Fertility and hatchability as affected by modifier genes in the Nigerian local chickens of the Guinea Savanna

Abstract

Eggs collected from 90 female Nigerian local chicken comprising of 30 of each of fully feathered, frizzle feathered and naked neck genotypes were artificially incubated in a cabinet-type electric incubator. Fertility was determined 7 days post incubation by candling while hatchability was calculated at the end of the 21 days incubation period. Fertility and hatchability varied significantly between the genetic groups. Percentage fertility and hatchability were respectively 69.46 and 75.058.59 and 71.43 and 90.43 and 85.88 in the fully feathered, frizzle feathered and naked neck birds. The naked neck gene favoured increased fertility and hatchability in the indigenous chickens in the study environment. Thus, purposeful selection for the naked neck gene will increase the productivity of the local chickens of the guinea savanna region of Nigeria thereby further alleviating the already existing animal protein dearth especially among the rural poor in this agro ecological zone Furthermore, the introgression of the naked neck gene into the fully feathered and frizzle feathered birds is recommended for investigation by poultry breeders