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This study focused on investigating the reproductive performance of Nigerian indigenous chickens and their crosses with Marshall. The genotypes were normal-feathered (Nn), frizzle-feathered (Ff) and naked neck (Na) chickens, while the crossbreds with Marshall (M) breed were MNn, MFf and MNa respectively (Marshall being the sire while the indigenous are dams). Data were taken on; weekly egg production, weight at first egg and age at first egg. Genotype significantly (P<0.05) influenced egg production traits. Egg weight ranged from 23.71±1.06g to 26.13±0.94g for indigenous purebreds and 39.75±0.75g to 48.06±0.57g for crossbreds. Age at first egg were 165.63±0.61 days (Nn), 170.60±0.75 days (Na) and 173.57±0.52 days (Ff), 188.71±1.67 days (MNn), 187.50±3.16 days (MNa) and 185.25±5.44 days (MFf). Also, genotype significantly (P<0.05) influenced egg quality traits. Heritability for first egg production traits were 0.37 (Nm), 0.16 (Na) and 0.66 (Fz) while heritability estimates for egg quality trait (haugh unit) were 0.14, 0.07 and 0.08 for Nm, Na and Fz birds, respectively The crossbreds performed better than the indigenous purebreds in egg production traits. The Nigerian indigenous chicken can therefore be improved upon for better egg production traits using the Marshall breed. Introduction Poultry products are among the most valuable sources of animal protein available for human consumption and they offer means of meeting the animal protein deficiency gap in Nigeria and many African countries (Akinokun, 1990; Padhi, 2016). In most of these countries, demand for eggs and poultry meat far outweighs supply, as evidenced by steep rises in the prices of these products (Akinokun, 1990). The poultry sub-sector is ranked best among the fastest growing livestock and animal industry in the world (Belova et al., 2012). Poultry birds have been widely reported to possess high degree of efficiency of feed utilisation with little or no socio-religious taboo in their consumption. Poultry meat and egg production accounts for more than

Egg production and quality assessment of Nigerian indigenous chicken genotypes and their crosses with Marshall