Successful farmer flourishes in his chicken business
Lockdown affected his business severely but he remained positive and hoped for the best
Vuyisile Mgujulwa, better known as Guju Guju, left his plush job as an analyst at MultiChoice to work on a farm due to his love for chickens.
The 37-year-old Germiston resident runs a self-funded successful chicken farm called Mgujulwa Farms on the R103 Old Heidelberg Road in Mapleton.
Having no formal poultry training or agricultural knowledge, Mgujulwa started his small-scale business by buying day-old chicks (broilers) and growing them for six weeks and then selling them either as live or slaughtered birds.
His business was conceptualised in 2014 and commenced with only 500 chickens.
Mgujulwa Farms now proudly boasts an average of 5 000 chickens per week. The farm produces a minimum of 12 trays of eggs a day from the chickens.
Their customers include hawkers, resellers, suppliers, shisa’nyamas and chicken dust owners.
Where it all began
Vuyisile’s love for selling chickens started while he was working in the corporate sector, where he sold eggs from the boot of his car.
In 2016, he started growing and selling a few chickens from a shack near where his business is now operating.
“I decided to expand my business, but due to restrictions of funding and the issue of space, I needed to start looking for another location. In 2017, I eventually found an old vandalised farm to rent; the place was a mess. Before we could occupy the space, we needed to get the right to do so. Cleaning the yard took us about three months to finish and setting up the basic equipment for raising the birds took us another three months.
I then had to fix doors and revive the farm. The piping also needed to be fixed and I had to purchase new water tanks as water is the driving force of all nature,” Mgujulwa said.
He said fresh water is needed for the chickens because it plays a critical role in the regulation of a chicken’s body temperature.
When Mgujulwa moved to the farm, he started growing and selling broilers, until the pandemic hit.
He then decided to sell chicken culls and eggs to keep the cash flowing and the farm operational.
“During lockdown, I faced financial difficulties which resulted in me making tough decisions to sell some of the business assets. Despite this setback, I continued to adopt a positive mindset and hope for the best,” he said.
The self-taught farmer gets his wisdom from reading books and online research about the poultry industry. This is also where he gets to learn about the types of chickens and factors to consider, such as feeds, facilities and medication.
“Since the start of my business, my family has been supportive of my vision and venture. They are loyal monthly buyers of the chickens and eggs. I have no regrets about venturing into farming. My vision is to sell quality chickens and eggs while promoting a good, healthy and well-balanced lifestyle,” he said.
Creating jobs
The farm employs two women and two men on a permanent basis, who have contributed and helped towards the growth of the business.
His message to young and aspiring farmers is: “You’ll have to find a suitable market for your chickens. In fact, this should be done before you even start. Learn as much as you can about the business that you want to venture into. A happy and satisfied customer is the best business strategy of all. Nothing worthwhile comes easy.”
Young people interested in finding out more about chicken farming can visit mgujulwafarms.co.za
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