The basic external parts of a chicken encompass the comb, beak, wattles, ears, earlobes, eyes, eye rings, wings, tail, thighs, hocks, shanks, spurs, claws and also toes. As figures 1 and also 2 show, both male and also female chickens have actually these simple parts. The differences in between males and females encompass the size of the comb and also wattles, the size of the spur (in older birds), and the attributes of the hackle and cape feathers. Hackle and cape feathers of males have pointed ends, conversely, those the females have actually rounded ends. In addition, males have actually sickle feather in their tails and also hackle feather on their backs, and also females carry out not.
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Figure 1. Exterior parts that a Rooster. Source: university of Illinois. Provided with permission.
Figure 2. Outside anatomy the a chicken hen. Source: university of Illinois. Supplied with permission.
A chicken’s wing has actually several trip feathers. As number 3 shows, the axial feather separates the primary feathers and secondary feathers. When a hen molts, she starts losing feathers native the axial feather out.
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Figure 3. Wing of a single Comb White Leghorn reflecting the axial feather. Source: Dr. Jacquie Jacob, university of KentuckyThe thigh of a chicken is the upper component of the foot attached come the human body of the bird. The thigh ends at the lower leg (drumstick). The thigh is associated to the shank (foot) at the hock joint, i beg your pardon is the indistinguishable of the ankle in humans. Chickens stand and walk on your toes. Many chickens have actually three toe projecting forward and also one projecting back, occasionally referred to as the claw. A few breeds, however, have 5 toes on each foot. Some breeds additionally have feathers on their shanks and also toes. Numbers 4 and 5 compare the foot of a woman chicken and a masculine chicken, and also Figures 6 to compare the skeleton in a chicken leg with those of a human leg.
Figure 4. Components of a hen’s leg. Source: Dr. Jacquie Jacob, college of Kentucky
Figure 5. Components of a rooster’s leg
Figure 6. To compare of the chicken and also human leg bones
Figure 7. Parts of a rooster’s head. Source: Dr. Jacquie Jacob, university of Kentucky