COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF REPRODUCTION AND PRODUCTION TRAITS OF DIFFERENT STRAINS OF CHICKENS AND CHARACTERIZING CHICKEN PRODUCTION SYSTEM IN TWO SUB-CITIES OF ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA

The study was aimed at evaluating improved Horro, Koekoek, Kuroiler and Sasso-RIR chicken strains for productive and reproductive traits under semi-scavenging conditions and characterizing the poultry production system in Kolfe and Nifassilk districts of Addis Ababa administration. Random samplings were employed to select sample kebeles, households and respondents. For characterization of chicken production systems, a pre-tested questionnaire was administered to 121 households in six kebeles (three from each district) while 192 households were selected for on farm comparison of the four chicken strains. Each house hold has received 25 chickens of one of the strains. The result of the study revealed that 19.85 and 80.15 % of the households were female and male headed, respectively. The mean duration of chicken keeping practice in the study area was 8.4 years. On average the households own 5 chickens of which 86.05% of them were local. The mean female and male body weights at 12, 16 and 20 weeks age differed significantly among the strains. Kuroiler has attained the heaviest body weight and body weight gain than Horro, Koekoek and Sasso RIR under the on-farm management condition. The mean age at first lay for Horro, Koekoek, Kuroiler and Sasso_RIR breed were 29, 25.3, 27.4 and 28 weeks in Kolfe and 29, 24.4, 27 and 28 weeks in Nifassilk districts. This study showed that Koekoek breed was early maturing than the rest of the breeds and produces 88.4 eggs per forty five weeks. The highest and the lowest egg and hen day egg production were attained by Koekoek and Improved Horro breeds at 36 and 28 weeks of production phase, respectively. From the results of this study, it is possible to conclude that lower and better reproduction and production performance were recorded by improved Horro and Koekoek chickens respectively.