2. Introduction
Hilly chicken are found in Hilly areas of the Chittagong region and reared for
local consumption and its egg and meat has a unique taste, is regarded as a
delicacy, and is popular among consumers.
Hilly chicken was superior to non-descriptive deshi and naked neck in terms
of body weight gain.
The heavier body size of the Hilly chickens indicated that it can be used as
slow growing meat type chicken in Bangladesh.
3. Hilly chickens are considered very valuable in the rural communities because they fulfill
major functions and benefits in the livelihood of rural families. Hilly chickens are broody,
able to take care of their own chicks.
The hilly chicken has the ability to adapt, survive, perform and reproduce under harsh,
hot and humid climatic conditions better than the normal feathered birds.
Introduction
4. I. To study the morphometric characterization of different traits of Hilly
chicken.
II. To reveal their productive and reproductive performance for future
selection and conservation.
Objectives
5. Study area: Sylhet Agricultural University, (SAU).
Study duration: July, 2019 to March, 2020
Study population: 25
Materials and Methods
6. Working procedures
1. Selection and
collection of birds
2. Management
procedure
3. Banding
4.Vaccination 5. Data collection 6. Data analysis
Materials and Methods
7. Parameters Studied
Morphometric parameters: Comb type, comb color, plumage color, shank
color, eye color, egg color, body length, shank length, and wingspan were
observed in this study.
Production parameters: Body weight at different ages were estimated.
Reproduction parameters: Egg weight, egg length, egg width, age at first
egg laying, body weight at first egg laying, hatchability (%) were measured.
Materials and Methods
8. Figure 01: Weight of Hilly chicken Figure 02: Measurement of Head to tail length
Materials and Methods
9. Figure 03: Measurement of Chest Girth Figure 04: Measurement of Wingspan
Materials and Methods
10. Figure 06: Measurement of Egg weight
Figure 05: Measurement of Shank length
Materials and Methods
13. Table 1. Mean with standard error (mean ± S.E) of different morphometric traits of Hilly chicken
Traits/Age Sex 8- weeks 10 weeks 15 weeks 19 weeks
Wing span (cm) Male
Female
42± .66
41±.61
52.17±.66
50.33±.75
58.5±.76
58.17±.66
59.5±1.48
59±1.25
Overall 41.75 51.25 58.3 59.5
Head to Tail
Length (cm)
Male
Female
28.17±.48
28.75 ±.51
36.5 ±.54
35.83 ±.43
41.83 ±.48
41.67±.54
46.0±1.21
45. ±.89
Overall 28.33 36.17 41.75 46
Shank Length Male
Female
4.9±.4.79
4.7±5.25
5.6 ±5.20
5.6 ±4.95
6.5 ±5.25
6.2 ±4.95
7.0 ±9.25
6.8 ±10.5
Overall 4.7 5.5 6.3 6.8
14. Traits Wing length Head to tail length
Wing length
Head to tail length 0.916**
Shank length 0.882** 0.926
**correlation is significant at the 0.01 level
Table 2. The correlation between different morphometric traits of Hilly chicken
15. Table 3. Body weight of Hilly chicken according to sex and age
Age Sex Mean ± S.E F value Pr>f
Doc Male
Female
Overall
27.5±15.03
26±14.04
27
99999.99 0.0001
1 Week Male
Female
Overall
49±22
47±23.5
48.5
99999.99 0.0001
2 Week Male
Female
Overall
76±22
75±21.5
75.83
99999.99 0.0001
3 Week Male
Female
Overall
109±22.50
95±21.75
104.5
99999.99 0.0001
4 Week Male
Female
Overall
169±22.30
145±21.60
160.5
99999.99 0.0001
Age Sex Mean ± S.E F
value
Pr>f
6 Week Male
Female
Overall
255±23.5
230±20.60
255.67
99999.99 0.0001
8 Week Male
Female
Overall
408±16.80
370±14.23
380.17
99999.99 0.0001
10 Week Male
Female
Overall
641±13.37
598±14.5
619.50
99999.99 0.0001
15 Week Male
Female
Overall
1003±15.25
975±14.50
989.08
99999.99 0.0001
19 Week Male
Female
Overall
1445±27.80
1004±30.05
1445
99999.99 0.0001
17. Traits Mean ± SE
Day old chick weight(gm) 28.3±0.56
Egg weight (gm) 39.6±0.55
Egg Length 4.89±0.02
Egg width(cm) 3.85±0.03
Age at first egg(week) 25.23±0.44
Body weight at first egg(gm) 1286±153.68
Incubation period 21.55±0.1
Fertility 76.59%
Hatchability 81.51%
Mortality 12.98%
Table 5 Reproductive traits of Hilly chicken
18. Table 6 Phenotypic correlation among reproductive traits of Hilly chicken
Traits Egg weight Egg length Egg width DOC
Egg weight
Egg length 0.466**
Egg width 0.443** 0.284**
DOC 0.288** 0.137** 0.036**
**correlation is significant at the 0.01 level
19. Table 7 Color and shape of different body parts of Hilly chicken
Traits Observations
Eye color Brown orange (42%), Yellow and Black (35%), Brown and Black (23%)
Plumage color Black brownish
Shank color black (40%), yellow (60%)
Skin color White (100%)
Comb color Red (100%)
Earlobe color Red (84%), White (16%)
Egg color White (84%), Light Brown (16%)
Comb type Single (100%)
Body type Round
Egg Shape Oval
20. Hilly chicken morphometric characteristics, productive and
reproductive performance are better than that of other indigenous under
proper care and management.
Body weight of Hilly chicken has significantly heavier than that of other
indigenous chicken that may be the alternative protein source in
Bangladesh.
The present study will help to select breeding strategies for Hilly
chicken to increase their productivity.
Conclusion
21. Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Faculty of Veterinary,
Animal & Biomedical Sciences, Sylhet Agricultural University.
Faculty of Veterinary, Animal & Biomedical Sciences, Sylhet
Agricultural University.
SAURES, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet.
Acknowledgement