LAYING PATTERNS AND EGG PRODUCTION OF INDIGENOUS 'KAMPUNG' CHICKENS

ENGKU AZAHAN

SUMMARY

Laying patternsa nd egg productiono f indigenous 'Kampung chickens reared intensively on commercial feed were investigated over a laying period of eleven weeks. Results were compared to corresponding laying chancteristics of a commmercial layer strain reared under similar management and nutrition. 'Kampung' chickens attained sexual maturity at the mean age of 24 weeks. The laying patters were generally characterised by small clutch size interrupted by short pauses in laying and long periods of broodiness. The egg production was low and the size of the egg small. In contrast, the commercial layers had bigger egg clutches (P <0.01) and laid more eggs (P<0.01) which were also heavier (P<0.01) than those of the 'Kampung birds. They were also non-broody . The only apparen stimilarity between the 2 types of birds was that accession to sexual maturity occurred at about the same age. The poor laying performance of the 'Kampumg' chickens was attibuted partly to the acurrences of broodiness which accounted for a considerable portion of laying days. However, the prime factor contributing to the overall low productivity and the non-uniform laying pattern of the 'Kampung birds was probably the total absence of any selective breeding among the local fowls.

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