Kuroiler Chicken
Gallus gallus domesticus
A dual-purpose improved chicken developed by Keggs Farms in India in the early 1990s by crossing colored-broiler and White Leghorn cockerels with Rhode Island Red hens; introduced to East Africa via Uganda and marketed in Kenya as an "improved kienyeji."
Species
Avian
Family
Phasianidae
Climate requirements
Retains much of the hardiness of indigenous stock, tolerating free-range and scavenging conditions across Kenya's varied climates; suited to semi-intensive smallholder systems and needs less intensive housing than pure exotic breeds.
Husbandry guide
A true dual-purpose bird reaching 3-4kg market weight by about 4-5 months (roosters averaging ~3.5kg, hens ~2.5kg) on balanced feed supplemented by scavenging. Lays 150-200 eggs a year, roughly three times the output of unimproved kienyeji, starting production at about 5 months and remaining productive for around 2 years. Kuroiler hens rarely go broody and don't reliably sit a full 21-day incubation, so hatching depends on other broody hens or an incubator; standard Newcastle disease, Gumboro and fowl pox vaccination is recommended.
Economic importance
Popular with Kenyan smallholders wanting better returns than pure kienyeji without the full input cost of exotic breeds; cheap day-old chicks make entry accessible, and farmers report growing working capital several-fold within about 4 months, supported by strong demand from government and NGO poultry-improvement programs.