indigenous race of hen: egg physical characteristics and laying performance case of a family poultry farm in madagascar

The purpose of the present study is to get a better knowledge of the malagasyindigenous race of hen through its egg physical characteristics and its layingperformance in order to promote villager poultry production. this study wasundertaken within a local family farm, of the rural township ofambalamahasoa, haute matsiatra region, madagascar, with 25 hens and 4roosters in age to reproduce. from 180 collected eggs and 4 incubation testswith three repetitions, the results showed that: 1 – eggs were light weighted(average weight=45.49±4.63g), of small calibers (averagelength=4.82±0.22cm; average diameter = 3.61±0.15cm) but of normal format(average if=0.75±0.03) 2 – they were presenting a good fertility rate (73.94%)with a high hatching percentage (90.16%) and a low embryonic death rate(9.84%). the mother-hen is both a good brooder and a good local reproducer.egg physical variability reflects a broad genetic diversity within the indigenousrace among the poultry population; which could constitute an asset for villagerpoultry production promotion and poultry biodiversity conservation inmadagascar.