The present study aimed to investigate genetic parameters and maternal effects for growth performance and feed efficiency traits in Chokla sheep. The dataset comprised 6,785 growth records of Chokla sheep progeny of 499 sires, collected over a period of 47 years (1974–2020) from history-cum-pedigree sheets and databases maintained at the Arid Region Campus of the Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute, Bikaner. Six animal models incorporating different combinations of direct and maternal genetic effects were evaluated to identify the most appropriate model for estimating genetic parameters using Gibbs sampling under a Bayesian framework. Bivariate animal model analysis was performed for estimating correlations based on the best-fitting single-trait models. Traits studied included body weights at birth (BW), 3 (WW), 6 (6W), 9 (9W) and 12 months (YW), along with average daily gain (ADG) and Kleiber ratio (KR) during 0–3 (ADG1/KR1), 3–6 (ADG2/KR2) and 6–12 months (ADG3/KR3). Environmental factors such as period of birth, sex of lamb, season of birth and dam’s weight at lambing significantly influenced most traits, except season of birth on 9W and dam’s weight at lambing on post-weaning ADGs. Based on the deviance information criterion (DIC), the most suitable model was identified. Posterior mean heritability estimates were moderate for most body weight traits (0.381–0.408), except BW (0.151) and WW (0.134). ADG2 showed the highest heritability among ADGs. Maternal genetic effects were highest for birth weight and declined with advancing age. Negative covariance between direct and maternal effects resulted in inflated additive heritability estimates; therefore, total heritability was considered more appropriate for selection response. Genetic correlations among body weights were positive and moderate to high, indicating six-month body weight as a key selection criterion under field conditions.