Abstract:
The study was conducted in Metekel Zone, Northwest Ethiopia to characterize indigenous
chicken production system and to analyze egg quality parameters. The data was collected
through structured questionnaire and focused group discussion, egg quality analysis were
done in poultry farm laboratory of Haramaya University. The research was conducted in
three districts of Metekel Zone. Four kebeles from each district and two kebeles from each
agro-ecology of (highland and lowland) were selected. From each kebele 10 households were
used for the survey data collection and 15 eggs per kebele were used for egg quality analysis.
The average age of indigenous chicken at sexual maturity was 6.4±0.58 and 6.4±0.58 months,
in the highland and lowlands, respectively. The total number of egg yield/hen/year was
45.7±6.58 and 46.9±6.88 and the average numbers of egg incubated per hen in one cycle was
11.9±1.6 and 11.6±1.97 with an average numbers of eggs per set for incubation was
11.8±2.57 and 12.5±1.79 in the highland and lowland, respectively. The average number of
egg per clutch per year was 3.39 at lowland and 3.25 at highland at which there was no
significant difference between agro-ecologies (P>0.05). The average hatchability of egg from
highland and lowland were 88.14% and 74.64%, respectively. The average survival of chicken
up to adult was 7.81±3.24 and 5.74±3.01 in the highland and lowland, respectively. Egg
weight was significantly higher (P<0.05) in the highland 41.93±2.6 than lowland 38.46±3.1).
Albumen Height of egg collected from the highland was significantly higher (4.087±0.33)
(P<0.05) than the lowland (3.45±0.36). Haugh Unit shows no significant difference between
highland and lowland with 69.05±4.41 and 64.87±3.51, respectively. Newcastle disease,
Coccidiosis and predation were the major causes of chicken loss in both agro-ecologies.
Women are engaged on various chicken husbandry activities. Respondents prioritized lack of
proper health care, poor housing and poor watering system and predation as major
constraints to indigenous chicken production system in the study area.
