FERTILITY AND EGG HATCHABILITY OF FOUR STRAINS OF NIGERIA HEAVY ECOTYPE LOCAL CHICKENS (NHELC)

Abstract

A study was conducted to investigate the fertility and egg hatchability of four strains of Nigerian Heavy Ecotype Local Chickens (NHELC). The four strains, designated into treatments, comprised T1(white), T2(barred), T3(golden) and T4(black) plumage colours.Forty matured NHELC birds made up of 8 cocks and 32 hens were assigned to the corresponding treatments of 8 hens and 2 cocks/treatment. They were housed separately according to treatments and sexes. 115 g of commercial layer‘s mash was given per bird and water were given ad libitum. Breeder cocks previously evaluated for fertility were employed and artificial insemination (AI) was used. The trial was done in a completely randomized design (CRD).The results of the study showed that there were no significant (P>0.05) differences in egg length and shape index of eggs among the hens in the four treatments.
Significant (P<0.05) differences however occurred in egg width and egg weight. There were no significant (P>0.05) differences in fertility, hatchability, embryonic mortality and chick hatch weights.It was concluded that strain differences did not affect fertility and hatchability of the four strains of NHELC studied.