Sebipela Farm sees growth through eggs’ rainbow colours

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MATHATO SEBOKA

MASERU – Mokheseng Mokheseng, a resident of Sebipela, Ha Shepeseli, in the Leribe district, has embarked on a unique venture with the establishment of his Sebipela Farm. Situated in the same locale, this poultry enterprise specialises in the breeding of rare birds such as Guinea fowl and quails, alongside its primary focus on rainbow-coloured egg production. After initially embarking on training in electronics engineering, Mokheseng’s academic pursuits were interrupted by financial constraints. However, his journey led him to attain expertise in the realm of cannabis cultivation, earning the title of Master of Cannabis from the prestigious Cannabis Training University in Denver, Colorado, USA.

Driven by a passion for preserving biodiversity, Mokheseng has dedicated considerable time to studying extinct chicken breeds. Today, his commitment to sustainable farming practices and his knowledge of diverse avian species distinguish Sebipela Farm as a pioneering entity in Lesotho. “I have been a part of an international social media group called Coloured Egg Enthusiasts on backyard chicken farming for over 10 years, learning about extinct chicken breeds and breeds that lay different coloured eggs, or rainbow eggers,” Mokheseng says.

He reflects on his journey in the poultry industry, citing a five-year journey since he started out in 2022, primarily focusing on production of rainbow eggs. “I began by visiting various show bird breeders in South Africa, which sparked my interest in importing breeds available there,” Mokheseng explains. At Sebipela Farm, a diverse array of breeds is nurtured, each contributing its own distinct egg color.

Among them are White Leghorn, Black Ameraucana, Black Copper Marans, Easter Egger, Lavender Araucana, Buff Orpington, Light Columbian Brahma, and Banfo. Additionally, there is also the farm house booted bantams, Guinea fowl, and quails, albeit laying conventional eggs. The spectrum of egg colours at Sebipela Farm is remarkable; Easter Eggers produce eggs in hues ranging from green to pink or blue, while Olive Eggers yield enchanting light or dark green eggs. Marans, on the other hand, boasts eggs ranging from medium to chocolate-dark in colour.

“Each breed we rear at Sebipela Farm has its own unique egg colour, and we maintain strict purity without interbreeding.“These breeds possess exceptional traits distinct from conventional ones; they exhibit calm and gentle temperaments while boasting double the egg yield per year.“Moreover, they offer delectable meat, with some hens reaching weights of 5kg and roosters 7.5kg, ensuring ample sustenance for families,” Mokheseng says.

While acknowledging the rarity and costliness of these breeds, Mokheseng underscores their nutritional value, as their eggs are rich sources of protein, iron, vitamin B12, and healthy fats.The eggs can retail for as much as M1 000 a crate because of their uniqueness and rarity. However, more customers prefer to buy different chicks instead of the eggs.

The week-old chicks’ prices range from M10 each up to M100 as follows: White Leghorn, which produce white eggs (M80); Buff Orpinton, which produce light brown eggs (M70); Black Cooper marans, which produce dark chocolate coloured eggs (M100); Lavender Araucans, which produce light blue eggs (M100); Black Ameraucans which produce blue eggs (M80); Easter Egger which produce light green eggs (M70); while Sesotho chickens which produce light brown eggs cost M10.

Currently, he collaborates with two family members in managing farm operations, cultivating essential feeds, and procuring the necessary inputs. Yet, despite their success, challenges persist. “Our primary hurdle lies in accessing veterinary services. We have had to rely on veterinarians in South Africa for diagnosis and treatment,” Mokheseng says. Elaborating on the challenges he faces, he says balancing egg production with sales becomes untenable, leading him to prioritise the sale of live birds over eggs.

He shared about the daunting nature of the market, citing an overwhelming demand that surpasses his current production capacity. “Meeting market demand poses a constant challenge. Often, I find myself wishing to expand the farm to cater to all those eagerly awaiting our produce,” he says. Looking ahead, Mokheseng envisions his business supplying rainbow eggs to prominent entities like the Made in Lesotho Cooperation Store (MILCO). Additionally, he aspires to see more Basotho households incorporating breeds from his farm to sustainably supplement their food sources.

The colour of eggshells is distinctive to each hen, dictated by its breed and genetics. Chickens known for laying blue eggs are often referred to as Easter Eggers, yet there are actually three distinct types of blue egg-laying chickens. While Easter Eggers typically lay aesthetically pleasing blue eggs, they are not classified as purebred chickens. The true pure breeds renowned for laying blue eggs are Araucanas and Ameraucanas.

However, what is truly captivating about eggshell colours are the deeply orange yolks and rich flavour they contain. The breed of hen dictates the hue of eggs it produces. For instance, Leghorn chickens lay white eggs, Orpingtons lay brown eggs, and Ameraucanas lay blue eggs. An olive egger, which lays olive green eggs, is the offspring of a cross between hens and roosters from brown and blue egg-laying breeds. While genetics predominantly determines egg colour, various factors such as the hen’s age, diet, environment, and stress levels can also influence shell colour and other egg characteristics.

Stressors like disease, heat, or overcrowding can affect hens and consequently alter the size, shape, and quality of the eggs they lay. Initially, all eggs are white; however, as they pass through the hen’s oviduct, pigments are deposited on them, resulting in eggs of varying shades. The journey through a chicken’s oviduct typically lasts about 26 hours, with shell formation taking approximately 20 hours. Amaraucana chickens deposit a pigment called oocyanin on the egg during its passage through the oviduct, resulting in both the interior and exterior of the egg being uniformly blue.

In contrast, chickens laying brown-tinted eggs deposit the pigment protoporphyrin on the egg late in the shell-forming process. This pigment only affects the surface of the egg, leaving the interior white, which explains why brown eggs have a white interior. In the case of olive eggers, a brown pigment overlays a blue eggshell, resulting in a green egg. The intensity of the brown pigment determines the shade of green in the resulting egg.

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