Characterization of Family Poultry Production System in the Rural Sector of Al-Sharkia Governorate, Egypt

A longitudinal data collection (repeated survey) and a cross sectional survey was conducted in twenty-four villages in three districts; Menia El-Kamh, Hahya and Fakos in Al-Sharkia governorate, which is located in the north eastern region of Egypt. The objectives of this study were to describe the existing village poultry production systems. Using a systematic random sampling technique, one hundred and thirty-five households were randomly selected in the survey. The system identified was family poultry production system; involves two sub-systems: small-scale system and medium-scale system. The family small-scale system represented about 21% of the studied farms versus 79% for the family medium-scale. The results showed that, the family poultry production system (small-scale and medium-scale systems) in the studies area were based on indigenous chickens with scavenging and seasonal supplementary feeding depends on the quantity of the available resources. The householders supply little by the end of agricultural season when the feed resource is becoming scarce in the house. The supplementary feed in the surveyed area includes home-made ration (included maize and soya been), green forage and kitchen refusals in the small-scale and medium-scale systems. The overall mean flock size for the study area was 7.25 and 28.3 birds in the small-scale system and medium-scale system, respectively. The overall mean cocks:hen ratio was 1:5.8 and 1:2.1 in the small-scale system and medium-scale system, respectively. It was also observed that 57.14 % and 8.41% of householders in the small-scale and medium-scale systems, respectively, have coops for their chicken. About 17.86% and 57.94% of householders in the small-scale system and medium-scale system, respectively, have a room beside their houses to keep the birds. In 25% and 33.64% of householders in the small-scale system and medium-scale system, respectively, the birds were kept in a room inside the house.