STUDY ON PHENOTYPIC AND REPRODUCTIVE PARAMETERS OF SCAVENGING CHICKEN IN SIRAJGANJ, BANGLADESH

Abstract

The study was conducted among the marginal people of district Sirajganj from May to July 2013. The target points of the study were to find out some phenotypic and reproductive parameters of the scavenging chicken. The results shown that 36% households choose the season Autumn, 26% choose late Autumn and only 3% choose Winter for brooding season. On the other hand 44% households like to set 10-12 eggs, 30% like to set 12-14 eggs and only 4% households like to set 14-16 eggs for brooding. Hatchability percent is found 86 and only 1/3 chicks remain up to pullet. The average body weight of mature male and female is 1.35 kilogram and 1.0 kilogram. It was found that poultry keeping was the women`s domain and the main reasons given for keeping poultry were a source of supplementary income as well as consumption during festival and special occasions. However no separate feeding was arranged for chicks and adults. Mortality in chicks was high at the first 40 days of life. Newcastle, Coccidiosis, Fowl pox, Fowl Cholera and several parasitic diseases are the main diseases reported for chicken.