Production performance, egg quality and biochemical parameters of three way crossbred chickens with reciprocal F1 crossbred chickens in sub-tropical environment

A total of 225 hens (18 weeks of age) of each Rhode Island Red male x Fayoumi female (RIFI), Fayoumi male x Rhode Island Red female (FIRI) and White Leghorn male x FIRI female (RLH) were maintained on deep litter system for a period of 72 weeks of age. In floor pens, each crossbred chicken was randomly distributed between pens, with 21 to 24 birds of the same breed per pen (2.00 to 2.50 ft(2)/bird). The results revealed that the age of sexual maturity was lowest in RIFI followed by FIRI and RLH chickens. The highest egg production was obtained by three-way crossbred chickens (RLH) as compared with two-way crossbred chickens (RIFI and FIRI). The highest egg weight was observed in RLH than those of FIRI and RIFI crossbred chickens. The internal egg quality parameters included yolk weight, albumen weight, yolk + albumen weight and albumen height were same in all crossbred chickens. There was non-significant (P>0.05) difference in blood glucose, triglyceride, cholesterol, calcium, protein, uric acid and ALP values among all crossbred chickens. It may be concluded that three-way crossbred chickens (RLH) showed better egg traits than two-way crossbred chickens (RIFI and FIRI) with lower mortality. The RIFI crossbred chickens achieved sexual maturity earlier than both FIRI and RLH crossbred chickens with lower egg traits.