Qualitative Diversity of Northeastern Nigerian Indigenous Chicken Populations.

Abstract

A total of 600 adult indigenous chickens of central and southern parts of Borno state were examined for qualitative characteristics which consisted of 322 (53.67%) males and 278 (46.33%) females. The qualitative traits considered included plumage colour, comb type, feather characteristics and earlobe, shank and eye colours. Data collected on the qualitative parameters were analyzed using descriptive statistics (means, percentage and frequency) using SPSS (2011), v. 20. There were abundant chickens with brown red (27%) and white birds (17%) in the central while black birds dominated (17.4%) the southern part. Chickens with multicolour plumage were most frequent (31.3%). More hens were multicoloured and cocks were mostly white. Normal feathered chickens abound (59.7%), naked neck (16%) and frizzle (24.3%) feathered chickens were scanty. Cocks of normal feathered (59.9%) and naked neck (21.4%) were more prevalent. Reverse was the case for frizzle feathered (31.7%). Seventy eight percent (78%) of the chickens was normal headed (with no crest). Crestedness was more frequent with birds from the southern part (37.7%). Single comb chickens were in abundant (75.2%). Chickens with white shank (30.3%) were predominant. Chickens with yellow shank colour dominated the southern part (29%). Cocks were more of white shank (31%) and hens were varied in shank colour. Chickens with orange eye colour were predominant (39.2%). Most chickens possessed white earlobe (36.7%). The multiple variants in qualitative characteristics revealed in this study provided essential tools for designing an effective selection and conservation programme for improvement of qualitative potentials inherent in these chickens