Comparative performances of hilly chicken and deshi chicken at Rangamati hilly areas of Bangladesh

Abstract

The current study was carried out to compare between hilly chicken and indigenous chicken on the basis on their productive and reproductive performance . This study identified , characterized and described the performance of hilly chicken and indigenous chicken population . To evaluate the rate of survival of hilly chicken under semi intensive rearing system . The study was taken on a small scale population . A total of 3 hilly chicken ( 1 male chicken and 2 female chicken ) and 6 indigenous chicken ( 2 male chicken and 4 female chicken ) were reared in semi intensive system for 10 months periods to compare their productive and reproductive performances . The study was performed in Baghaichhari upozila under Rangamati district . The mean body weights of adult female and male hilly chicken were 897 g and 950 g and the mean body weights of adult female and male indigenous chicken were 1976 g and 2664 g . The age at first egg production of hilly chicken and indigenous chicken were 147 days and 159 days respectively and hand day production were 11 and 15 respectively . The average egg weight was 34 g and 41 g respectively . Both types of bird per day average feed consumption were 97.61 g and 102 g and mortality were 15.56 percent and 11.23 percent respectively . The hatching chick weight were 31.7 g and 38.9 g respectively . The body weight of growing hilly chicken and indigenous chicken after eleven weeks of age are 673 g and 979 g respectively and feed conversion ratios were 3.15 and 3.21 respectively . Those chickens have poor egg and meat production capacity compared to commercial broiler and layer farming but have high immunity and adaptability to their environment . Poor nutrition , lack of proper attention and insufficient health care are responsible to bird’s mortality .