The study was conducted to evaluate the growth, carcass, and egg production performance of indigenous chicken strains kept under intensive production systems in Gambella region, Ethiopia. A total of 649 indigenous chickens of four (4) strains were kept for growth, carcass, and egg production performance evaluation. Completely randomized design (CRD) treatments were used. Chicks have been monitored from day one as much as 32 weeks in frame weight, gain, age at the start egg and egg quantity. The day-old chicks mean body weight of Ab, GKz, It, and La; indigenous chicken strains were 26.53 ± 0.22, 27.01 ± 0.19, 26.44 ± 0.24, and 26.23 ± 0.31g, respectively. The mean body weight at first egg production (g) and age at first egg production (day) of Ab, GKz, It, and La was (1084 ± 0.22, 151), (1079 ± 0.41, 152), (1077 ± 0.53, 150), and (1073 ± 0.26, 154), respectively. The dressing percentage (%) of the Ab, GKz, It, and La, was 72.79 ± 3.22, 71.55 ± 3.20, 78.51 ± 3.19, and 78.39 ± 3.17, respectively. The HDEP (%) for Abobo, Gambella Ketema Zuria, Itang, and Lare was, 52.58, 51.79, 48.91, and 49.41, respectively.
Keywords: chicken, egg, growth, indigenous, strains