Chicken Rearing Practices in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia

The study was conducted to characterize chicken production practices in the eastern and southeastern zones of Tigray region. It was conducted in Hawzien, Degua-tembien and Hintalo-Wejirat Districts. Two peasant associations were selected from each district and 178 households were interviewed. The average age of the respondents was 38 years who were illiterate (71.3%) and primary school completed (15.2%). In the districts, the major crops grown were wheat, barley, and teff. However, maize and pea were also grown commonly. The households had an average flock size of 6 chicks, 3 pullets, 3 cockerels, 4 hens, and 2 cocks, and 98.9% and 99.4% of the farmers provided supplementary feeds and water to their chickens, respectively, in addition to scavenging. About 79% of farmers kept their chickens in private houses, while 16.5% slept in perches. Eggs used for hatching were stored in plastic containers (56.5%), in local containers mixed with dung (27.1%), and mixed straw (6.8%). Incubation was also mainly done from October to February, using locally available materials like metallic, plastic, grass, and pits. This process should be aligned with the availability of feed resources and suitable environmental conditions. Therefore, this indigenous knowledge is important to document, use, and improve farmers' experience for further research, modification and developmental interventions in the region.