The Production Systems, Phenotypic and Morphometric Diversity of the Local Hens "Gallus Gallus Domesticus" in Eastern Algeria

Abstract

Our work consists in characterizing the breeding of local chikens "Gallus Gallus domesticus" in the wilaya of Guelma (East Algeria), as also the phenotypic and morpho-biometric characterization of this species.

To achieve this, a survey was carried out in the field between November 2016 and August 2017, the following points were analysed: the socio-economic situation of the breeders, the farming method based on the history of the livestock, with phenotypic and morpho-biometric characterisation of 231 chickens from this region.

According to the surveys, women are the main managers of livestock farms to meet certain living needs; the population average is 11 chickens per farmer and the creation of livestock farms by farmers over an average period of 2 years; 27.3% of the farmers surveyed buy domestic village chickens and 41.8% of the market, the results also show that 92.7% of farmers indicate that almost all farms are in open breeding mode with the purchase of adult birds; 5.5% of farmers involve a closed mode and 61.8% the reproduction mode with known parents, 38.2% unknown parents, so over half the farmers are aware of at least one parent.

The results obtained for 231 hens sampled show a very different source of characteristics: the most frequent feather colours are walleye with 11.53%, brown with 11.37% and wheat with 11.17%, red with 9.33% and white with 8.44%, the other colours are: mille-fleurs, herminé, black, copper black, partridge, salmon, stone, grey and cuckoo are at lower frequencies ranging from 2.52% to 7%., The dominant feather distribution on the body is normal with 77.72%, the skin color is distributed as follows: white 39.8%, pink 34.64%, yellow with a variability of 21.59%, but rarely a pigmented skin with 4.02%,

The body measurements under consideration (body weight, tarsal length and diameter, barbel length and crest height) confirm sexual dimorphism with higher values in males than females,