A study on Characterization of local chicken eco-type for functional trait sand production system was conducted at Fogera Woreda of Amhara regional state. Fogera Woreda is one of the eight woredas bordering Lake Tana and it is predominantly classified as woinadega ecology while the annual temperature ranges from 220C to 290C. The survey report based on 72 house holds having chickens revealed that the flock size range from 1 to 39. The nutritional management practices in the study area were scavenging (main practice) and supplementary feeding. Wells and tap were the major sources of water.
Most of the respondents (59.7%) use separate houses constructed exclusively for poultry. The flock management was without separation of sex or age groups and mating was random and non-seasonal. The prices of live chickens were affected by plumage color, comb type and seasonal demands (holidays and fasting seasons). Disease and shortage of supplementary feeds were the two major production barriers of expanding poultry production. Out of the 100 birds studied, the following plumage color pattern was observed in their respective proportions: complete white (Netch) (23%) complete black (Tikure) (7%), complete red (key) (39%), white with black or red trips (Netch Tererma) (4%), grayish mixture (gebsima) (5%), red with white tips (key Terema) (2%), black with white (Tikure Teterma) (2%), white with Brest part golden color (Libework) (8%), multicolor (Anbsema) (2%), white with red strips (Seran) (4%), and red brownish (kokima) (4%). In terms of body shape, most of the chicken population observed had a body shape of wedge and a crest (Gutya) head profile.
Almost all the male chicken had spur while only half of the female chicken had spur. No shank feather was observed both in the male and the female chicken. For mature hens and cocks, the average shank length was 7.25cm and 9.32cm respectively. The average body length was 17.75cm and 21cm for female and male respectively.
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Mekelle university, Ethiopia, southern Tigray