Growth performance and morphological study of two backyard chicken varieties with 25 per cent Aseel inheritance

Performance of two synthetic backyard varieties with 25% Aseel inheritance developed at AICRP on Poultry Breeding, Hyderabad was studied. Overall mean body weights in Type I and Type II genetic groups were 213.1 and 195.5; 417.7 and 426.0; 765.4 and 748.9; 1112.2 and 1158.0; 1432.0 and 1460.8; 1656.5 and 1667.1 and 1798.4 and 1766.8 g at 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24 and 40 weeks of age, respectively with significant differences among genetic groups at 4, 12 and 16 weeks of age. Significant sexual dimorphism in favor of males was observed at almost all ages. Both the genetic groups demonstrated wide variation in morphological traits such as chick colour, plumage colour and pattern which is desirable for backyard varieties. The two genetic groups studied were found to be promising.