Day-old chicks in Cameroon: how to secure your supply

“There are no chicks out there.” This sentence comes up more and more often in farmers’ groups. At the end of September 2026, a post by the Christ Farm poultry farm got dozens of farmers talking with a simple message: invest in the raw material of poultry farming, the day-old chick. In the comments, farmers describe a shortage in Cameroon, and even in Côte d’Ivoire.

No chicks, no batch. And a batch that starts late means missing the end-of-year festive market. In this article, we explain why day-old chicks are hard to find, how to secure your supply, and why this problem is also an opportunity.

Why day-old chicks are scarce in Cameroon

1. A sector that depends on imports

A day-old chick comes from a hatchery. The hatchery needs hatching eggs, laid by breeder hens (the “parent stock”). In Cameroon, a large share of this parent stock and these hatching eggs comes from abroad, mainly from Brazil, Morocco and Turkey. When a supplier country is hit by avian flu, or when payments abroad are blocked, the whole chain slows down.

In 2021, Cameroon’s poultry interprofession (IPAVIC) already explained that the main supplier countries were facing avian flu, and that difficulties transferring funds were making things worse. The result at the time: the price of a broiler chicken rose from 3,500 to 5,000 FCFA on the markets.

2. Feed keeps getting more expensive

Maize is the largest component of poultry feed. According to Made in Cameroon Magazine (December 2024), its price rose from about 130 to 310 FCFA per kilo. Many farmers gave up, and the national flock reportedly fell from 9 to 10 million birds in 2016 to about 5 million in 2024. Fewer farmers and fewer breeders also means fewer chicks produced locally.

3. Parent stock is hard to access for small players

Under the Christ Farm post, one farmer asks the real question: how do you get good parent stock without already being a “heavyweight” in the sector? Breeder suppliers mostly work with large customers and large volumes. For a small farmer, starting a hatchery alone with imported parent stock remains very difficult.

4. Demand peaks before the holidays

Everyone wants chickens ready for December. Chick orders therefore pile up on the same weeks, and hatcheries cannot keep up. Those who did not book in time end up with nothing, or pay more.

What we see in the groups right now

Looking at ads posted at the end of September 2026 in Cameroonian poultry farmers’ Facebook groups, we found:

• broiler chicks (Cobb 500 and Hubbard strains) at 750 FCFA in Yaoundé, by reservation only, delivered within two weeks;
• much cheaper offers, around 500 FCFA, presented as “already vaccinated”, to be checked very carefully;
• 21-day-old chickens sold for around 1,600 FCFA in Douala, for those who could not find day-old chicks;
• “new arrival” ads with foreign phone numbers and auto-generated texts, a classic scam signal.

These are advertised prices, not official ones. Above all, they show one thing: you need to book in advance, and check carefully who you are paying. You can also compare poultry offers on Jangolo and follow prices on Jangolo Market Prices, as explained in our guide on how to access agricultural market prices.

7 tips to secure your day-old chicks

1. Plan your batches for the whole year

A hatchery needs 21 days to hatch an egg. Place your order at least one month in advance, and even earlier before the holidays. Set your batch dates for the year and book them as early as possible. A simple tracking tool helps a lot: see how to track your production and finances from your phone.

2. Work with a serious and reliable hatchery

A good supplier is worth more than a good price. Visit the hatchery if you can, ask other farmers for references, and stay loyal to a supplier who delivers on time. A regular customer is served first when chicks are scarce. To find hatcheries and poultry farms, browse the livestock suppliers directory and the poultry value chain on Jangolo, which lists more than 600 companies in the sector.

3. Beware of offers that look too good

Scams multiply during shortages. A few simple rules:

• never pay the full amount to a stranger before delivery;
• be wary of prices far below the market;
• check that the seller has a real address and customers who recommend them;
• prefer on-site pickup, or delivery with the balance paid on receipt.

4. Order together

A farmer ordering 200 chicks carries little weight with a hatchery. Ten farmers ordering 2,000 chicks together are a real customer. By pooling your orders, you get a delivery date, a better price and shared transport more easily. This is exactly the idea behind Jangolo virtual cooperatives: producers who buy their inputs together, without setting up a heavy structure.

5. Choose day-old chicks over three-week-old birds

When day-old chicks are scarce, it is tempting to buy three-week-old birds at the market. They cost more, and these animals have often been through stress, transport and contact with other birds. The risk of disease and mortality is higher. Buy directly from the hatchery or the farm whenever possible.

6. Prepare the poultry house before arrival

Every lost chick costs more when chicks are scarce. Clean and disinfect the building, lay clean litter, respect a downtime period between two batches and prepare the heat source. The first week is decisive: chicks huddled under the heat are cold, chicks spread out and panting are too hot. All the details are in our complete guide to broiler farming in Cameroon. When in doubt, call on a veterinarian through Jangolo Experts.

7. Diversify your species

Do not put your whole business on a single species that depends on imports. Guinea fowl, local or crossbred chickens, quail or rabbits can complement your production and keep you going through shortages.

The shortage is also an opportunity

This is Christ Farm’s real message: instead of everyone producing broilers or eggs, some should produce what is most lacking, which is chicks. The hatchery is the link in the chain where supply does not meet demand.

Large players have understood this. In 2021, Compagnie Fermière Camerounaise, a subsidiary of the SABC group, announced a poultry farm in Mbankomo able to produce 90,000 day-old chicks per week. IPAVIC has also supported hatcheries in the North and North-West regions. But demand remains strong, especially near farming areas far from the big cities.

Setting up a hatchery requires:

• regular access to quality hatching eggs or parent stock;
• incubators and a stable power supply (grid plus generator or solar);
• strict biosecurity and veterinary follow-up;
• regular customers who book in advance.

Not everyone can start with an imported-stock hatchery. But there are more accessible entry points: small-scale incubation of guinea fowl, local chicken or quail eggs, or acting as a local relay who pools orders from farmers in their area and places them with a hatchery. In every case, the rule is the same: find your customers before you invest. Farmers who book and pay a deposit are the best guarantee for your project, including when you look for agricultural financing.

Checklist: 5 questions to ask a hatchery before ordering

1. Which strain do you offer, and where do your hatching eggs come from?
2. Which vaccines are given at the hatchery, and can you give me the vaccination programme to follow?
3. How long between booking and delivery, and what happens if you do not deliver on the agreed date?
4. What do you do if chicks arrive dead or weak?
5. Which farmers in my area already work with you and can recommend you?

In summary

The day-old chick shortage has deep causes: dependence on imports, the cost of feed, limited access to parent stock and demand peaks. A farmer cannot fix these causes alone. But they can get organised: plan, book early, choose a reliable supplier, avoid scams and order together with other farmers.

Looking for a hatchery, or selling chicks? Post your request or offer on Jangolo Trade, read our guide to finding a supplier on Jangolo, and join the Éleveurs du Cameroun group to talk with other farmers and veterinarians.

Sources

• Investir au Cameroun, difficulties importing hatching eggs and day-old chicks threaten Cameroon’s poultry sector, June 2021 (in French)
• Made in Cameroon Magazine, poultry sector: egg production in free fall, December 2024 (in French)
• Agence Ecofin, brewer SABC launches a poultry farm able to produce 90,000 chicks per week, October 2021 (in French)
• La Voix du Paysan, the thorny problem of obtaining day-old chicks (in French)