James Kibuku is the owner of Kibuku Rabbit Farm where they sell and breed rabbits for meat.
The farmer who has been in commercial rabbit farming for several years chose the path after an unsuccessful poultry farming project.
Apart from the Dutch Doe and Flemish Giant breeds, Kibuku also has other varieties of rabbits, such as New Zealand, California, Checkered Giant, Angola, Chinchila and the Earlop.
Here is his story as told by WoK.
In an interview, Kibiku shared that he ventured into commercial rabbit farming after a failed poultry farming project.
He cited high costs of feeds and diseases as some of the challenges that pushed him out of chicken farming.
“From my experience, I found the venture not manageable. They would feed heavily and at the end of the day I was left counting empty bags of feeds with no returns,” he shared.
It was then that Kibiku ditched the project and started keeping rabbits.
“Their gentle demeanour, efficient breeding and low space requirements intrigued me. I decided to leap into rabbit rearing, hoping it would breathe new life into my dreams,” he said.
Kibiku started the Kibiku Rabbit Farm with a handful of rabbits and a few hutches, additionally attending workshops to refine his skills in rabbit farming.
“The idea of keeping rabbits struck me in 2015, but it was not until November 2018 that I practically decided to start doing it. I went ahead and bought five indigenous bunnies from someone I met along the streets hawking rabbits at Ksh 1,000,” he explained.
It wasn’t long before his farm flourished, supplying tender rabbit meat to local restaurants and households across Nakuru.
After some time in the business, Kibuku started keeping high breed rabbits and bought his first Dutch Doe rabbit and a Flemish Giant rabbit.
With time, he added other breeds including the New Zealand, California, Checkered Giant, Angola, Chinchila and the Earlop.
“Each rabbit is unique and has its own advantages. Compared to kienyeji chicken, I find rabbits easy to maintain, with minimal cost. It is one creature which you can keep even if you don’t have a single coin in your pocket, since you can feed them with weeds from the garden,” he said.
Other than meat, Kibuku also sells the rabbits’ urine to farmers who use it both as a pesticide and fertilizer for their crops.
“This not only helps to reduce the high cost of organic farming, but also increases the quantity and quality of the crop produced. Rabbit urine is cheaply sourced and is also environmental friendly and non-toxic,” he added.
Kibuku feeds his rabbits on withered greens from his farm, kale and plenty of hay, which is kept in their cages throughout the day and night.
He also ensures they have clean drinking water.
