Comparative production performance evaluation of exotic and indigenous chickens under farmers management practice in Tigray, Northen Ethiopia

Abstract

Potchefstroom koekoek chickens were introduced with the objective to evaluate  production performance and compare with indigenous chickens and to evaluate their egg production cost under farmers management practice. A total of 105 of one month chicks were distributed to five female headed households (FHH), 21 chicks for each FHH in Tanqua-Abergelle district. Similar age 21 chickens were prepared by the FHH. The chickens were kept under farmers’ management practice and fed mainly on  scavenging with supplementation 30 g maize per day per  chicken. Egg production of the scavenging Koekoek hens was 49% and 64% higher than the local hens for one and four months age, respectively. Comparing Koekoek chickens with local chickens Koekoek chickens 59 g had laid heavier eggs than the local chickens 34.9 g. Beside to the heaviness of the egg laid by Koekoek  chicken,  egg yolk, albumin and shell were also heavier by 12%, 21% and 12%, respectively than the local chicken. Finally, the cost of egg produced by Koekoek chicken 0.025 USD was cheaper than egg produced by  local chickens 0.071 USD.