Kadaknath Chicken Farming In Nepal - An Overview

Poultry farming is one of the popular agri-business in Nepal with various species of chickens. Among them, the Kadaknath chicken (aka Kali Mashi or the black chicken) is one of the rarest breeds with high nutritional value.

Today, Kadaknath chicken farming is quite popular in Nepal thanks to its medicinal value. Back in the day, most indigenous chicken breeds were neglected due to their poor production ability. However, there are still loads to cover in this market, as numerous people need to know their existence and values.

All the Kadaknath chicken farmers in Nepal do not produce their chickens but import them from India. But you will be able to find quite a few farmers who grow them in Nepal.

Kadaknath Chicken (Source – Wikimedia Commons)

All About Kedaknath Chicken

The black chicken has three major breeds, Ayam Cemani, Silkie, and Kadaknath. Among them, Kadaknath is the most popular breed and originates from India. The Ayam Cemani is an Indonesian breed, while the Silkie is a Chinese breed.

The Kadaknath is the native of the Dhar and Jhabua districts in the western region of Madhya Pradesh. This Indian breed is jet black with a turquoise glow from melanin deposition.

They are known for their black meat and deliciousness infused with high nutritional value. Often a Kadaknath female chicken weighs about 1.2 to 1.5 kg, while the male can be up to 2 kg.

Pair of Kadaknath Chicken (Source – Wikimedia Commons)

 Apart from regular chickens, these breeds are black with a black comb, legs, tongue, and even eggs. However, they have weaker egg-laying ability than the usual chicken, with 100 eggs per year.

They also have low fertility, as only 70 percent of eggs are successfully hatched during summer. As for winter, their fertility rate drops to around 50 to 60 percent.

While we are it, Kadaknath chickens are hardy and highly resistant to disease. Well, if you are planning to raise some of them, the good news is they can adapt to different types of environments. Also, unlike broiler chickens, Kadaknath chickens can solely survive even on kitchen waste.

Furthermore, being one of the rarest birds, Kadaknath chicken goes for a high price in the market. So, they fetch high business if you make the right marketing channel.

Nutritional Value Of Kadaknath Chicken

Kadaknath chickens are pretty famous for the medicinal and nutritional benefits they hold. At the same time, they are renowned for their meat quality, taste, and texture. As per the sources, their eggs are rich in protein and iron, with aphrodisiac properties.

Well, their protein content is 25%, much higher than that of the usual chicken. In addition to it, they also have lower cholesterol of about 0.73 to 1.05%. Some of its other mineral content are niacin, Vitamin (B12, B1, B2, B6, C, and E), fat, calcium, phosphorous, nicotinic acids, and many more.

Kadaknath breed (Source – Wikimedia Commons)

 Moving on, they help with a particular nervous disorder, sterility, abnormal menstruation, and habitual abortion. Additionally, many sources say that the Kadarknath chicken consists of melanin pigment, which works like a vasodilator designed to increase blood flow to the heart.

Also, the tribal people of its native region use Kadaknath blood to treat chronic diseases in human beings.

Some of the other benefits of the Kadaknath breed are as follows.

• This bird meat contains multiple amino acids and vitamins.
• The consumption of Kadaknath meat helps to increase blood cells and hemoglobin.
• They also help to cure pulmonary problems.
• Their eggs help to treat headaches, post-delivery issues, asthma, and nephritis.

Start Your Poultry Farm With Kadaknath Chicken

Yes, you can also raise Kadaknath chickens in your backyard, and they are often suited to that style rather than the commercial scale. Below are some steps and tips to start your Kadaknath farming.

• Get a good breed of Kadaknath chicken from a private poultry farm.
• While choosing the chicken, select a day-old chick with proper vaccinations.
• If you are a beginner poultry farmer, start with a batch of 20 to 30 chicks. You can later add more of them as you gain experience with them.
• Also, you can visit the agricultural department or the vet to understand them and their feeds in detail.
• Indeed, the first few weeks are going to be hectic and challenging. You must provide them with proper food, shelter, water, and lighting.
• Always follow their vaccination chart to avoid any harmful bacterial and viral diseases.
• After it, you should establish a firm and proper marketing channel if you look forward to growing it commercially.

Care For Kadaknath Chicken

There are three styles to House Kadaknath Chickens: cage system, deep litter, and free range. Here, the cage system is often used to layer the eggs, and using it for Kadaknath chickens might get a little expensive.

The deep litter system is perfect for the young chickens and is used the same way as it is done with the other chickens. The litter should be around four inches to one or two feet.

Lastly, the free-range system is perfect for this breed as they love the natural environment. They perform the best in this system, and a minimum of one acre of land is enough.

In A Nutshell

Kadaknath chickens are slow growers with high nutritional value than that regular chickens. Before, people should have paid more attention to this breed due to its unattractive appearance, low producing potential, and lack of knowledge of its nutritional value. However, this breed has been popular day by day.