ABSTRACT

Poultry refers to all domesticated birds reared or raised for food or other economic uses (Onyebinama, 2004). These domesticated fowls are kept primarily for meat and eggs. They include birds of the order GaUiformes (e.g Chicken, turkey, guinea fowl, pheasant, quail and peacock) and natatorium (swimming) birds e.g, the duck and goose Poultry birds raised for the production of eggs are referred to as layers while those raised for meat are referred to as broilers.. (Onyebinama, 2004). The chief poultry bird is the chicken, which probably originated as a jungle fowl in South West Asia Poultry are also raised for domestic and commercial uses in many countries. In many • countries the main poultry production is undertaken by large commercial companies which produce and process poultry and allied products such as eggs, meat, day old chicks and feeds and also manufacture poultry drugs and equipment . Under non-commercial condition, farmers keep poultry in a small way just for their own use.