A move from subsistence to semi-commercial family poultry farming with local chickens: effective strategies for family poultry in Bangladesh.

A study of indigenous Bangladesh chickens under village conditions showed that these birds typically lay 3 clutches of eggs and produce on an average 46 eggs per year, and hens need 105-140 days to complete a production cycle. Mortality of scavenging chicks averaged 57% up to three months of age. A rural household earns only 3310 BDT (1USD=70 BDT) in a year from a flock of 18 chickens with an average of 3.9 layers, although cash income is currently estimated to be only 558 BDT. Changes to traditional management practices can be used to increase in laying performance, e.g. early weaning and creep feeding of chicks increase egg production of hens and reduces chick mortality. Early weaning contributes to an increase in annual egg production by shortening the length of the production cycle from 124 to 66 days. Egg production can hence be increased from an average of 46 to 99 eggs per hen per year. Creep feeding reduced chick mortality from 57% to 12%. Improved management practices not only increase egg production, but also contribute to higher household income, up to 23964 BDT per year. Early weaning, creep feeding of chicks and supplemental feeding of hens during the incubation period, were observed to be effective management tools in achieving a transition from subsistence to economically viable semi-commercial production. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]