KENYA STANDARD  DKS  2774 -5:202 1 
ICS 67.12.10  
First  Edition  
  
 © KEBS 2021  
 Grading  live animal  for meat trade -
Specification    
Part 5:  Indigenous Chicken (kienyeji)   
 
 
 
 TECHNICAL COMMITTEE REPRESENTATION  
The following organizations were represented on the Technical Committee:  
 Ministry of Industry, Trade and Cooperatives 
Ministry of He alth – Food safety Division  
Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute  
National Public Health Laborator ies Services  
Government Chemist’s Department 
Food Science and Technology Platform Kenya  
Farmer’s Choice (K) Ltd. 
University of Nairobi — Department of Food  Science and Technology 
South Eastern Kenya University  
Meru University  
Egerton University 
Consu mer Information Network  
Kenchic (K) Ltd. 
Alpha Fine Foods Ltd. 
Kenya Meat Commission  
Directorate of Livestock Production  
Directorate of Veterinary Services  
Quality Meat packers 
Choice Meats Ltd. 
Poultry  Breeders Association  
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Kenya Bureau of Standards — Secretariat  
REVISION OF KENYA STANDARDS  
In order to keep abreast of progress in industry, Kenya Standards shall be regularly reviewed.  Suggestions for 
improvements to published standards, addressed to the Managing Director, Kenya Bureau of Standards, are 
welcome.  
© Kenya Bureau of Standards, 2020  
Copyright. Users are reminded that by virtue of Section 25 of the Copyright Act, Cap. 130 of 2001 of  the Laws of Kenya, copyright subsists 
in all Kenya Standards and except as provided under Section 25 of this Act, no Kenya Standard produced by Kenya Bureau of Sta ndards 
may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system in any form or transmitted by any mea ns without prior permission in writing from the 
Managing Director.   KS 2774 -5: 2021 
  Grading  live animal  for meat trade -
Specification    
Part 5:  Indigenous Chicken (kienyeji)   
 
Kenya Bureau of Standards,  Popo Road, Off Mombasa Road,  
P.O. Box 54974 - 00200,  Nairobi, Kenya  
 +254 020 6948000, + 254 722202137, + 254 734600471  
 info@kebs.org  
 @KEBS_ke  
 kenya bureau of standards (kebs)  
  
 
 Foreword  
This Kenya Standard was prepared by the Meat and Poultry P roducts Technical Committee under the guidance 
of the Standards Projects Committee, and it is in accordance with the procedures of the Kenya Bureau of 
Standards . 
This first edition of the standard was found necessary to address market challenges in grading live indigenous 
chicken meant for meat trade .  
KS 2774  consists  of the following parts, under the general title Grading live animals for meat trade :  
 Part 1: Cattle   
 Part 2: Goat   
 Part 3: sheep  
 Part 4: Camel  
 Part 5: indigenous Chicken  
During the preparation of this standard, reference was made to the followi ng document (s):   
Determination of living animals for slaughter: KS 01 -837: part 1 and 2  
Acknowledgement is hereby made for the assistance derived from this (these) source (s) : 
Domestic Animal Diversity Network  
 DKS 2774 -5: 202 1   
 
© KEBS 2021– All rights reserved   
 Grading live animal for meat trade  — Specification  
Part 5: Indigenous Chicken (kienyeji)  
1 Scope  
This Kenya standard specifies the requirements for grading live indigenous chicken  (commonly referred to as 
kienyeji  chicken)  for meat trade ,  
2 Normative references  
There are no normative references in this document.  
3 Terms and definitions  
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.  
3.1 Grade:  
the defined parameters that segregate live chicken for meat trade into homoge nous groups applied by market 
participants based on age, sex, weight and body condition.  
 
3.2 Body condition:  
overall state of an animal body  assessed through visual observation and palpation taking into account muscle 
deposition as it occurs in various parts  of the chicken . 
3.3 Body condition score:  
is the score assigned through visual and palpation appraisal of specific body parts. The extent to which 
specific skeletal body parts are either hidd en or smoothened by flesh . The chicken are thus characteriz ed as 
excellent, good, or fair . 
3.4 Palpation  
is a method of feeling with fingers or hands during a physical examination  for body condition . 
3.5 Live weight:  
the weight of a live  animal determined through a  standard and  acceptable method.  
3.6 Indigenous chicken  (Kienyeji in Kiswahili) :  
Is a chicken  population  in a specific location or region that are adapted to the local environment  and 
conditions   
3.8 Male bird:  
a cockerel or a cock . 
3.9 Cockerel:  
a male chicken usually 3 to 7 months of age .   
 3.10 Cock or rooster:  
a mature male chicken usually over 7 months of age with a large comb and wattle; and a considerable weight 
and size  
3.11 Sex:  
refers to whether the chicken is male or female.  
4 Requirements for live indigenous chicken  presented for trade   
4.1 General requirements  
4.1.1 The live chicken shall be of  good health and well -nourished.  
4.2 Specific Requirements  
4.2.1 The eyes of the live chicken shall be bright, nostrils free from discharge, combs and wat tles firm and  
bright in colour with glossy feathers . 
4.2.2  The live chicken  shall be active , and showing no evidence of  diarrhoea or any other disease . 
4.2.3  The live chicken shall have  glossy scales on the shanks . 
4.2.4 The live chicken  shall be free from deformities . 
5   Grading Specifications  
5.1 Grading of chicken  shall be done in accordance to age, sex, weight,  and body condition  
5.1.1 Age:  shall be categorised into  6-10 months, 6 -15 months and 6 months and above based on 
records or estimated based on size and smoothness of the comb  characteristic to the breed , the 
plumage, the length of the spur , and appearance of scales  on the shank . 
5.1.2 Sex:  Chicken shall be categorised as either male or female.  
5.1.3 Live Weight :  Shall be based on K ilogram  
5.1.4 Body condition:  Body condition shall be scored as:  excellent, good , or fair.  
5.2 Table 1: Body condition score  
S.No  Body condition  Description  
1.  Excellent  Thighs:  bulging,  
breast muscles: well-developed , relatively plump  that provide 
smooth contour with the keel.  
Keel: smoothened  
 
2.  Good  Thighs: less prominent  
Breast muscles:  Moderately developed and convex  in shape ,  
Keel: Prominent  
 
3.  Fair  Thighs: no bulging   
 Breast muscles: poorly developed  along the keel  and concave  
Keel:  Protruding  
 
 
5.3 The grading shall be based  on the parameters outlined in the table 2 below.  
Table 2: Grades and grading parameters for Indigenous chicken  
S.No  Parameters  Grade A  Grade B  Grade C  
1.  Age  6 – 10 Months   6 – 15 months   6 months and 
above  
2.  Sex   Male  Male and female  Male and female  
3.  Live weight  2.0 kg (minimum)  1.5 kg (minimum)  No limit  
4.  Body Condition  Excellent  Good  Fair