May 18, 2007

Indian researchers introduce hardy chicken breed for backyard farms

Researchers at the Department of Avian Production and Management (DVPM), in Hebbal, Bangalore said they have delivered a hardy chicken breed suited for backyard raising that would require less space but with high egg production.

The Swarnadhara breed has high egg production potential and better growth compared to other local varieties and are suited for mixed and backyard farming, according to Prof. K. Venkat Reddy, Associate Professor, Department of Poultry Science in the Animal and Fishery Sciences University (KVAFSU) in Bangalore.

The bird can be reared for its eggs and meat and attains maturity from the 22-23rd week after hatching. Hens attain a body weight of about 3 kg and can lay about 180-190 eggs a year.

This is more than the Giriraja chicken breed released by the university two years ago.

Compared to Giriraja breed, Swarnadhara breed are smaller in size with a lighter body weight.

Each egg weighs about 55-60 grammes and have good hatchability (80-85 per cent) A day-old chick weighs about 35-40 grammes, the professor said.

The birds are only layers and not brooders, meaning that the eggs would have to be hatched by local brooder hens.

Being good scavengers, they can be raised as free roaming birds in backyards, the professor said. Its longevity would also serve to bring in revenue for backyard raisers for a longer period of time, he pointed out.