Lucas Koroso is a local farmer from Songoroi, Gilgil in Nakuru County.
The farmer-cum-innovator used locally available materials to assemble a steam powered hatchery making him a darling to villagers who are keen to start poultry projects.
Koroso came up with the idea of building a steam powered hatchery after suffering huge losses using an electric powered hatchery.
Here is his story as told by WoK.
Steam powered hatchery
In an interview with Nation, Koroso noted that he was using an electric powered hatchery before building a steam powered hatchery.
He decided to innovate the hatchery after incurring huge losses that saw him lost 220 eggs due to a power blackout.
“I was using an electricity powered incubator but power went off for a week, leaving me helpless
“I had collected eggs from the fellow villagers with a promise that they would hatch but with the electricity blip, I lost everything,” Koroso recalled.
With the help of locals, Koroso was able to set up a more convenient hatchery at his home.
“I hired several locals with unconventional drilling methods but their effort paid off and I was able to get steam power within my small compound,” he said.
Inside the hatchery house, Koroso constantly monitors the temperature and humidity levels in the incubator.
“Within a range of 35 to 40.5°C there is the possibility of eggs hatching. The optimum (for hens) is 37.5 °C” which I was able to attain,” he explained.
The hatchery is built with among other materials hospital drips which helps Koroso attain correct humidity levels and temperatures.
The incubator that holds up to 450 eggs at the same time is also fitted with a monitoring device.
Dryer
Other than the hatchery, Koroso also made a steam powered dryer which he uses to dry vegetables for commercial and personal use.
“Like now it is extremely hard to get fresh vegetables due to the prolonged dry spell, but I have, for free, been preserving vegetables for fellow villagers,” he said.
Koroso noted that with the right support, he will get far with his innovation.
“I wish I can get the much needed support. I might not have the requisite academic papers but I have what it takes in the technological industry,” he noted.
