Assessment of fertility duration in hens after controlled mating and growth performance of resultant chicks.

Abstract

Fertility duration in laying indigenous hens after cock removal following mating and the growth performance of the resultant chicks was assessed. A total of 36 local hens selected from 4 districts of Uganda were divided into four pens of eight hens each, 12 cocks were kept in a separate pen for three weeks and introduced in female pens for two weeks and then removed. Eggs were collected, incubated weekly and candled on the 13th day for 15 weeks. Data was collected, entered in Microsoft excel and analyzed using SPSS. The average fertility after cock removal was 49.59±2.43%. The average time for the onset of fertile eggs after mating 107.33±3.2 hours and the average duration of fertile period of the indigenous hens was 12.93±5.47 days while their maximum duration of fertile period was 19 days. The resulting local chicks that hatched from these eggs were raised with other commercial exotic strains and their growth performances determined. Body weight was highest in broilers and lowest in local chickens but on average all birds weighed 1.5kgs after 14 weeks and cocks weighed significantly (p< 0.05) higher body weight than hens among the local chickens. The broilers consumed more feeds than the rest. It was concluded that the onset of fertility takes on average two days and lasts for an average of 7.23 days. It was recommended that collection of hatchable eggs be done two days after cock introduction and weekly matings or less are necessary for maximum flock fertility.