This is considered essential for the food security in the regions where the availability of inputs is low and the reach is difficult.

Chicken production is being augmented through back yard poultry utilising the Dual Purpose birds, which are improved breed crosses that are multicoloured and can thrive on “low inputs”. These birds are robust and grow faster.

The male birds are about 1.5kg in 50 days and can be used for meat purpose. The female birds, if maintained are capable of laying 160-180 eggs on scavenging and left overs. The chicken meat produced in this way is tougher than broiler but lean and delicious.

Those looking for more eggs are opting for coloured layer type hens, which are smaller in size but lay more than 250 eggs with low inputs, and can go up to 300 eggs if reasonable quality feed is provided and they reared in small confined groups.

The main concern of the system is poultry health and bio-security. The poultry health care systems like the vaccination programmes suitable for each area are well established.

The poultry equipment to feed and water the birds is widely available and is reasonably priced. Cages and nipple drinking systems are well suited to small units.

This change is considered to be the second stage in Back Yard poultry farming. The meat production is being carried out in cluster units.

Each village will encourage eight to 10 people, each having a small house in their own property. The small house replaces the birds on an “all in all out” basis and all vaccinations are carried out as necessary. The birds are available on a continuous basis for marketing from one unit in one week.

The layer birds are grown in a mother unit up to 14 weeks and all vaccinations are carried out.
“House hold layer unit” has 50 to 500 birds in cages.

Once vaccinated, birds start laying, they produce eggs for an year. The poultry manure is a good source of nitrogen for the growing crops and is used as fertiliser to the farm land. The eggs are used in the hospitals and schools of the same town village. The eggs are produced effortlessly.

So far the eggs and chickens have been moving from urban areas to rural areas. This system is expected to generate a reverse flow of poultry products.

Rainbow Rooster, a multicoloured dual purpose variety developed by Indbro Research & Breeding Farms Pvt.Ltd is successfully filling the gap in cluster rearing. A sturdy Brown layer developed by the company will suit the requirement of the family laying units.