A study aiming at enhancing the production and productivity of small-scale family poultry production system in urban and peri-urban areas, through demonstration and evaluation of dual purpose chicken breed conducted in Shashemene and Kuyera districts. In the study, five households (HHs) were involved and two days training on basic chicken management (health and nutrition) given at HH level. Each HH received 50 a day-old Potchefstroom Koekoek chicks to manage and record weekly body weights (BW) during the whole brooding, growing and laying periods of the whole 72 weeks. The bi-weekly BW of the birds recorded with the active involvement of each HH by taking the group weight and then average. The overall mean daily BW gains were 9.62±0.87 g and 13.7±0.28 g during the brooding and growing periods, respectively. There was a difference in the means of the monthly BW and daily BW gain observed between the two sexes during the laying period (the age of 20-52 weeks). The mean BW at 52 weeks of age was 2819±29.1 g and 2023±29.1 g for males and females, respectively. A mortality rate of 10.4±2.19%, 3.10±2.54% and 0.94±1.29% was recorded for the brooding, growing and laying periods, respectively. In conclusion, the growth performance and adaptation potential of this breed was good, and is highly accepted by the participants.

Keywords: Brooding, Demonstration, Growth, Potchefstroom Koekoek chicken