Phenotypic Characterization of Mottled Native Chicken in Davao Region, Philippines

There were 172 heads comprising 141 hens and 31 roosters from the Davao region collected and randomly sampled to describe the phenotypic characteristics in terms of qualitative (feather morphology, comb type, skin, and shank color) and quantitative (body weight, body length, chest circumference, shank length, height, and wingspan) traits of the mottled native chickens. The modified Philippine Native Animal Development survey questionnaire was used in the collection of data. Qualitative traits were analyzed using frequency and percentages while quantitative characteristics were analyzed through one-way ANOVA using Tukey's HSD test. There morphological characteristics of native chicken in the Davao region vary by province. Nonetheless, mottled native chicken is predominantly of a single comb, white skin, yellow shank, and normal feather morphology. Body weight and length, chest circumference, shank length, and wingspan for chickens were significantly different except for the body height of mottled native chickens across provinces. Meanwhile, all morphometric characteristics of roosters are significantly different across provinces. The mottled type of native chicken in the Davao region has been found out diverse as manifested in the quantitative and qualitative characteristics gathered. This study recommends incorporating the results of the genotypic characteristics of mottled native chickens in the Davao Region to further determine its diversity and lineages.