Indigenous chicken production system and their productive performance in Yeki Woreda Southwestern Ethiopia
The study was conducted to assess the existing indigenous chicken production system and their productive performance and to identify the major constraints in yeki woreda at three representative kebeles by using semi structured interview, field observation and questioners. A total of 120 respondents were randomly selected for this study. This present study revealed that the dominant chickens' production system in the study area was free scavenging production system. The average flock size per household was 9.13 chickens. The main purpose of chicken rearing were; for income generation (48.33% hatching (39.17% and for home consumption (12.5% All members in the household were participating in chicken management but women mainly responsible for different management activities. About 70.83% and 29.17% of respondents were roost their chicken inside the family house and constructed separate small enclosure outside the family house at night, respectively. The average age of indigenous pullets for their first egg laying was 6.8 months and the average age of indigenous cockerels for their first mating was 5.33 months. The average number of eggs laid by indigenous hen was 14 eggs per hen per clutch and the mean annual average egg production was 56 eggs per hen per year with average egg weight of 40 gram. The major constraints for chicken production were disease (60% predators (25% absence of improved breeds (8.3% and inadequacy of veterinary service (6.7% Therefore, efforts have to be made to improve the productivity of indigenous chickens in sustainable way and to shift the existing free scavenging production system to semi scavenging.