Rwanda 1-2T/H Chicken Feed Pellet Plant

Project Background

The farmer—whom we'll call the "Rwandan poultry enterprise"—operates two modest poultry modules, each housing around 1,000 layers and 1,500 broilers. For years, commercial feeds fluctuated in price and consistency, imposing risks to flock health and profitability.

Convinced that self-production could stabilize costs and improve performance, he sought a lean pellet line. Though his planned capacity was modest, the decision to take on installation manually kept costs lower and strengthened his understanding of the process.

By opting for a simplified chicken feed production line—sans full automation—he could invest more in feed quality, ring die quality, and storage rather than machinery complexity. The result was a small yet capable plant dedicated to turning local grains and supplements into stable, high-energy pellets for his hens—and, eventually, for others in the region.

Local Feedstock: Grounded in Rwanda's Harvest

The raw materials for this chicken feed pellet plant in Rwanda selected align with both availability in Rwanda and the bird nutrition pyramid:

• Corn, Rwanda's staple feed grain, grown locally and serving as an energy base.
• Soybean meal, increasingly sourced from local oil presses or regional imports, supplying essential protein.
• Rice bran and wheat bran, by-products of regional mills, used as bulk and fiber sources.
• Cassava meal and sorghum, staple crops in Rwanda’s tropical agriculture.
• Oats and barley, less common but increasingly adopted in mixed-ration feeds.
• Fish meal, adding digestible protein and vitamins.
• Oils, such as palm or sunflower oil, to enhance energy density.
• Mineral additives—stone powder (calcium), calcium phosphate, salt—plus essential vitamins.

By choosing these locally accessible inputs, the farmer both supported community agriculture and minimized transport expenses, creating a feed formula grounded in national produce.

Simple Process for chicken feed pellet plant in Rwanda

With limited mechanization, the chicken poultry feed production line still adhered to a streamlined production chain:

1. Receiving & Pre-Cleaning

Grains and by-products were stocked in bags. Manual scooping and metering ahead of a 37 kW hammer mill ensured safety from foreign objects.

2. Grinding

A 37 kW mill reduced raw ingredients to millimeter-level granules—suitable for pellet die sizes between 2–4 mm (for broilers) and up to 4–6 mm (for layers).

3. Mixing

A 500 kg horizontal mixer ensured precise ingredient blending. For different flock phases, recipes were adjusted manually, ensuring balanced nutrient distribution across batches.

4. Pelletizing

Using a 22 kW poultry feed pellet machine with a 2–4 mm die, uniform pellets were formed. This small but effective feed pellet machine required manual feeding and operator control.

5. Cooling

An SKLN11×11 counterflow cooler stabilized pellet temperature and moisture, critical in Rwanda’s warm, humid climate.

6. Screening

Pellets passed through a vibrating shifter to sort fines from finished product, ensuring feed integrity.

7. Packing

A manual bagging approach—using pre-marked sacks—saved capital while allowing flexibility. Though labor-intensive, it aligned with the farmer’s cost-sensitive strategy.

Product Range & Usage

The chicken feed pellet plant in Rwanda produces consistent 2–4 mm chicken pellets, suitable for:

• Broiler feed, promoting rapid weight gain with dense protein and energy.
• Layer feed, with tailored mineral content for egg production.
• Optionally, duck or goose feed, adjustable via die changes and formula tweaks.

Initially, 100% of production supported the farmer's own flocks—cutting feed expenses by around 20%. As surplus grew, he distributed feed to three nearby farmers, creating local access to quality pellets and new income. Without large equipment, this model remained scalable and flexible.

Equipment for chicken feed pellet plant in Rwanda

Despite its simplicity, the chicken feed pellet plant in Rwanda relied on sturdy, well-chosen chicken feed making machines:

1. 37 kW Hammer Mill – dual-chamber, geared for low-speed, high-output grinding.
2. 500 kg Horizontal Mixer – efficient batch blending with adjustable mixing speed.
3. 22 kW Feed Pellet Mill – die-limited 2–4 mm output optimized for poultry diets.
4. SKLN11×11 Cooler – counterflow cooler maintaining pellet firmness and lowering moisture.
5. Vibrating Shifter – separating fines and ensuring compliance with poultry feeding guidelines.
6. Control Box & Wiring – basic yet well-configured to manage equipment safely.
7. Screw Conveyor & Magnetic Bar – optional tools for future upgrades.

This combination offered reliability, low maintenance, and established pellet performance, while aligning with the farmer's manual operation plan.

Future Prospects in Rwanda

Rwanda's poultry sector is on the rise: modest in scale but fueled by local demand and emerging middle-class consumption. As households grow wealthier, egg and chicken consumption is expected to rise by 3–5% annually. However, domestic feed processing remains limited, leaving many farmers dependent on imported pellet or powdered feed—often lacking in freshness or customization.

This small chicken feed pellet plant in Rwanda fills a market gap. It offers:

• Affordable entry – easy investment under $50,000 USD, including packaging materials.
• Localized access – small farmers gain proximity and improved feed traceability.
• Tailored nutrition – the farmer can custom-formulate with local ingredients.
• Scalability – room for expansion, possible upgrades to packaging machines or small conditioning supplements.

Regional draw from sectors like poultry, goats, and even aquaculture ensures potential growth. In 2019, Rwanda recorded around 3 million chickens and layers, requiring an estimated 180,000 tons of feed annually. As more farmers consolidate production, the market for small-scale chicken feed mills is likely to broaden.

Project Timeline & Budget

1. Visit: April 2019—client toured production plants and reviewed multiple machine footprints.
2. Contract Signed: May 8, 2019—agreed to turnkey 1–2 t/h chicken feed processing plant tailored to poultry.
3. Installation: Completed by the customer's own workforce over 10 days, with RICHI Machinery's remote guidance and component drawings.
4. Investment: $39,000 USD, targeting affordability over automation.
5. Operation Commenced: Late May 2019, achieving stable production by June's first week.

Daily energy consumption remained low—below 50 kW, consistent with rural electrification capacities. The semi-manual setup allowed manual tweaks and rapid recipe adjustments for broilers and layers.

Facing Challenges, Inspiring Solutions

Operating with limited budget, the Rwandan team encountered typical small-scale challenges:

• Manual Motor Wiring – resolved via Skype support with step-by-step instructions.
• Frame Assembly & Welding – farm technicians learned basic framing due to detailed component drawings provided by RICHI.
• Cyclone & Cooler Orientation – expert remote guidance corrected placement issues to ensure airflow stability.
• Pellet Mill Feeding Techniques – operators were trained in consistent batch management and paddle adjustments.

Over the following six months, line efficiency improved, pellet quality stabilized, and feed conversion rates rose—helping the farm report consistent flocks, stabilized production, and stronger margins.

Expansion You Can Touch

Empowered by early success, the farmer is exploring upgrades:

• Bagging Automation – a sack-filling machine to batch 25 kg bags efficiently.
• Feed Conditioner – adding a simple steam conditioning unit to boost pellet durability.
• Quality Lab – a low-cost moisture and protein tester to support formulation accuracy.
• Local Cooperative Hub – packaging feed for neighboring farms under a basic brand to extend distribution.

These thoughtful expansions keep capital costs low while laying the groundwork for brand recognition and regional cooperation.

Conclusion

The 1–2 t/h chicken feed pellet plant in Rwanda, conceived in April and launched by May 2019, proves that feed independence doesn't require scale—it demands clarity of purpose and smart engineering. By focusing on poultry feed, diffusion-ready recipe inputs, and hands-on installation, the farmer achieved control over cost, feed quality, and community impact.

In Rwanda's growing poultry market—fed by rising household incomes and rural densification—small-scale animal feed production lines like this could multiply, creating clusters of nutritional security and local economic resilience. Built on proven machinery, pragmatic workflows, and a small, agile footprint, this plant serves as a model of self-reliance and innovation.

As demand grows and infrastructure improves, such initiatives may evolve from pilot units into regional hubs. Rwanda's future feed independence may very well be written in success stories like this one, where a bird's feed becomes a pathway to empowerment and sustainability.