By Maile Matsimela
Village chickens are more than just farmyard animals – they’re vital lifelines for rural households across South Africa.
A recent study conducted in KwaZulu-Natal’s resource-limited communities reveals important insights into how environment and management practices affect chicken productivity and egg quality, offering practical lessons for smallholder farmers everywhere.
Researchers examined village chicken production in two contrasting environments in KwaZulu-Natal – a dry area (KwaShange) and a wet area (eNtembeni).
The study involved 300 households and evaluated 4 000 eggs to understand how environmental factors influence production outcomes. Importantly, it looked beyond just biological factors to consider the social and economic realities of village chicken keepers.
Village chickens represent an underutilised resource for addressing rural poverty and food insecurity. With relatively small investments in better management practices, farmers can significantly improve both egg quality and production rates.
For women, who predominantly manage these chickens, improvements in productivity can translate to increased household income and nutrition security. The study suggests that targeted support for village chicken keepers, particularly focused on overcoming environmental challenges, could deliver substantial benefits for rural development.
As climate change continues to affect farming communities, understanding how to adapt chicken production to different environmental conditions becomes increasingly important. This research from KwaZulu-Natal provides valuable insights that can help farmers maximise productivity, regardless of their local environment.
Key findings
Environmental impact on egg quality
The environment significantly affects egg quality and production. The study found eggs from wet environments were heavier (49.8g compared to 39.6g in dry areas), better overall egg quality in wet environments, including thicker shells and higher Haugh Units (a measure of egg freshness), and earlier egg-laying age for chickens in dry environments.
Common challenges
Farmers across both regions faced several constraints, such as feed shortages (especially protein-rich feeds), predation (particularly in wet environments), disease outbreaks, theft and limited market access. These challenges resulted in egg defects, such as cracked shells, staining, blood spots and watery albumen – problems that were more frequent in the dry environment.
The social picture
The study highlighted the social importance of village chickens:
- Women are the primary caretakers of village chickens.
- Most households are dependent on government grants as their main income source.
- Village chickens provide both food security and supplementary income.
- Most farmers (93%) provide basic housing for their chickens and some supplementary feeding.
Practical implications for farmers
Based on the findings, here are practical recommendations for improving village chicken production:
Feed management
Prioritise consistent feed supply, especially during dry seasons, by supplementing with protein-rich feeds where possible (kitchen scraps, insects, small amounts of commercial feed), and consider planting drought-resistant fodder crops for chicken feed.
Environmental adaptations
- Improve chicken housing to protect against predators and weather extremes.
- Provide adequate shelter and ventilation to reduce heat stress in dry areas.
- Ensure clean, fresh water is always available.
Disease management
- Implement basic biosecurity measures at the household level.
- Consider community-based vaccination programmes where feasible.
- Isolate sick birds promptly to prevent disease spread.
Egg handling
- Collect eggs frequently to minimise breakage and contamination.
- Store eggs in cool, dry places to maintain quality.
- Use clean nesting materials to reduce egg staining.
This groundbreaking research was conducted by a team of South African poultry scientists led by T. Tenza and L.C. Mhlongo from the Animal and Poultry Science department at the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s School of Agricultural, Earth, and Environmental Sciences in Pietermaritzburg. The study was completed under the guidance of corresponding author Professor M. Chimonyo from the University of Venda in Limpopo Province.
