Stability of Native Chicken Raising Systems: The Case of Lawa Ethnic in Mae Hong Sorn Province, Thailand

This study’s purpose is to examine the stability of the native chicken raising system of the Lawa people in the Dong village, Houy Lom sub-district, Mae Lanoi district, Mae Hong Sorn province, Thailand. The methodology is a qualitative survey, using an observational checklist, and semi-structured interview of the local experts, focused on the topic of indigenous chicken stability. The Dong village has 229 households and a population of about 993 people (4- 5 villagers per household). The main occupation of the villagers is to raise native chickens for offering spirit, called Phuk Kwan, and as food for household consumption. The ecology of native chicken raising in the village is tied to the feeding methods, feed quality and natural control of naive chickens. The hatch rate is about 40% of fertile eggs per period, and the living rate is between 50% and 70% of hatchlings. The reproductive rate of native chickens is very low, but the time to return to production after die-off from epidemics is short 5 to 8 months, and this is one reason the villagers do not vaccinate the native chickens. The ethnic group’s productivity in raising native chickens is not different from that in the lowland region or that of the other ethnic groups in the northeast region of the country, which shows that the Lahu ethnic group maintains the stability of the native chicken production system. This is because at present, the chicken has remained in food production and useful due to the belief systems in the community, but there is a risk that the system is breaking down because the community and believers are changing with the social dynamics, and the benefits of raising native chickens have continued to trend downward. Making a valuable product is very important to the continuation of native chicken raising in the Lahu community.