IJSRCE182204 | Received : 10 March 2017 | Accepted : 25 April 2017 | March-April-2017 [ (2) 2 : 20-29] International Journal of Scientific Research in Civil Engineering © 2018 IJSRCE | Volume 2 | Issue 2 | ISSN : 2456-6667 20 Productive and Reproductive Performance of Indigenous Chickens in Ethiopia Matawork Milkias Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia ABSTRACT This study reviews the productive and reproductive performance of indigenous chickens in Ethiopia with the aim of delivering summarized and synthesized information for the beneficiaries and producers. Chicken production is encompasses into traditional scavenging, small and large-scale market orientated systems based on the objective of the producer, the type of inputs used and the number and types of chickens kept. In Ethiopia, indigenous chickens produces 10-20 eggs per clutch and 30-65 small eggs per hen per year in 3-4 clutches. Local chickens reach slaughter/market age at 8 to 12 months with 0.6-2.5kg average weight at farmer management system. Indigenous chickens require long time to reach sexual maturity and takes longest time to recover reproductive cycle by local broody hen. The average mortality rate was highest and which affects both productive and reproductive performance of indigenous chickens by reducing survival rate. There were huge number of indigenous chickens existing in Ethiopia but productivity was disproportional to the number of chickens. The major constraint which affects productive and reproductive performance of indigenous chickens are diseases and predators, feed shortages, lack of training and extension services, and lack of proper marketing systems. In conclusion, lowest productive and reproductive performance was recorded which needs further improvement by adjusting training and extension service for farmers. Keywords: Indigenous Chickens, Reproductive Performance, Productive Performance, Ethiopia. I. INTRODUCTION Poultry production is an important sector in Ethiopia where chickens and their products are important sources for income generation for rural peoples and important source for high quality protein for developing countries. Poultry in Ethiopia is similar with chicken and total chicken population were 60.5 million, from this 94.33%, 2.47% and 3.21% were indigenous, exotic and hybrid chickens, respectively (CSA, 2016). Backyard poultry production in Ethiopia represents a significant part of the national economy in general and the rural economy in particular, and contributes 83.5% of the national egg and meat products (CSA, 2016). Chicken production encompasses into traditional scavenging, small and large-scale market orientated sectors which is based on the objective of the producer, the type of inputs used and the number and types of chickens kept (Halima, 2007). The rural poultry sector constitutes about 98% of the total chicken population (FAO, 2007) and are largely consists of the indigenous or native domestic fowl. The traditional back yard systems are characterized by mainly low-input and small-scale with 4-10 mature birds per household, reared in the back yards with inadequate housing, feeding and health care. Scavenging is the most important component of the poultry diet (Fisseha et al., 2010, Meseret, 2010).