I am currently doing practical course in the breeder broiler farm located at West Malaysia. I was actually wanted to go to a pig farm but surprisingly working in the chicken farm is very challenging and fun also. So, I will start to post on chicken from today onwards till I ended my practical.
******************************************************
Anatomy of Chicken
External features of a rooster
Skeleton of Chicken
Internal structures of chicken (hen)
Anatomy of chicken egg
Chicken combs
1. Buttercup
Buttercup comb has fine texture. It has a single leader. It looks like a crown.
2. Cushion
Cushion comb is small and solid comb. This comb has no spikes.
3. Pea
Pea comb is low comb with three low ridges. The middle ridge is a little bit higher than the other two
4. Rose
The rose comb is almost flat on the top and very fleshy. It is broad and solid and the main part has a curved surface with small round protuberances.
5. Single
Single comb is thin and attached to the beak along the skull. On the top there are five or six deep grooves. They make sharp points. These points are higher on the middle part. This comb stands up
6. Strawberry
This comb is very low. It is called strawberry because of its shape as well as rough surface. It actually looks like a strawberry.
7. V-shaped
This comb is V-shaped and has two pieces that look like horn. The two pieces are joined in their base.
8. Silkis
The Silkis is an almost round, somewhat lumpy comb, inclined to be greater in width than length; covered with small corrugations on top and crossed with a narrow transverse indentation slightly to the front of the comb. Sometimes two or three small rear points are hidden by a crest, others are without points. Generally they are considered to be genetically a rose comb changed by a rose comb plus crest.
The Skeleton
1. Skull
Chicken's skull
2. Breast bone
Skeleton of the chicken in made up of many bones. One of the largest bones in the breast bone or sternum. It is so large that it covers more than half of the body cavity. Sternum has a carina, which is a large kneel. Carina is used to attach the wings so that bird can fly. Chickens are not good flyers and usually can fly only a very short distance. This is why their carina is not as large as in the flying birds.The breast bone attaches to the ribs. Chicken has five or six pairs of ribs and these bones protect the organs inside.
3. Backbone
Chicken backbone starts with the atlas. This is the small bone on top of the spine. This bone is important because it allows chicken to move their head. Chicken usually have about 20 vertebrae, but this depend on the breed. The spine ends with a cervical bone.
4. Wishbone (furcula-clavicle)
The wishbone is actually a clavical or collar bone. It connects the shoulders of a chicken. It also makes an opening so that digestive and respiratory tract can pass into the chicken body.
5. Eyes
Chicken eyes are huge. Orbits of the skull in which eyeballs are attached are also much bigger than in mammals such as humans. Orbits are made of many small bones that merged together. They made a thin plate.
6. Feet
Chicken feet are very complicated. The foot has 16 small bones. Thebones that make up toes are called phalanx. The last phalanx of the toe is claw like. There are four toes and the third is the longest. Many birds have webbed toes, but chicken does not.
7. Feathers
Chicken uses feathers for protection from weather conditions such as rain, cold, and sun. It also protects the body from injuries. Feathers come in different colors and usually male and female are different colors. Color of feathers depends on the bread. The best protective feathers are wide, firm and closely knitted. Some chicken have frizzle feathers which means that feathers curl at the ends.
8. Wattles
Wattles are located under the chin. They are meaty, red growths.Chicken has two wattles. Both male and female chicken have wattles. Wattles do not just hang there, they actually have an important function. One of the things that wattles do is cool the chicken down. This happens when the blood circulates from the comb to the wattles. The circulating blood lowers the temperature of the chicken during the hot weather.
Ps: To be continue..
Source:ORACLE thinkquest library.org, animal corner, www.animalcorner.co.uk/farms/chicken_anatomy
1 comments:
I would love to see the anatomy of juvenile male and female chicks as it related to reproductive anatomy. I have been caponizing my young cockerels, and would like to see diagrams of the pullet anatomy in 4-6 week old in order to poulardize the pullets that I intend to use for meat rather than eggs.
Post a Comment