A study of the prevailing chicken production constraints and possible technological interventions

Abstract

A survey was conducted in Bure district, North West Ethiopia, from 2007 to 2008 to assess the existing
village chicken production system. A participatory rural appraisal and a formal survey were used to
collect all the relevant data, using a multi-stage sampling technique. Seven farmer administrative
kebeles (two from high land, three from mid altitude and two from low land agro-ecologies) and a total of
280 village chicken owner households were considered for the study. The result revealed that the
dominant (83%) chicken production system was an extensive/traditional type of production, using a
majority (97%) of local chicken ecotypes, managed mainly on scavenging with seasonal
supplementation of home grown grains and household food leftovers. The purposes of chicken
production were sale for income (51.4%), egg hatching for replacement (45%), consumption (44.3%), use
of birds for cultural and/or religious ceremonies (36.4%) and egg production (40.7%). The average flock
size per household was 13 (ranged 1 - 57), with a hen to cock ratio of 3.7:1. Only 22.1% of chicken
owners prepared a separate overnight house for birds and the rest (77.9%) kept birds in various night
sheltering places. The result revealed that 97.5% of interviewed chicken owners experienced chicken
disease problems, mainly Newcastle disease (98.2%). The result indicated that 95% of village chicken
owners used only traditional means to treat sick birds. The average age of cockerels at first mating and
pullets at first egg were 24.6 weeks and 27.5 weeks, respectively. The average number of eggs
laid/clutch was 16 (ranged 8 - 28) and the number of total clutch periods/hen/year was 4 (ranged 2 - 6).
The annual egg production performance of local hens, under farmer’s management condition, was 60
eggs/hen (ranged 24 -112). The average number of eggs incubated/hen was 13 and 11 chicks, on
average, were hatched from them. The average hatchability performance of local hens was 81.7%.
However, survivability of young chicks was only 60.5% (ranged 0 -100%). High hatchability performance
of local hens (81.7%) and high mortality of young chicks (39.5%) were the two contradictory features for
the existing village chicken production system of the district. Seasonal diseases outbreaks (84.3%) and
predation (11.4%) were the major causes of chicken loss in the district. Women were the major
responsible members of the household involved in various chicken husbandry activities like cleaning
bird’s house (38.6%), feeding birds (81.7%), selling birds (83%) and selling eggs (54.6%). Only 37.5% of
interviewed chicken owners got appropriate extension services related to modern chicken management
practices. The result of the study revealed that there is a great interest to boost up the existing village
chicken production and productivity. This should be considered as an opportunity and potential to
design and implement interventions, aimed at improving production and productivity of village chicken
in the district.