Biological characteristics of Egyptian chicken in family scale in Danang, Vietnam

Abstract

Egyptian chicken was imported into Vietnam from 1997 with precious traits such as good heat tolerance, free-range chicken breed, high egg yield, high meat quality. The study was carried out on 100 chickens aged from 0 to 45 weeks old kept in captivity according to household size in Danang for identifying some biological characteristics. The survival rate of Egyptian chicken decreased gradually from hatching to 6 weeks of age, then it was stable up to 24 weeks of age (65%). Cumulative growth in plot 2 reached 1444.50 g/head. which was higher than plot 1 with 1400 g/head The absolute growth was almost same in the 2 experimental plots with 8.23 g/head/day (plot 1) and 8.49 g/head/day (plot 2). The Egg yield was 56.56 eggs/hen/45 weeks. The average birth rate at 26 and 45 weeks of age were 27.38% and 67.14%, respectively. Egg quality of at 45 week old chicken showed that the shape, yolk and white index were 1.37, 0.42 and 0.01, respectively. In addition, the observed eggshell thickness at this stage was 0.42 mm. The highest hatching rate of broodstock was 90.99%.