Breeds suitable for the poultry business

Among the first purebred foreign chickens introduced to our country were the breeds Black Minorca (egg-laying), Rhode Island Red (raised for both meat and eggs), and White Leghorn (a world-famous breed for eggs). These chickens were introduced to Nepal in 1957 AD. However, these breeds have not yet been introduced to the general public.

They are limited to government farms and research. Then, in 1960 AD, a ‘Central Hatchery’ was established with the help of the US government in Parwanipur, Bara. 1,700 New Hampshire American chickens raised for both eggs and meat were imported into it. The chickens produced from this hatchery were sent for sale and distribution in the Kathmandu Valley.

Between 1970 and 1980, farms and hatcheries were also operated by the government in Pokhara and Nepalgunj, New Hampshire, and Australop chickens raised for meat and eggs were kept and eggs and day-old chicks were distributed. The Banshankar chickens, which were born by crossing the roosters of the chickens distributed in this way with the local female chickens raised in the rural areas of Nepal, became hybrids over time.

It cannot be ruled out that many chickens that we currently know as local may have some or the other genetic material from these chickens. Especially since it has been 50/60 years since the New Hampshire and Black Australop chickens were introduced to Nepal, these chickens have become well-adapted to the climate of Nepal.

Currently, one-day-old chicks and rooster hatched eggs of these chickens are produced from government farms in Pokhara and Khajura in Banke, as well as farms under NARC in Khumaltar, Bello Poultry Farm (United States), and distributed to farmers at a subsidized rate. For this, the current price of chicks is 40 rupees per chick, and the price of eggs is 10 rupees per egg.

1) New Hampshire (Red Chicken)

Features:-

• Until 20-25 years ago, the average weight of an adult male on government farms was three to three and a half kilograms, and the average weight of an adult female was two and a half kilograms. Recently, due to excessive inbreeding or other reasons, the average weight of a male has been reduced to about two and a half kilograms, and that of a female to two kilograms.

• Looking at the egg production records of government farms, it is estimated that 200 to 220 hens are produced per year. Recently, there has been a slight decrease in egg production.

• This chicken is suitable for raising from high mountains to the Terai region. It can be crossed with local breeds of chicken and raised in rural areas for both egg and meat purposes.

• The taste and marketability of its meat are very attractive.

• It has higher disease resistance than commercial layers, broilers, and Giriraj chickens.

• About ten percent of purebred chickens and almost 100 percent of Varnashankar chickens crossed with local breeds (according to farmers) have a tendency to nest. However, sufficient research is needed on the nesting tendency of Varnashankar chickens.

• It can be raised semi-intensively and intensively without crossing with local breeds.

• Unlike Giriraj chickens, it is not affected by gumboro disease. Its meat is also less fatty and tastier than Giriraj’s.

2) Black Australorp

Features:-

• Until 20-25 years ago, the average weight of an adult male on government farms was three and a half to four kilograms, and the average weight of an adult female was 2.8 kilograms. Recently, due to excessive inbreeding or other reasons, the average weight of a male has also been reduced to about 2.7 kilograms, and the average weight of a female to 2.1 kilograms.

• Looking at the egg production records of government farms, it used to be 180 to 190 per hen per year. Recently, there has been a decrease in egg production.

• This chicken is suitable for raising from high mountains to the Terai region. It can be crossed with local breeds of chicken and raised in rural areas for both egg and meat purposes.

• The taste and marketability of its meat are very attractive.

• It has higher disease resistance than commercial layers and broilers and Giriraj chickens.

• About ten percent of purebred chickens and about one hundred percent of Varnashankar chickens crossed with local breeds have a tendency to nest (according to farmers). However, sufficient research is needed on the nesting tendency of Varnashankar chickens.

• It can be raised semi-intensively and intensively without crossing with local breeds. It is not affected by the disease of the humpback like the Giriraj chicken. Its meat is also less fatty and tastier than the Giriraj.

• More about this chicken will be discussed in the following post.

3) Giriraj:-

In a year, even under a farmer’s management, the weight of the rooster is three and a half to four kilograms, while the weight of the hen is three and a half to four kilograms. This chicken, which can grow faster than other local chickens, starts laying eggs from the age of 24 weeks. It lays 150 to 180 brown eggs with an average weight of 55 grams per year.

Although it is raised for both eggs and meat, the main purpose is meat production. It is mainly raised in open and semi-open spaces. In some places, it is also raised in an intensive manner. It is a chicken that can fight diseases better than others and can produce eggs and meat well, even after eating grass, vegetables, and other waste grains found in the countryside. This chicken has a very good immunity to diseases. It is becoming very popular in rural poultry farming as it can thrive well even in the local climate.

Its ability to fight against Ranikhet ( Newcastle disease ) is not so much. It is also more likely to be affected by Gumboro disease than New Hampshire or Australop. In addition, due to the high fat content in the meat, consumers may not consider its meat as tasty as that of Local, New Hampshire, and Australop chickens.

This chicken can be sold for meat even after laying eggs. It is usually brown, gray, and mottled in color. It does not have a nesting habit. Farmers have to buy chicks from time to time and raise them. Currently, some hatcheries in Chitwan, Kathmandu, Pokhara, Nepal, and Bello poultry farm ( United States ) are producing and selling other breeds of chicken as well as their chicks.

4)Kuroiler (Hybrid)

It is easy to raise, even with a poor diet or management, and can lay about 150 eggs per year. It grows slower than broilers and faster than local chickens. In Nepal, its chicks are sometimes imported and raised. Its male weighs three and a half kilograms, and its female weighs two and a half kilograms.

It is very popular among poor communities in various states of India. It has been found to be relatively less susceptible to diseases. Even when raised in the wild, it weighs more than two kilograms and is marketable within three months.।

5) Bantam

If any breed of chicken has a mutation or genetic change and grows less despite the amount of feed it consumes, and a small breed of chicken is born, then those chickens are bred together to produce small chickens of the same type.

Since the characteristics of these chickens are passed on genetically, it is possible to raise and raise them as separate breeds. In fact, small breed chickens are bantam chickens. Their weight is only about 25 percent of the chicken from which they were developed.

Such chickens are also among the chickens raised for pets or hobbies. Even in the normal flocks that we have, some chickens are like this. By continuously selecting them, a flock of small and uniform chickens can be created. Such small chickens are extremely rare, as there are only one or two in our flock.

Rural chicken breeds for the poultry business

1. Red Junglefowl
2. Fluffed
3. Naked Neck Chicken