Evaluation of Physical Egg Quality Characteristics of Free Range Indigenous Malawian Normal Feathered and Frizzled Chicken

Abstract

The study was conducted at the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Bunda campus, Animal Science farm. The study used 12 hens on free range system which were supplemented with maize bran in the morning before releasing them. IC hens of two different phenotypes (normal feathered and frizzled) of first to sixth parity were randomly selected and weighed. Four eggs were randomly collected per clutch and weighed. Hen weight and egg weight were collected using digital scale; egg volume using gradual beaker, egg length and egg width using vernier caliper. The egg shells were washed then air dried for three days after which the dry shells were weighed using a scale and the shell thickness using vernier caliper. Data was analysed using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) where hen weight was taken as a covariate. Results showed that there were no significant differences (P>0.05) between eggs from normal feathered and frizzled feathered IC in most of physical characteristics such as; egg weight, egg volume, egg length, egg width, shell weight, shell thickness, egg texture and egg colour which had means of 44.70g frizzled and 45.89g normal, 36.57cm3 Frizzled and 39.48cm3 normal, 55.67mm frizzled and 53.46mm normal, 39.03mm frizzled and 39.96mm respectively. It was also noted that eggs (81.82%) from both phenotype were cream white in colour with smooth texture, except egg index which was significantly different (P<0.05) between frizzled (71.37%) and normal (75.27%) IC.