Breeds of Chicken
Chickens are grown for their egg and meat. Likewise they are classified as
egg-type chicken and meat-types chickens. Egg type chickens are composed of stock that has been developed for
egg production and are maintained for the principal purpose of producing chicks for the ultimate production of
eggs for human consumption. Breeds of meat type chickens primarily include broilers, fryers, roasters, and
other meat type chickens. Here broilers and other chickens are raised for their meat. Broilers are genetically
selected for fast growth and raised for meat rather than eggs e.g. White Synthetic Male line (WSML), white
synthetic dam line (SDL), coloured synthetic male line (CSML), coloured synthetic female line (CSFL),
introgression of frizzle gene etc.
Indigenous breeds of egg type chicken in Kerala
| Breed |
Age at sexual Maturity |
Age at 50% egg production |
Total egg production (up to 72 weeks) |
Body weight at 72 weeks |
Egg weight |
Livability |
| 1. Gramalakshmi |
160 days |
180 days |
180-200 |
1.7 Kg |
50 g |
96% |
| 2. Gramapriya |
175 days |
190 days |
200-225 |
2.0 Kg |
55 g |
95% |
| 3. Athulya |
123 days |
145 days |
280-290 |
1.5 Kg |
55.8 g |
98% |
Native breeds of egg type chicken in India
| Breed |
Body weight (20 weeks) |
Age at sexual maturity (days) |
Annual egg production (No.) |
Egg weight at 40 weeks (g) |
Fertility |
Hatchability FES (5) |
| 1. Aseel |
1220 |
196 |
92 |
50 |
66 |
63 |
| 2. Frizzle |
1005 |
185 |
110 |
53 |
61 |
71 |
| 3. Kadaknath |
920 |
180 |
105 |
49 |
55 |
52 |
| 4. Naked neck |
1005 |
201 |
99 |
54 |
66 |
71 |
Other commercial breeds of broiler chicken in India
| Breed |
First egg |
50% Production |
Peak production |
Livability |
Egg production peak |
Feed efficiency |
Egg weight |
Net egg production (72 weeks) |
| ILI-80 |
17-18 weeks |
150 days |
26-28 weeks |
Grower (96%) Layer (94%) |
92% |
2.1 |
54 g |
280 eggs |
| Golden-92 |
18-19 weeks |
155 days |
27-29 weeks |
Grower (96%) Layer (94%) |
90% |
2.2 |
54 g |
265 eggs |
| Priya |
17-18 weeks |
150 days |
26-28 weeks |
Grower (96%) Layer (94%) |
92% |
2.1 |
57 g |
290 eggs |
| Sonali |
18-19 weeks |
155 days |
27-29 weeks |
Grower (96%) Layer (94%) |
90% |
2.2 |
54 g |
275 eggs |
| Devendra |
18-19 weeks |
155 days |
27-29 weeks |
Grower (97%) Layer (94%) |
90% |
2.5 |
50 g |
200 eggs |
Commercial available meat-type chicken in India
| Breed |
Weight at six weeks (g) |
Weight at seven weeks (g) |
Food conversion ratio |
Livability |
| B-77 |
1300 |
1600 |
2.3 |
98-99 |
| CARIBRO-91 |
1650 |
2100 |
1.94-2.2 |
97-98 |
| CARIBRO Multicoloured |
1600 |
2000 |
1.9-2.1 |
97-98 |
| CARIBRO Naked necked |
1650 |
2000 |
1.9-2.0 |
97-98 |
| Varna |
1500 |
1800 |
2.1-2.25 |
97 |
