An Assessment of Livelihood Status, Profitability, and Obstacles Faced in Native Chicken Farming in Some Selected Areas of Bangladesh

The present research aimed to assess the livelihood status of native chicken farmers in Bangladesh, their rate of profitability, constraints, and their suggestions for addressing these issues. Primary data were collected from a random sample of 260 native chicken-rearing farmers across six divisions in Bangladesh. The majority of farms (36.9%) fell into the small category (1–10 chickens), followed by medium (11–15 chickens) and large (>15 chickens) farms (31.9%). Common deshi hens were present in nearly 95% of the farms. In 2023, the market prices for different categories of chicken were as follows: roasters at 329.68 ± 7.20 BDT, hens at 302.22 ± 2.66 BDT, and chicks at 68.23 ± 2.28 BDT. The market prices for duck eggs, native chicken eggs, brown-shelled eggs, and white-shelled eggs ranged from 63.91 ± 0.52 to 61.07 ± 0.58 BDT per hali. The Patuakhali district had the highest benefit-cost ratio of 2.61, while Rangpur had the lowest at 1.57. Native chicken farming contributed 7.79% to household income. A multiple regression analysis revealed that almost all variables were influenced by income from native chicken farming, except for rearing costs. The major constraints reported were disease outbreaks and predatory animal attacks, mentioned by 80.4% of the farmers. In conclusion, native chicken farming in Bangladesh is profitable despite some challenges that need to be addressed.