Fertility and hatchability in local chicken of Borno state, Nigeria

Abstract

A survey was carried out in two agro-ecological zones (Sahel savannah and Sudan savannah) of Borno state (north eastern Nigeria) to determine some reproductive parameters among local chicken populations. Data was collected from 135 poultry keeping households and on 665 local chickens. The period of data collection was 6 months, between November - April. Production and reproductive parameters were evaluated under the husbandry practices. The age range for sexual maturity for females in most of the flock (98.1%) was between 20 weeks - 27 weeks of life while the corresponding range for the males was 28-32 weeks. Of the respondents in this study (79%) had chickens lying between 11-15 eggs per clutch while 10.7% of the farmers had chickens producing above 16 eggs per clutch with a maximum of four clutches/hen/year. Average egg weight was 38.9g. A mean of 42 eggs /hen/ year was recorded in the study. The total number of eggs laid/hen/year by chickens in the Sahel and Sudan savannah were 40 and 44 respectively and most farmers (62%) reported 11 to 14 chicks hatch/clutch/hen in the Sahel, on the other hand in the Sudan savannah more farmers (86%) than in the Sahel reported that 11 to 14 chicks hatch/clutch/hen. There was a significant (P<0.05) difference between the Sahel and the Sudan savannah zones for number of chicks hatched/hen/year (32 for Sahel and 42 for Sudan) and percentage hatchability (80% for Sahel and 96% for Sudan) which both favoured the Sudan savannah.