Village chicken production systems in Metekel zone, Northwest Ethiopia

A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Metekel zone, Northwest of Ethiopia to assess village chicken production systems, productive and reproductive performance of village chicken and identifying constraints to village chicken production. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select 160 farming households and administer a pre-tested and structured questionnaire. The average flock size per household was 13.68±0.62. Only 48% of chicken owners prepared a separate overnight houses/shelters for birds. The average age of indigenous pullets and cockerels at first mating was 5.2±1.16 and 5.44±1.3 months, respectively. The total number of clutches/hen/year was 4.29±0.17 with an average of 13.56±0.26 eggs/clutch. The average egg hatchability was 84.74%. Seasonal disease outbreaks, mainly Newcastle disease, and predation were the major causes of chicken loss in the districts. Household division of labor engages women more on various chicken husbandry activities. Respondents prioritized lack of credit service, limited skill of management practices and low productivity of the local chicken as major constraints to chicken production. Thus, technical and institutional interventions are very crucial to alleviate the prevailing constraints and transform the existing traditional/subsistence chicken production system to semi-commercial production system in the study area.