The Structure of Backyard Poultry in the Sivas Agro-Ecological Sub-Regions

In this research, Sivas province divided into four agro-ecological zones (I, II, III and IV) in terms of climate, land form, soil type and land cover. The face-to-face interviews were conducted with a total of 663 families in the 85 villages in order to determine the general structure of backyard poultry in the Sivas. Although women are determined as the primary factor at the rate of 65.6% in feeding-watering, they have a role in the product sales only 34.0% while man have 57.8%. The hens of agro–ecological zones are grouped as white, brown, black, and mixed according to feather colour and the average values of regions are calculated as 3.40, 4.78, 4.25, and 3.85 units/farm, respectively. Significant differences were found between regions in terms of the number of mixed coloured and brown coloured hens. Live weight and egg production were not affected by regional differences and mean live weight and egg weight was founded as 2.17 kg and 58.45 g, respectively. Egg production in the regions I, II, III and IV were determined as 82.35, 89.32, 64.13, and 78.66 units/year, respectively. There was no difference among the regions. It was determined that round type drinkers were used at the rate of 43.3%. Widely used cereal in feeding of chickens is wheat (89.9%) followed by mixed feed (5.3%). The 41.24% of total eggs produced is consumed in the farm, 23.20% are served, and 33.57% are sold. Education and health studies to be conducted in the local backyard poultry will help in the short term to the achievement of the organic standards