Vol. 11, Special Issue 2 (2022)

Author(s):
Prabhudeva AN, Jayanaik, HC Indresh, Basavraj Inamdar, Sanjeev Kumar M and Ananda Manegar G

Abstract:
The field study was conducted to characterize the indigenous chicken of the Mysore Division of Karnataka State. Twenty villages of every selected district were surveyed to collect and document information with regard to managemental practices and phenotypic characteristics under field conditions. The average flock size observed in the entire Mysore Division was 24.79±0.17. The separate housing facility provided was 39.33% in Hassan and 46% in Kodagu District. Dakshina Kannada and in Chikmagalur farmers provided shelter to their indigenous birds is by 58.33% and Udupi is 46%. The percentage of farmers providing extra grains in addition to scavenging with locally available which is not fit for human use Hassan Districts farmers used to provide extra feed by 65% whereas, Chikmagalur and Dakshina Kannada is 62.67% and 57.33% respectively, Kodagu and Udupi provide by 40.67% and 27.33% respectively. The average marketing age of cocks is 9.10±0.03 and hen is 11.46±0.05 months. All the birds were normal feathered. The predominant plumage color and pattern observed was multicolour and solid in males, and brown and dull in females, respectively. The skin and shanks were yellow coloured in majority of the birds. All the observed birds had red ear lobes and majority had brown eyes. Most of the cocks had wattles and have single, pea and rose combed. This study revealed distinctive variations among the birds of five districts of the Mysore Division, providing the basis for further characterization of these indigenous chickens.