This study was conducted in four districts (Bambassi, Kamashi, Mao-komo and Homosha) of Benishangul-Gumuz regional state to describe physical and morphological characteristics of local chicken population in the study area. A total of 847 matured local chickens (619 females and 228 males) were randomly sampled from the study area. Mean live body weight and other linear body measurements of males was significantly (p<0.05) higher than females. The overall mean values of measured traits of male indigenous chickens for body length, wing span, and height and body weight were 37.0±4.26cm, 22.9±2.72, and 41.9±5.47cm and 1.5±0.413 kg, respectively. While the respective values for mature females were 34.0±3.19cm, 21.4±2.72cm, 36.6±2.98cm and1.3±0.32kg. Almost all chickens (91%) in the study area were feathered neck. Regarding the head shape, 81% of the chicken in the study area had plain head shape and the remaining (19%) were crest. Single comb was the most common (82 %) comb type and was predominant in all of the study districts. The study revealed that most of the parameters measured revealed distinctive variations, providing the basis for further characterization of local chicken breeds; therefore future study can be concentrated on selection for qualitative traits of interest.

Keywords: Benishangulgumuz: Local chicken; Phenotypic characterization; Qualitative variation; Quantitative variation