author(s)
N Dahariya, S Sathapathy, UK Mishra, R Patra, SK Joshi, SK Sahu, L Samal and Biswadeep Jena

abstract
Hansli chicken is especially reared in Mayurbhanj district and in some parts of its nearby districts like Keonjhar of Odisha. They play a vital role in the economic upliftment of poor, landless and marginalised section of the people in the rural areas besides providing them with nutritious egg and meat for consumption. A total number of eighteen day old Hansli chicks and eighteen day old Vencobb broiler chicks were divided into three age groups viz. group I (up to 1 month), group II (1-3 months) and group III (3-6 months) with six birds in each age group. On each observation day (4^th week, 12^th week and 24^th week), six birds from each breed were used for the study of gross morphological and gross morphometrical features of the bursa of Fabricius. It was found that the bursa of Fabricius was located at the dorsal aspect of rectum and connected to the wall of proctodeum of cloaca by a small stalk. The organ was oval in shape and creamy white in colour in both Hansli chicken and Vencobb broiler chicken. The size and weight of the bursa increased up to 12th week of age and then gradually decreased at 24th week of age in both the birds. Further, the average weight of bursa was significantly (p≤0.05) more in 4th and 24th week of age in Vencobb broiler chicken than Hansli chicken. However, the volume of the organ was significantly (p≤0.05) different between the birds at 24th week of age. The present study provided a detailed baseline data on the age wise development of bursa of Fabricius in Hansli chicken and Vencobb broiler chicken which could be used in future research in other breeds of birds.