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.

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