Improve Breeding                                                                                  Use Lokol chickens

Chicken breeds within the Solomon Islands comprise a mixture of crossbred chickens, wild jungle fowl, hybrid meat and layer chickens often infused with wild jungle fowl or “St Cruz” chicken.

Whilst these are intended to be used within the breeding program, they were originally to be supplemented by imported fowl, specifically game fowl and Rhode Island Reds to bring out the full potential of the proposal.

Unfortunately with the outbreak of Bird Flu and the necessary imposition of strict quarantine regulations stock importation is not now an option.

Possible remnants of the various breeds which were stocked at the Government chicken breeding centre (destroyed during the Ethnic Conflict) need to be located around the country in special breeding centres to build the numbers of these valuable chickens and ducks for further distribution.

The first of these specialist breeding centres, with a flock of Naked Neck chickens, is currently operating on the remote Ontong Java Atoll in the far north of the Solomon Islands.

Where possible it is planned to locate the breeding centres in association with Distance Learning Centres so practical training can also be provide to compliment the theory currently available.

Extra breeding work also needs to be done using the existing village chickens which are a hardy mixture of various imported fowl and the wild jungle fowl.

The establishment of a secure, central hatchery in Honiara is urgently needed to increase numbers of these village chickens to meet the unfulfilled national needs for village breeding stock.