Status of Indigenous Chicken Farming in Dhemaji District of Assam, India

Abstract

A survey was conducted in Dhemaji district of Assam, India comprising 15 villages and 300 households. Both purposive and random sampling methods were used to evaluate the socio-economic status of the farmers involved in rearing of indigenous chicken, systems of management of indigenous chicken, their morphological features, performance, diseases, mortality pattern and economy of indigenous chicken farming. Out of the 300 respondents interviewed, 31.3 percent were illiterate and majority of them (63.8%) were depended on agriculture for their livelihood. Most of the respondents (71.1%) were female and average age of the respondents was 38.4 years. Flock size ranged from 11-60 chickens. The people were rearing the indigenous chickens under both backyard and free-range system. Morphologically, the indigenous chickens were almost similar in nature. Results of the study in respect of body weight, sexual maturity, egg production, disease outbreak, mortality pattern and economic aspect of indigenous chicken were discussed.