A STUDY ON HOUSING AND FEEDING MANAGEMENT IN BACKYARD POULTRY REARING IN THRISSUR DISTRICT

The study was conducted in two identified taluks in Thrissur district, to assess the management practices of backyard poultry production systems.In housing poultry, intensive and semiintensive system was followed by majority of respondents, in Chalakudy and Mukundapuram taluks with flock size of less than five birds.The poultry owners raised indigenous breeds of poultry birds including Kadaknath, Naked neck, Aseel, Tellicherry and cross breeds such as Gramasree and Gramalekshmi.The majority of respondents in Mukundapuram (64 per cent) and Chalakudy taluks (36 per cent) reared flock size of less than five birds respectively.Medium flock size of 6-10 birds were maintained in both taluks (28 per cent).Mukundapuram (36 per cent) progressed in rearing large flock size (>10 birds) but Chalakudy (8 per cent) maintained only less number of flock size.