Local chicken production: strategy of household poultry development in coastal regions of Niger Delta, Nigeria

Abstract

The egg and meat production of local chicken (Gallus domesticus) is an indispensable component of household poultry development.  The rapid production of local chicken has become a commercial trend in coastal regions of Niger Delta.  Consumers prefer local chicken equally to that of cockerel and they consider it tastier than the broiler meat.  Local chicken production management is easier than the broiler production particularly in the coastal regions where modern facilities including electric supply are not available.  In this region, the household poultry keeper derived an economic importance of lower chicken price, lower mortality and morbidity, lower management cost, lower initial investment, better market demand, low abdominal fact, less disease susceptibility, more organoleptic preference.  Household labour utilization and easy management are the strategic advantages of local chicken rearing at household poultry farming.  The government should adopt a system of approach to local chicken development which will encourage adaptive and basic research in genetics and breeding, health care packages, feeds, feeding and nutrition, general management, economic and social aspects of raising the profitability and usability of local chicken for high productivity.