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1. Two experiments were conducted to determine the influence of the frizzle gene (F) on the production and quality of chicken eggs kept on village farms in Ghana. 2. In the first experiment, 144 pullets, 72 each of Ff and ff pullets from F1 birds, were compared in a randomised complete block design (RCBD), with three villages and 4 batches of hatch as blocks and the two feather genotypes (Ff and ff) as the treatments. 3. The Ff pullets were superior (P < 0.05) to their ff counterparts in terms of the number of eggs per clutch, egg mass and hen-housed and hen-d rates of lay, whereas age at first egg was lower (P < 0.05) in ff layers compared to Ff ones. 4. The eggs of the F1 heterozygous frizzle (Ff) layers had higher values for albumen height, Haugh unit and yolk height compared with eggs from their normal feathered counterparts. 5. In the second experiment, 144 pullets, 48 each of FF, Ff and ff pullets, were compared in a RCBD, with three villages and 4 batches of hatch as blocks and the two feather genotypes (Ff and ff) as the treatments. 6. The F2 birds with genotypes Ff and FF were better than their ff counterparts in terms of the number of eggs per clutch, egg mass, and hen-housed and hen-d rates of lay. Age at first egg was significantly lower in ff layers compared to FF and Ff ones. 7. The Haugh unit value was higher in the homozygous and heterozygous frizzles compared to the normal feathered ones. 8. The presence of the frizzle gene (F) in egg type chickens led to an improvement in egg production and egg quality traits in village chickens, and the cross-breeding scheme evaluated in this project could contribute to improved productivity.

1. Two experiments were conducted to develop naked neck (Na/na) and normal feathered (na/na) crossbreds and compare their growth performance, linear body measurements and carcass characteristics in the first and second filial generations. 2. In the first experiment, 4 indigenous naked neck males (Na/na) were mated to 36 Lohmann commercial females (na/na) in a ratio of 1:9. The two genotypes (Na/na, na/na) were allocated randomly according to batches of hatch, sire lines and sex to three different villages. 3. In the second experiment, 10 males and 100 females of F1 Na/na birds were selected and mated inter se in a ratio of 1:10. The three genotypes (Na/Na, Na/na and na/na) were compared in a randomised complete block design experiment, with the three villages, hatch and sex as blocks and the three genotypes as treatments. F1 Na/na birds had significantly higher (P < 0.05) feed conversion ratio, body weight, body weight gain, linear body measurements, survivability and carcass yield than their na/na counterparts. 4. In the F2 generation, Na/Na and Na/na birds had significantly higher (P < 0.05) feed conversion ratio, body weight, body weight gain, linear body measurements, survivability and carcass yield compared to their na/na counterparts. 5. The birds showing the naked neck phenotype appeared to show superior performance compared to normal feathered birds and could be exploited for potential utilisation in local poultry production.