitable for rearing in rental houses or compact enclosures.
“Keeping doves requires less space, they can even be kept in a rental house. Even small boxes are enough to start with the rearing process. I keep them in open and closed cages,” says Mr Chege.
Mr. Chege feeds his doves a diet consisting of grass, wheat remnants, grit, pulses, and grade II flour, which he personally prepares for them.
The health of his doves is of paramount importance, and he ensures they receive vaccinations to protect against Newcastle disease, a grave threat to bird populations in Kenya.
Taking inspiration from former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, who runs a highly lucrative bird farm, Mr. Chege has ambitious plans for the future.
He envisions expanding his dove flock from 1,000 to 5,000, incorporating additional ornamental bird breeds into his venture.
