Evaluation of Frizzle, Naked-neck and Normal Smooth Feather Nigerian Indigenous Chickens and Their Crosses for Productive Performance

This study evaluated the productive performance of Frizzle Feather, Naked-neck and Normal Smooth Feather Nigerian indigenous chickens and their crosses. The study focused on major productive characteristics including body weight, weight gain, feed intake, feed efficiency, mortality and rectal temperature during the starter, growing and laying phases. The results showed that the average initial body weights were generally similar among the experimental groups. During the starter phase, Frizzle Feather and the crossbred groups recorded relatively higher final body weights, while Normal Smooth Feather chickens recorded the highest average daily weight gain and feed efficiency. During the growing phase, Frizzle Feather and its crosses maintained slightly higher final body weights, whereas Normal Smooth Feather birds recorded a numerical advantage in daily weight gain and feed efficiency. Feed intake remained relatively similar among the genotypes and crosses throughout the evaluated periods. Mortality during the growing phase was low and comparable among the groups. Rectal temperatures also showed only slight numerical variations, with no significant differences among the genotypes and crosses. During the laying phase, Normal Smooth Feather chickens recorded the highest final body weight and maintained the highest numerical values for daily weight gain and feed efficiency. However, the observed differences in the major productive parameters were generally not statistically significant (p > 0.05). The study therefore concludes that Frizzle Feather, Naked-neck, Normal Smooth Feather and their crosses demonstrated comparable productive potential under the experimental conditions. The findings support the utilization of these indigenous genotypes in breeding and production programmes aimed at improving poultry productivity while maintaining valuable indigenous genetic resources.