IMPACT OF VARIOUS HOUSING SYSTEMS ON PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE, EGG QUALITY, AND HATCHING TRAITS IN NORMAL FEATHER, PARTIAL FEATHER, AND NAKED NECK CHICKEN GENOTYPES - Arif Hameed Kakar; Shahid Mehmood; Sohail Ahmad; Arshad Javid (Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences, 2025)
Present study evaluated the performance, egg quality, and hatching results of three chicken genotypes (full feather, partial feather, and Naked Neck) reared in three different housing systems (open sided, aviary, and backyard system) during the production period (26-48 weeks). A total of 405 birds (81 males & 324 females) were randomly distributed into 9 treatment groups, each replicated 3 times with 15 birds in each (3 males and 12 females) under randomized complete block design. Data were recorded regarding productive performance, egg geometry and quality characteristics, and hatching results. Partial feather chickens exhibited better (p ≤ 0.05) productive performance, including body weight, egg weight, production percentage, egg number, and egg mass. Full feather birds were better (p ≤ 0.05) in egg quality traits regarding egg weight, surface area, volume, yolk index, and shell pores number. Naked neck chicken had higher (p ≤ 0.05) Haugh unit values and better (p ≤ 0.05) egg shell breaking strength. Full feather and partial feather birds revealed better (p ≤ 0.05) hatchability and fertility and had lower infertile eggs. Birds reared under aviary and open-sided houses were more (p ≤ 0.05) heavier at week 48. The yolk index of open-sided reared bird’s egg was better (p ≤ 0.05). The hatchability and fertile eggs rate were better (p ≤ 0.05) in backyard reared birds. It was concluded that partial-feathered chicken genotypes demonstrated superior productive performance, while full-feathered genotypes exhibited better egg quality traits. Both partial- and full-feathered chickens achieved favorable hatching results. Birds reared in open-sided houses showed higher body weights and yolk index values, whereas backyard birds exhibited superior hatching traits.
Keywords: journal article; Chicken genotypes; Housing systems; Productive performance; Feathering; Hatchability