Poultry Demonstration Unit
At DDS Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Zaheerabad, we are committed to promoting sustainable livelihoods and enhancing nutritional security in rural areas. One of our key initiatives is the Backyard Poultry Demonstration Unit, where we raise Rainbow Rooster poultry, a versatile breed ideal for both egg and meat production. Through this program, we aim to empower local communities by providing them with practical knowledge and resources to raise poultry, improving food security and contributing to their overall well-being.
Maintaining dual-purpose breeds
We maintain a flock of 50 Rainbow Rooster poultry, a multi-coloured breed known for its dual-purpose suitability—both for egg production and meat. These birds are characterized by their low-input requirements, high disease resistance, and adaptability to backyard environments, making them ideal for rural settings. Rainbow Roosters mature at 140 days, reach peak production at 180 days, and can produce up to 345 eggs over 80 weeks. Additionally, they attain a mature body weight of 1.6 kilograms, providing a sustainable source of eggs and meat, thereby enhancing nutritional security in rural areas.
These birds thrive in free-range conditions and, when supplemented with commercial feeds, can lay between 160 to 180 eggs over a 72-week period (approximately 16 months). The hens begin laying eggs around 160 days of age (5 months) and reach an average weight of 3 kilograms by the end of their laying cycle, with eggs averaging 60 grams in weight.
Empowering Rural Communities through Backyard Poultry
To promote nutritional security through backyard poultry rearing, we have distributed Rainbow Roosters to selected Scheduled Caste (SC) beneficiaries in the villages of Metalkunta and Husselli in Zaheerabad, under the Scheduled Caste Sub Plan. DDS KVK scientists facilitated the distribution of 700 six-week-old birds to these beneficiaries. Similarly, in Potpally village, Rainbow Roosters were distributed to SC beneficiaries under frontline demonstrations, resulting in positive community feedback.
This initiative aims to strengthen nutritional security in rural areas by promoting backyard poultry rearing. Beneficiaries were trained on effective management practices from the chick stage through to egg laying, ensuring optimal productivity. This effort not only empowers beneficiaries by providing a sustainable livelihood but also addresses malnutrition and food security challenges in the region.
Poultry Incubator Unit
DDS Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Zaheerabad has established a Poultry Incubator Demonstration Unit as a service-oriented extension model to support backyard poultry-based livelihoods, particularly for small, marginal, and landless households.
The facility operates with a total incubation capacity of 1,200 eggs per cycle, producing an average of 400 chicks per week. Under KVK-managed conditions, the unit consistently records a fertility rate of 75–80 per cent and a hatchability of 80–85 per cent on fertile eggs, with early-stage chick mortality maintained at 2–3 per cent. These performance parameters are demonstrated to farmers as part of skill-based trainings on scientific incubation and chick management.
A farmer-linked incubation service is a unique feature of the unit. Farmers are encouraged to bring fertilized eggs to the KVK for hatching. As per the institutional service protocol, 50 per cent of successfully hatched chicks are returned to the farmer, while the remaining 50 per cent are retained by DDS-KVK for use in training programmes, demonstrations, and targeted support to landless and small-scale poultry rearers.
The incubator unit has contributed to local availability of quality poultry chicks, improved adoption of backyard poultry practices, and strengthened farmer–KVK linkage through a service-based extension approach, aligning with DDS-KVK’s mandate on livelihood enhancement, nutritional security, and inclusive rural development.
For more details contact
Dr. Kailash Madne
Subject Matter Specialist- Animal Husbandry
DDS Krishi Vigyan Kendra
Mobile: 8106246103