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A survey on village chicken production in Kerala state of India

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 December 2013

P.G. KUMAR ,
R.R. CHURCHIL ,
A. JALALUDEEN ,
K. NARAYANANKUTTY ,
L. JOSEPH ,
A. KANNAN  and
P. ANITHA
P.G. KUMAR
Affiliation:
College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lakkidi, Pookot, Wayanad, Kerala, 673576, India
R.R. CHURCHIL*
Affiliation:
Institute of Poultry Production and Management, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai, 51, Tamil Nadu, India
A. JALALUDEEN
Affiliation:
Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Lakkidi, Pookot, Wayanad, Kerala, 673576, India
K. NARAYANANKUTTY
Affiliation:
College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, Thrissur, Kerala, 680651, India
L. JOSEPH
Affiliation:
College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lakkidi, Pookot, Wayanad, Kerala, 673576, India
A. KANNAN
Affiliation:
College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, Thrissur, Kerala, 680651, India
P. ANITHA
Affiliation:
All India Co-ordinated Research Project on Poultry, Thrissur, Kerala, 680651, India
*
Corresponding author: [email protected]
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Abstract

The present study was conducted to document the rearing practices of village chicken production in the Northern midlands, agro-ecological zone comprising Kannur and Kozhikode districts of Kerala state, India. Data was generated from 65 and 63 chicken farming families of Kozhikode and Kannur districts respectively. The system of chicken rearing is extensive, with the provision of shelter only during the night. The birds are being managed mostly by women (89.06%). The decision on the sale of birds and eggs is made by women and the proceeds of sales go directly to them. It was found that as many as 43.75% of the chicken farmers in these areas have no other animal husbandry activities. The average flock size is 5.62 birds. Natural incubation using locally available materials as a nest box and sand as the nesting material is the common practice. The average number of eggs set under the broody hen for hatching is 10.41. Chicken coops are placed at an average distance of 5.45m from the house and elevated 0.39 m from the ground. The average floor area of the coops is 0.757 m2 and the night shelter provided per bird is 830.39 cm2. The walls and floor of the coops are made of wood and the roof with tiles or thatch in most of cases. Rice grain is commonly fed as supplementary feed with mostly no specific timing in feeding. Farmers depend on an array of herbs rather than chemotherapeutic agents and vaccines for the treatment and control of diseases. Most of the surplus males (59.38%) are discarded before one year of age, whereas females are less commonly culled (21.87%). The average culling age of males and females was 11.05 and 36.64 months, respectively. It was discovered that as high as 52.15% of the eggs and 59.38% of the cockerels produced are consumed in the home. When sold they attract at least a two-fold higher price compared to birds of industrial origin.

Keywords

village chickenproduction practicesKeralaIndia
Type
Small-scale Family Poultry Production
Information
World's Poultry Science Journal , Volume 69 , Issue 4 , December 2013 , pp. 917 - 930
Copyright
Copyright © World's Poultry Science Association 2013 

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