HOW TO RAISE VILLAGE CHICKENS

By PENAJANI NZIMA

VILLAGE chickens are the most common type of livestock found in many rural households here in Zambia. The birds are kept by most households in these rural setup seven those with very limited resources.  

These birds are a lovable delicacy in most homes, at kitchen parties, weeding ceremonies, even birthday parties and many more other festivals.

Some people have even stopped consuming broiler chickens in preference to village chickens which they say have a natural taste due to no additive of artificial ingredients to their food. They rely much on scavenging, in short, they are free range birds.

The village chickens that are reared by rural dwellers are mostly done at small scale level but people who are passionate at investing in this venture can do the same even here in urban areas. These birds can be a very good money spinner venture.

And these birds can be accessed in urban areas from local markets for instance herein Lusaka it is at the famous Lusaka Livestock Market situated near the notorious Chibolya compound. This market is a hive of business activity of different live animals that range from goats, sheep, ducks and village chickens that are brought by business people from various villages especially Southern province.

This article will look at the basics that are suppose to be put into consideration before one can embark on the journey of rearing village chickens.  

According to a Practical Village Chicken production manual By M M Chibinga of Choma, Zambia. The practical manual outlines in details what must be put into consideration before embarking on the journey of rearing village chickens. I have extracted just a few of those details that the would-be village chicken farmers can use and be successful.  

CATEGORIES OF VILLAGE CHICKENS IN ZAMBIA

To ensure good and appropriate management of village chickens, it should be recognized that the flock can be divided into four different groups:

• chickens less than seven weeks old.
• growing chickens.
• breeding hens and cocks.
• culled birds.

FACTORS LEADING TO LOW PRODUCTIVITY IN VILLAGE CHICKENS

A number of factors can lead to low productivity in village chickens, including the following:

• Poor disease control and treatment methods.
• Poor nutrition.
• In-breeding.
• Chickens being left to brood chicks for too long.
• The lack of a good plan for production and sales, which can make farmers feel their chickens are not profitable.
• Poor or no housing: if chickens have to find their own place to spend the night, they often choose trees, which exposes them to predators and thieves. Pests are a threat if enclosures are dirty.

HOW TO SOURCE CHICKENS FOR BREEDING

Breeding is the mating of chickens of different sexes, a process that leads to chicks being hatched. When you are purchasing male and female chickens for breeding, consider these points:

• Chickens should be free from disease and pests.
• Chickens should have good laying, hatching and brooding characteristics.
• The birds should have good selling qualities.
• It is advisable to buy your birds at the end of the rainy season when they are in good condition due to the abundance of good food.
• It is a good idea to consider buying chickens when they are cheap so you can make more profit.
• It is important to put the birds in comfortable cages and provide them with food and water while transporting them.

HOW TO SELECT BIRDS FOR BREEDING AND BROODING

• Birds selected for breeding should outperform other birds in the flock:
• They should be fast-growing compared with birds of the same age.
• They should have a higher live weight than other birds of the same age in the flock.
• Birds should show good early feathering as this will ensure that they are able to keep warm at an early age.
• They should have a good appearance with no signs of illness, disease or pests.
• The males should be known for their aggressiveness in chasing and courting females or should come from cocks that were aggressive.
• The females selected for laying eggs should be known to lay large clutches of at least 12 or more eggs, or should have come from parent hens with large clutches.
• Those selected for brooding should be known to hatch high numbers successfully or for hatching all the eggs they sit on.
• Birds should be selected for brooding based on whether all or almost all of the chicks they hatch survive and grow, or on whether they come from hens which were good brooders.

BREEDING

There are basically two types of breeding:

• cross-breeding
• in-breeding

Generally, hens will lay their first egg at the age of 22–30 weeks and lay 2 to4 clutches of 5 to 20 eggs a year, depending on the season and, particularly, the availability of feed. The average weight of an egg is 40g (with a range of27–65g).

• Hens often find dark, quiet places for laying eggs and brooding.
• Typically, about 8 chicks per clutch will hatch, with a range of between 4 and15.
• Incubation takes 21 days and chicks will follow their mothers immediately afterhatching.
• Only 20–50 per cent of chicks hatched will reach adulthood. Approximately 85per cent of these losses occur in the first three weeks of life. Adult mortality is very variable and depends on specific local conditions and the occurrence of disease.

Cross-breeding is the mating of chickens that are not related. In-breeding is the mating of related chickens, e.g. a mother and son, father and daughter, or brother and sister. In-breeding causes problems: poor growth of chicks, susceptibility to disease, lameness etc. To avoid in-breeding, change cocks every four to five months. This will ensure that the cocks do not breed with their daughters when they become sexually mature. The only sexually mature male in the flock should be a carefully selected cock. Breeding and production facts

• Both sexes have a body weight of about 0.5kg at 10–12 weeks (although males are slightly heavier). Hens weigh no more than 1.2–1.5kg at the point of laying and a cock weighs 1.4–2.5kg at the age of maturity.

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FEEDING

Chickens need adequate feed to maintain their condition (e.g. to move around, renew their feathers and fight diseases), to grow and to produce eggs. Their diet – like the diet of humans – consists of different nutrients: water, carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and crude fibre

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