Résumé:
Field surveys were conducted with eight rural families in the province of Ghardaia for phenotypic characterization of the local chicken population. A total of 97 indigenous chickens (including 24 males and 73 females) were carefully observed and measured. The results showed that women are the main culprits of poultry farms and that they use the modest income of this type of farm to meet certain domestic costs. The hens are raised under poor conditions and their productivity is low. Incidences of animals carrying certain mutations such as the crested, Frizzled and naked neck were 13.4%; 8.24% and 2% respectively.The body measurements (body weight, tarsus length, wattle length, body length, wing span, height and crest length) showed a pronounced sexual dimorphism in favor of males, not only for live weight (1700 ±, 40 g (1370 ± 27 g, P <0.0001), but also for other conformation parameters. However, no significant differences (P> 0.05) were found between both sexes for chest circumference, body length and tarsus length. This study should be supplemented by genetic and molecular characterization. Thus combination of phenotypic and genetic information and improving breeding conditions should help the farmer to improve the performance of local chickens..
