This study was carried out from September 2006 to April 2007 in West Shoa Zone ofrnOromia Regional State and Bedelle Poultry Breeding and Multiplication Center. Thernobjectives of the study were to characterize the chicken production system in the studyrnarea, assess the performance of Rhode Island Red chicken on station, assess the on-farmrnrelative performances of Rhode Island Red, hybrid and local chicken and compare the onstationrnand on-farm performance of Rhode Island Red chicken. A total of 120 householdsrnwere selected randomly from 6 peasant associations in the study Zone. A questionnairernsurvey and follow-up studies were carried out to collect data on socio-economic andrnfarming system characteristics, poultry production system characteristics and poultryrnperformance parameters. Data was summarized with descriptive statistics and analyzedrnwith GLM of SPSS. The results indicated that poultry were kept in the study areas mainlyrnfor egg production based on scavenging feed resources. The average poultry flock sizernunder smallholders condition was 19.05 heads of chicken and poultry were attended mainlyrnby women. Rainy seasons were times when poultry health problems were severe and chicksrnwere the most susceptible group. Poultry production was constrained in the area by diseasernand lack of veterinary service, improved breeds and credit schemes. The on-farmrnperformance of RIR chicken was significantly better than that of locals and hybrids in therncase clutch size, clutch frequency, age at sexual maturity, egg weight and albumin weight.rnRIR chickens were inferior to hybrids and locals in the case of chick survival rate andrnlength of production life, however inferior to local in hatchability. When the on-farmrnperformance of RIR chicken was compared with their on-station performance, their onstationrnperformance was better in the case of egg production per year and adult and chickenrnmortality. In the case of hatchability, their on-farm performance was better.