For most small-scale or marginal farmers in the Philippines, raising native chickens in the backyard of the home is quite commonplace.
Native chickens are mongrel chickens and have evolved over the years thanks to random interbreeding, although today, there are specific native chicken breeds that predominate in the various regions of the Philippines.
Because they are native to our country, the chickens exhibit a high degree of adaptability to the local conditions in the Philippines.
Native chickens in the Philippines grow under harsh conditions where they have to forage over long distances for food, have poor housing or shelter, insufficient food and lack of clean drinking water. Furthermore, they are often exposed to sudden weather changes and weather extremes, and to rampant diseases – especially because of their lack of vaccination.
In spite of the above, they have a high rate of survivability compared to the exotic chickens that have been introduced into the country over the years as they have adapted to the conditions.
As for the way they are raised, most farmers let these chickens fend for themselves. While that is the reason why these chicken breeds can pride themselves with incredible hardiness, there are more effective ways of raising them.
The chickens are popular among families, as most families in the Philippines keep them for eggs and meat. As we mentioned previously, they produce meat with a unique flavor. The meat is generally used for home consumption, barter trade, or small-scale commercialization by farmers who manage to build a moderately sized stock.
The Market Demand for Native Chickens in the Philippines
Although they grow relatively slowly and are smaller in size, and even lay a fewer number of eggs compared with some of the exotic breeds, native chickens in the Philippines have certain advantages.
For the chickens to hit a weight of 1 to 1.5 kg, it generally takes up to one year. And, during their laying phase, the native chickens will lay anywhere from 30 to 50 eggs which is minuscule compared to commercial layers that give anywhere from 250 to 300.
Their eggs are generally smaller in size and brown but generally more nutritious. Once they have laid a few eggs, usually 10 to 15, they tend to get broody for a long duration of time which can hinder the productivity.
To remove the broodiness, farmers will remove the eggs from the nests as soon as they are laid. They will also sock the native chickens in cold water. Another traditional way to remove the broodiness is by putting powdered pepper or salt on the chickens’ cloaca or giving them better feeds so as to boost egg production.
The biggest advantage of the native chickens is that the meat, as well as the eggs that they produce, is a lot tastier. And so, in spite of so, it still retains a small niche market which is also growing quickly because many Filipinos are now re-embracing a healthier lifestyle.
And, nowadays, there are also ethical concerns arising from the way the commercial poultry breeds are raised.
Thanks to these qualities, the native chicken in the Philippines generally fetch a higher price in the market than the commercial breeds.
Techniques Used to Improve the Performance of Native Chickens in the Philippines
There are various techniques being tried out in the Philippines currently in order to improve the performance and characteristics of the native chickens in the Philippines. Interestingly, the West Visayas State University is currently piloting a project on the commercialization of Darag native chicken production.
Some of the ways the productivity of native chicken in the Philippines can improved include:
Introducing fertilized purebred eggs: While genetics plays a role in the characteristics of native chickens in the Philippines, the way they are raised also matters. One way to raise free range birds is by introducing fertilized purebred eggs to the native chicken just as they are about to get broody. The purebred chicks with superior characteristics will now be raised by the native chicken in a traditional setting.
Introducing purebred chicks to native mother hen: This can be done at night and with time, the native hen will get used to raising the purebred chicks as its own.
Cockerel exchange: Native chickens in the Philippines can also be improved via cockerel exchange. With that, you can introduce a purebred cockerel to native chicken hens.
While these techniques will improve your native chickens’ performance, they are haphazard techniques. And, if every farmer did them, there would not be much standardization in the produce – and, in the end, the goals of commercialization might be hindered by it.
Instead, it is better if the breed upgrades are done top-down by a research institution before a final product is distributed to the farmers. As mentioned above, this is already being done in the Philippines by some of the research center.
In the meantime, to maximize the productivity of your native chicken, make sure to check out our Native Chicken Farming in the Philippines guide book.
