What are the key differences between kienyeji chicken and broiler chicken meat? This is a question that I receive from my friends over and over again.

What is your definition of kienyeji chicken and broiler chicken?

Bro, what are the key differences between kienyeji chicken and broiler chicken meat? This is a question that I receive from my friends over and over again, especially those that I interact with in Nairobi. And because I never take any question for granted, I have dedicated this article to try and answer this question. My answer to this question here will be based on my understanding from the point of view of chicken meat consumers, meaning that I will not explain the difference between the two types of chicken from a scientific or genetic point of view.

 Personally, I am a frequent consumer of kienyeji chicken meat, and like many other lovers of kienyeji, the term kienyeji to me simply refers to chicken meat that meets the following characteristics:

 1. A relatively old bird, at least six months old.

 2. Chicken meat that is relatively hard to chew. Kienyeji chicken has to be boiled for a couple of minutes or hours in orders to soften the meat.

 3. Chicken meat that has some well visible yellow fat lining. To many, this is the only visible identity of a true Kienyeji chicken.

 The above characteristics simply summarize kienyeji chicken meat into an elderly chicken. Period.

 On the other hand, broiler chicken meat is any meat that is very soft, while the slaughtered birds are hardly 3 months old. It is therefore natural that broiler meat has no fat or hard muscles.

 From the consumer's point of view, the difference between Kienyeji chicken and broiler chicken is simply what I have summarized above.

 However, health-conscious consumers make additional assumptions regarding the difference between Kienyeji and broiler.

 They say that:

 1. Kienyeji are fed only on organic feed. This is not necessarily true because even the ex-layers, which are fed on commercial feed are commercialized as kienyeji chicken.

2. Kienyeji chicken are reared in the free-range or dip litter system

 3. Broilers are fed on feed concentrates in order to gain weight rapidly.

 I am definitely sure that the scientific definition of kienyeji and broiler chicken meat would differ from the analysis abovementioned. Nevertheless, whether it is the breeding process or the genetic composition, consumers’ interest is highly focused on the age of the chicken and the type of feed they take in.

What is your definition of kienyeji chicken?