Integrating Nutrition and Livelihood through Rajasri Backyard Poultry in Semi-Arid Telangana
Author(s): C Vinaya Sree, Krishna Daida, K Lakshmi and S Vinayasheela
Abstract: Backyard poultry is contributing to about 19.50% of poultry production in India. It is playing a pivotal role in providing livelihood and income to rural poor by utilizing natural food base available in scavenging with “Rajasri” bird. A total of 2200 day old chicks (Rajasri) were reared in deep litter up to 6 weeks of age. At 7 weeks of age, 2000 grower birds were distributed to 100 women beneficiaries covering Ailapoor, Joganpalle, Porumalla, Katlakunta, and Mythapur villages in the Jagtial district of Telangana state. The birds were distributed 20 numbers per each beneficiary which were reared with nominal supplementary feeding. The female bird attaining an average body weight of 2.10 kg by 52 weeks. Egg production commenced between 174 and 183 days of age, with 50% hen-day production achieved by 198–207 days. Peak egg production reached 61.24% at 48 weeks and remained above 56% until 52 weeks. Egg weight improved consistently from 41 to 55 g as birds matured. Despite the absence of brooding behaviour in Rajasri, local hens were utilized for natural incubation to sustain flock multiplication. Economically, the model proved viable and replicable. Each beneficiary, rearing 20 birds, generated a net annual income of approximately ?5,950 after accounting for feed, vaccination, and chick costs. The intervention not only improved access to high-quality animal protein but also offered a reliable microenterprise option for rural women and marginal farmers. This study reinforces the role of backyard poultry as a low-investment, high-return model for improving food security and household resilience in underserved areas.
