Comparative Assessment of Fertility and Hatchability Traits of Three Phenotypes of Local Chickens in Adamawa State

Abstract

The research was carried out to compare the fertility and hatchability traits of naked neck, frizzle and smooth feathered phenotypes of village chickens. The study was carried out at Modibbo Adama University, poultry farm, Yola and it lasted for a period of eight months. Three phenotypes of Sixteen (16) hens and Two (2) cockerels each (48 breeder hens and 6 cocks) were selected and assigned randomly for the study. A total of three hundreds and twenty four fertile eggs were generated for incubation. All the hatchability parameters were significantly different except, hatchability on fertile egg and dead in shell. Hatching egg weight had significant (P<0.01) effect on all the phenotypes. Fertility, hatchability on set eggs, dead embryo, normal and abnormal chicks and average chick weight had significant (P<0.05) effect on all three the phenotypes. There were some correlations among different hatchability traits depending on the phenotype. The correlations were more profound among naked neck. Frizzle and Naked neck and its crosses were superior in most of the hatchability parameters studied. Smooth and its crosses were superior in terms of fertility, percent normal chicks, and average chick weight. It could therefore be concluded that crossing between Smooth and Frizzle feathered chicken produced better fertility and hatchability traits required. I, recommend Smooth Frizzle chickens to be considered and integrated for hatching and rearing programmes.