Assistant Breeding Officer

• Location: Kericho, Kenya
• Reports to: Production Manager

Company Background

Uzima Chicken Kenya is a fast-growing, early-stage enterprise in Kenya focused on serving the needs of smallholder farmers in the last-mile. Uzima is part of the Hatch Africa (hatchafrica.co) group of companies. Hatch is one of the leading poultry companies in sub-Saharan Africa – in 2024 Hatch distributed over 47 million chickens to over 4 million smallholder farmers and employed more than 2,500 people full-time. The company’s purpose is to make smallholder farmers healthier and wealthier by supplying them with healthy and resilient chickens to rear for their own consumption and as a business.

Job Purpose

The Breeding Officer is responsible for managing all aspects of the breeding farm operations. This includes overseeing the preparation and maintenance of poultry houses, ensuring biosecurity standards, managing chick development, and maintaining detailed records. The officer plays a key role in promoting chick health, improving productivity, and supporting company goals through proper planning and supervision.

Key Responsibilities

1. Operations (House Cleaning and Preparation)

• Ensure timely disposal of poultry manure.
• Conduct thorough cleaning and disinfection of all facilities.
• Verify proper functionality of all windows.
• Ensure all electrical systems for brooders and lighting are properly installed and maintained.
• Confirm that tankers and water lines are flushed and disinfected.
• Verify the readiness of feeders, drinkers, brooders, and thermometers.
• Ensure poultry houses are pre-warmed and equipped with disinfected litter before chick arrival.
• Confirm the availability of starter feed and clean water.
• Ensure all required record-keeping materials are available and ready.
• Verify the purchase and readiness of weighing scales.

2. Weighing, Grading, and Uniformity

• Weigh representative chick samples weekly and compare against breed standards.
• Grade chicks based on weight.
• Work towards achieving a minimum of 80% uniformity in chick development.
• Provide special care for underweight chicks to support uniform growth.

3. Litter Management

• Ensure litter is consistently dry and clean.
• Regularly monitor litter odor, color, and consistency.
• Dispose of wet or spoiled litter promptly and properly.

4. Maintenance

• Develop and implement a routine preventative maintenance schedule for water pumps, lines, drinkers, ventilation, buildings, and other equipment.
• Continuously improve the farm environment in terms of cleanliness, ventilation, and structure.
• Assess whether repairs should be handled in-house or outsourced based on urgency and cost-effectiveness.
• Coordinate assignments and priorities through communication with other departments.
• Prepare and purchase nesting materials as needed.

5. Biosecurity and Quality Control

• Regularly review and update the farm’s biosecurity program.
• Ensure the production houses and surroundings are clean and orderly.
• Set and enforce standards to ensure only Grade A eggs are sent to the hatchery.
• Monitor vaccine storage, handling, and administration.
• Ensure accuracy and hygiene in vaccination practices, including equipment sterilization.
• Conduct post-mortem analyses and share findings with the team for process improvement.

6. General Management

• Draft and update Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for the breeding farm.
• Provide reports to management and other departments as requested.
• Participate in planning and budgeting activities, including material requisitions and workforce planning.
• Ensure accurate reporting of finished eggs and monitor store usage of equipment and consumables.
• Maintain detailed records of eggs going to hatchery and storage; calculate and report discrepancies.
• Record breeder performance data such as mortality, uniformity, production, and body weight.

Qualifications / Skills

• Bachelor of Science in Animal Health & Production.
• Minimum 3 years of experience in poultry farms.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills in English, Swahili, and other local languages.
• Highly detail-oriented and process-driven, with a strong sense of reliability and responsibility.
• A confident, mature approach, demonstrating integrity and professionalism.

What We Offer

• A dynamic, purpose-driven work environment.
• Opportunities for professional growth in a fast-growing agri-business.
• The chance to make a real impact in rural livelihoods.

How to Apply

Interested candidates, kindly share your application via email to hr.ke@uzimachicken.com before 18th October 2025. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and only successful candidates will be contacted. If you don’t hear from us after 2 weeks, consider your application unsuccessful.