Mortality in backyard chicken reared by women

A total of 130 female farmers rearing backyard chicken were randomly selected from 13 villages (10 farmers/village) around Peshawar city. Information regarding flock size, housing facility for chicken feed given to new born chicks, type of chicken, age of the chicken and season of the year were collected to investigate mortality in backyard chicken. Average mortality in backyard chicken was 34.34 plus minus 2.89% ranging from 2.10 to 84% with a coefficient of variation of 74.14%. Mortality was significantly higher (p less than 0.05) in 0-06 months old chicks (39.83 plus minus 2.32%) than in adult birds (28.84 plus minus 1.68%). Higher (p less than 0.05) mortality was found in WLH (45.32 plus minus 5.95%) than in Non-descriptor indigenous chicken (Desi; 20.94 plus minus 5.94%). Differences in mortality between Rohde Island Red (RIR) and Fayumi were not significant. Significantly higher (p less than 0.05) mortality was fund in non-vaccinated chicken (45.03 plus minus 2.47%) than those vaccinated against Newcastle Disease (ND) +fowl-pox (22.59 plus minus 11.71%. Differences in mortality among chickens vaccinated at the time of the onset of the disease, vaccinated against ND and non-vaccinated flocks were also significant. Higher (p less than 0.05) mortality was found in backyard chicken during winter (57.28 plus minus 2.14%) than in spring season (13.12 plus minus 2.43%). Mortality was also higher during summer (49.90 plus minus 1.800 than in fall season (17.06 plus minus 3.46%). Higher (p less than 0.05) mortality was observed in backyard chicken having no housing facility (41.54 plus minus 6.88%) than those given part time housing, facility (28.09 plus minus 4.11%). Mortality), was higher (p less than 0.05) in those flocks when new born chicks were fed grains only (44.32 plus minus 2.53%) than those given starter ration along with purgatives (18.16 plus minus 2.86%). Significantly higher (p less than 0.06) proportion of the female farmers (43.85%) in the rural areas of Peshawar were not vaccinating their chicken against diseases than those vaccinating their chicken against ND+fowl-pox (1.54%. It was concluded from the study that mortality was higher both in chicks and adult birds. Protection of chicken roil extreme of climatic conditions and effective vaccination against ND and fowl pox shall be ensured to reduce mortality. In addition, chick starter shall be given at earlier stages of chicken's life and gur/sugar solution be given in the, first two days of chickens' life to avoid vent pasting and or be given any time when there is vent pasting problem.