UNIT 2 BODY SYSTEMS AND FUNCTIONS

Structure
2.0 Objectives
2.1 Introduction
2.2 External and Internal Parts of Birds
2.2.1 External Surface
2.2.2 Internal Surface

2.3 Digestive System

2.4 Reproductive System
2.4.1 Male Reproductive System
2.4.2 Female Reproductive System

2.5 Let Us Sum Up

2.6 Glossary
2.7 Suggested Further Reading
2.8 References
2.9 Answers to Check Your Progress

2.0 OBJECTIVES
After studying this unit, you will be able to:
z identify the different external and internal parts of birds;
z describe the different parts of digestive system of poultry; and
z discuss the different parts of reproductive system of poultry.

2.1 INTRODUCTION
Poultry is a warm blooded vertebrate; which means that their body temperature is
relatively high and usually almost constant. They lay eggs that are incubated outside
the body. During natural embryonic development, the eggs of the poultry are covered
by the hen and they are maintained at a temperature close to her body temperature
for the entire incubating period. An understanding of how various systems function
within the body of the poultry makes it easier to know why certain practices are
recommended time to time in different chapters related to poultry farming. From the
structural standpoint, poultry is an interesting creature. It possesses feathers, has a
breastbone and spur, but lacks teeth. Within poultry, chickens have a comb, which
sets it apart from others birds. The comparison with most of the other domestic
animals used for the production of food for mankind, the poultry is a short lived
creature. It is a rapid breather, has a pulse rate of about 300 to 370 beats per minute
and digests its food relatively quickly. The body temperature is higher than that of
other domestic animals, averaging about 41°C or 106°F with variations between
day and night temperatures.

24
 Body Systems and Functions
2.2 EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL PARTS OF BIRDS
Before discussing the management of the poultry, it is necessary to have some basic
knowledge of the physical feature of the poultry itself.

2.2.1 External Surface

The bird’s body is covered with a combination of skin, feathers and localized scales,
with the latter being a derivative of reptiles.
(i) Feathers: Birds are almost completely covered with feathers. During the
evolutionary process of the poultry, most of the reptilian scales changed to
feathers. Both scales and feathers are chiefly composed of the same protein
and keratin. Feathers serve many purposes such as:
z Helps in flying
z Providing insulation from extremes of temperature (heat and cold)
z Protection from rain and snow
The condition of the feathers often serves to indicate whether a bird is sick or
healthy. In certain breeds and varieties, the changes in the colour or colour
pattern of the feathers serve as an index of certain nutritional deficiencies in the
diet.
Since the feathers serve as insulation and the heat loss is roughly proportional
to the surface area of the body, it is interesting to observe that the weight of
feathers bears a closer relationship to body weight than does the number of
feathers. The feathers in large sized birds tend to be larger than in small sized
birds. Neither the weight nor the number of feathers serves as a satisfactory
index of the insulating or thermoregulatory capacity of feathers. The weight of
feathers apparently varies from about 4 to 8 per cent of live body weight with
a difference being related to age, sex etc. Older male birds have a lower
percentage of feathers than the females and younger birds. The number of
feathers on birds in most of the breed varies from about 6,000 to 9,500. The
order of the appearance of the various feather tracts is shoulder and thigh;
rump and breast; neck, abdomen and leg; back, wing coverts and head.
(ii) Head: The head of the chicken includes the following parts:
(a) Comb: There are several types of comb such as single, rose, pea, cushion,
strawberry, walnut, V and butter cup. Out of this, single, rose and pea
combs are common in commercial chicken. Comb type is the result of
gene interaction, but comb size is associated with gonadal development
and the intensity of light, either natural or artificial.
(b) Eyes: Poultry have the ability to differentiate various colours and have
superior ability to focus and to detect movements. The avian eye is the
finest ocular organ in the animal kingdom.
(c) Eyelids: The prominent laterally located eyes are provided with upper
and lower lids.
(d) Eye rings: Inner margin of eyelids.
(e) Eyelashes: Bristle feathers composed of a straight shaft.
25
Biology of Poultry (f) Ears: Avian species are known for their keen sense of hearing. Their
voice production and ability to intimate sounds infers an exceptional degree
of pitch discrimination.
(g) Earlobes: Fold of the skin just below the ears in fowls.
(h) Wattles: The two red pendulous muscles on either side of the eye or
near the beak.
(i) Beak: The beak is a multi-functional organ of considerable importance.
It is involved in procuring food, defence and aggression in social behaviour,
courtship, nest making, grooming and communication. Its normal functions
are often adversely affected by improper beak trimming.
(iii) Feet and shanks: The shanks and most parts of the feet are covered with
scales of various colours. Yellow is due to dietary carotenoid pigments in the
epidermis when melanic pigment is absent. Varying shades of black are the
result of melanic pigment in the dermis and the epidermis. When there is black
in the dermis and yellow in the epidermis, the shanks have a greenish appearance.
In the complete absence of both of this pigment, the shanks are white. Important
parts of the shank and foot are:
(a) Hock: The joint portion between thigh and shank.
(b) Shank: The lower portion of the leg.
(c) Toes: Most chickens have four toes on each foot, but there are a few
breeds with five toes.
(iv) Skin: Most of the chicken’s body is covered with a thin skin. The absence of
sweat glands makes it impossible for the bird to cool itself by evaporation from
the surface of the body. The skin has a coarser texture in the areas of the comb,
wattles, earlobes, beak, scales, spurs and claws.
In short, the external body parts of poultry can be divided into five different regions
and their parts are as follows:
Sl. Name of the Chicken Duck Turkey
No Region
1. Head i. Comb i. Bill i. Eye
ii. Point of comb ii. Eye ii. Ear
iii. Blade of comb iii. Ear iii. Beak
iv. Base of comb iv. Nostril iv. Snood
v. Beak v. Nostrils
vi. Eye vi. Throat
wattles
vii. Ear vii. Ear opening
viii. Earlobe
ix. Wattle
x. Nostrils
2 Neck i. Hackle i. Neck i. Caruncle
feather
3. Trunk or i. Wing bow i. Wing bow i. Body
body coverts
ii. Wing bar ii. Wing bar ii. Breast
iii. Breast iii. Breast iii. Secondary
and primary
feathers

26
 iv. Primary feather iv. Primary Body Systems and Functions
feather
v. Secondary feather v. Secondary
feather
vi. Axial feather vi. Axial
feather
vii. Fluff vii. Fluff
viii. Back viii. Back
4. Tail i. Saddle feather i. Tail i. Tail
feather
ii. Sickle feather
iii. Lesser sickle
feather
iv. Main tail feather
5. Limbs i. Thigh i. Thigh i. Thigh
ii. Drum stick ii. Drum ii. Hock
stick
iii. Hock iii. Hock iii. Shank
iv. Shank iv. Shank iv. Spur
v. Spur v. Spur v. Toe nail
vi. Toes vi. Toes vi. Toes
vii. Toe nail vii. Toe nail
viii. Claws viii. Claws
ix. Prominent
web

Eye

Tail Comb
Ear Nostril
Tail coverts Ear lobe Beak
Wattles
Saddle
Back Neck
Flight feathers of tail
Neck hackles
Wing covert
Saddle hackles Breast
Sickle feather Breast bone (Keel)
Abdomen Flight feathers of wing
Thigh
Hock
Spur
Shank
Claw

Fig. 2.1: Body parts of a chicken

Head Ear Coverts or wing bar

Eye Thumb feathers
Nostril Flight coverts
Beak Saddle
Bill Pinion coverts
Face Secondaries
Throat Primaries
Neck Rump
Back
Cape Drake feathers
Shoulder Tail coverts
Wing bow Tail
Wing front Undertail coverts
Breast Thigh feathers
Keel Fluff
Shank
Toe nail Body
Web
Toe Foot
27
Fig. 2.2: Body parts of a duck
Biology of Poultry Head

Eye Ear
Nostril
Beak Throat

Neck
Cape
Shoulder
Back
Wing bow
Beard Saddle
Breast Wing coverts or wing bar
Secondaries Lesser tail coverts
Primaries Tail coverts
Keel Tail
Thigh feathers Fluff Skirts
Leg
Shank Hock joint
Spur Under tail coverts
Foot
Toe nail Toe

Fig. 2.3: Body parts of a turkey

Activity 1
Look at a chicken or duck or turkey available in your locality and try to
identify different external body parts.
.....................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................

2.2.2 Internal Surface

The internal surface of the bird’s body consists of various systems like skeletal,
muscular, respiratory, urinary, circulatory, nervous, digestive and reproductive
systems. The details of each system are detailed below:
(i) Skeleton (The Skeletal System)
The skeleton of the chicken is light in weight, but is very strong. The bones are
especially rich in calcium salts and are thus very dense. There are 13 or 14 cervical
vertebrae and 7 thoracic vertebrae in the vertebral column. Several of the coccygeal
vertebrae are fused to form the last segment of the coccygeal group. This segment is
called the “pygostyle”, the last bone being called the “urostilus”. The pygostyle forms
the skeletal support for the feathers of the tail.
The chicken has seven pairs of ribs. The sternum is long and broad and support for
viscera. The relative position of the two pubic bones to each other and the relative
distance between the ends of the pubic bones and the posterior end of the sternum
in hens that are in laying condition as compared with hens that are not in laying
condition are important for judging of birds. When a hen is in laying condition, the
pubic bones are spread far apart and there is a considerable space between the
ends of the pubic bones and the end of the sternum. This factor is of practical
importance in culling laying flock. Bones found in the skull, humerus, keel, clavicle
and some vertebrae are hollow and connected to the respiratory system with air
continually moving in and out of these specialized bones. There is also a soft, spongy
bone material known as modularly bone present in varying amounts in the long leg
bones (Femur and Tibia), and certain other bones of the skeleton of females. This
28 meduallary is used to store calcium for later use in egg shell formation.
(ii) Muscles (The Muscular System) Body Systems and Functions

The chicken has a very complex muscular system but there are only a few details of
interest to students of poultry Husbandry. The breast or pectoral muscles are the
largest of all the muscles and besides enabling the bird to raise and lower its wing,
sometime provide the largest share of meat obtained from a chicken. Muscles are
categorized by their function as voluntary or in voluntary. Voluntary muscles are
used for movement and flight while involuntary muscles (smooth muscles) are used
in the functioning of organs such as the heart, intestines, blood vessels and others.
Muscles that move the wings are attached to the keel (breastbone). These muscles
also support the vital organ of the abdominal cavity. These muscles are well developed
in most birds, but especially in meat type broiler strains, as genetic selection has
produced birds with larger breasts.
(iii) Respiratory System
The respiratory system of poultry consists of nasal cavities, larynx, trachea, syrinx,
bronchi, lungs, air sacs and air containing bones. Lungs of the poultry are small
compared with those of mammals. They expand or contract only slightly and there is
no true diaphragm. The lungs are supported by nine air sacs and a group of hollow,
air containing bones. There are two pairs of thoracic and two pairs of abdominal air
sacs and a single inter-clavicular air sac. While air freely moves in and out of the air
sacs, only the lungs are responsible for the exchanging of oxygen and carbon dioxide
occurring during respiration. Both the lungs and air sacs function as cooling mechanism
as moisture evaporates from their surfaces and is exhaled as water vapour. The
respiratory rate is governed by the carbon dioxide content of the blood; increased
levels increase the rate, which ranges between 15 and 25 cycles per minute in the
resting bird.
(iv) Urinary System
The urinary system consists of two kidneys that are located just behind the lungs. A
single ureter connects each kidney with the cloaca. The urine of chickens is mainly
uric acid, the end product of protein metabolism, which is mixed with the faeces in
the cloaca and evacuated in the droppings as white pasty material.
(v) Circulatory System
The purpose of the circulatory system is to carry oxygen (O2) from the lungs and
nutrients that have passed through the intestinal walls in the cells. The venous system
carries carbon dioxide (CO2) back to the lungs and waste products from metabolism
back to the kidneys for excretion from the body. The heart of the chicken has four
chambers, two atria and two ventricles. It beats at a comparatively rapid rate of
about 300 pulsations per minute. The smaller the bird, more rapid is the contraction.
The main component of circulatory system is blood and lymph. Blood constitutes
about 12 % of the weight of a newly hatched chick, and about 6 to 8 % of the
mature chicken.
(vi) Nervous System
The nervous system of the chicken consists of the brain, spinal cord, sympathetic
nerves controlling the viscera, and branches leading to the eyes and ears. The brain
and spinal cord are quite similar in structure to those in mammals. A condition known
as “Limber neck” in chicken is due to a paralysis of the nerves, and a common
disease known as “fowl paralysis” or “neurolymphomatosis” is often associated
with thickening of the sciatic nerve.
29
Biology of Poultry
Check Your Progress 1
Note: a) Use the space given below for your answers.
b) Check your answers with those given at the end of the unit.
1) What are the different regions of external body parts of a bird?
...................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................
2) List the order of appearance of various feather tracts.
...................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................
3) What are the different systems found in the body of a bird?
...................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................

2.3 DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

A bird cannot be classified as a simple stomach animal, and yet its digestive system
is somewhat similar. The organs related to digestion in poultry are described as
under:
i) Mouth: The digestive system starts with a part visible from outside namely
beak by which feed is picked up. The teeth and lips are absent in mouth. These
parts are replaced by a horny mandible on each jaw, forming the beak. The
tongue is shaped like the barbed head of an arrow. Saliva, with its enzyme
amylase which is used to convert starches to sugar during digestion, is secreted
by the glands in the mouth. Another function of saliva is as a lubricant to help
with the transport of food particles.
ii) Oesophagus: It is characterized by enormous expansibility. Food passes from
the mouth through the Oesophagus to the crop and onwards.
iii) Crop: The crop is an enlargement of the Oesophagus and is used for storing
and softening the food. Little or no digestion takes place here except for that
involved with the salivary secretion of the mouth, which continues its activity in
the crop.
iv) Proventriculus: The Oesophagus ends in a small dumbbell shaped organ called
Proventriculus, which has ample glands. It is here that gastric juices are produced
and secreted. Pepsin, an enzyme needed for the digestion of protein, and
hydrochloric acid are secreted by the glandular cell. Because the food passes
quickly through the Proventriculus, there is little digestion of food material here,
but the secretions pass into the gizzard where the enzymatic action occurs.
v) Gizzard: The Oesophagus is connected with a bulged dish type structured
organ called gizzard. It has strong muscle and functions chiefly in crushing and
grinding of food. The gizzard, sometimes is called as ‘muscular stomach’. The
gizzard is inactive when empty, but once food enters, the muscular contractions
of its thick walls begin. The larger the particles of food, the more rapid the
contraction.
vi) Small Intestine: The small intestine is comprised of two major sections, the
30 duodenal loop and the ileum. Within the duodenal loop lies the pancreas that
 secretes pancreatic juices containing the enzymes amylase, lipase and trypsin. Body Systems and Functions
Other enzymes are produced by the walls of the small intestine, further aiding
with the digestion of protein and sugars. The small intestine is the primary site
of nutrient absorption.
vii) Caeca: Between the small and large intestine lie two blind pouches known as
caeca. The exact function of the Caeca is not well defined, but it has been
concluded that they have little to do with digestion and only minor functions
associated with water absorption. A small amount of carbohydrate and protein
digestion and the microbial fermentation of dietary fibre also take place in the
Caeca.

Oesophagus
Trachea
Liver

Crop

Proventriculus
Gall bladder
Bile duct
Small intestines Gizzard
(jejunum and ileum)
Pancreas
Small intestines (duodenum)

Large intestine (caeca)

Large intestine (colon)

Vent

Cloaca

Fig. 2.4: Digestive System of fowl

viii) Large intestine: The large intestine is a relatively short extension of the small
intestine in the chicken. It is about twice the diameter of the small intestine. It
extends from the end of the small intestine to the cloaca. The large intestine is
involved in water resorption, and in doing so assists with maintaining the water
balance in the bird.
ix) Cloaca: The bulbous area at the end of the alimentary tract (from the mouth to
the vent) is known as the cloaca. Cloaca means “common sewer”, and in the
case of the chicken, the digestive, urinary and reproductive tracts all empty into
the cloaca.
x) Vent: The vent (anus) is the external opening of the cloaca. Its size varies
greatly in the female depending on whether or not she is producing egg.
xi) Pancreas: The pancreas lies within the duodenal loop of the small intestine. It
is a gland that secrets enzymes into the duodenum by way of the pancreatic
31
Biology of Poultry ducts. These enzymes help in the digestion of starches, fats and protein. These
enzymes, also known as pancreatic juices, neutralize the acid condition created
in the Proventriculus.
xii) Liver: This is a large, several lobed, dark red organ. It is the largest gland in
the body. The liver secretes bile. Bile is stored in the gall bladder and helps in
the digestion of fat.
xiii) Gall bladder: While the chicken has a gall bladder, some bird’s do not. The
two bile ducts are used to transfer bile from the liver to the intestine. The right
duct, through which most of the bile passes and is temporarily stored is enlarged
forming the gall bladder. The left duct is smaller, therefore only a small amount
of bile passes through it directly into the intestine.

Check Your Progress 2

Note: a) Use the space given below for your answers.
b) Check your answers with those given at the end of the unit.
1) Draw and label the Digestive system of chicken.

2) Describe the role of pancreas and liver.

...................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................

2.4 REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

The reproductive system of male and female birds varies significantly which are
discussed below:

2.4.1 Male Reproductive System

The male chicken has two testes and two vas deferentia. The testes are bean shaped
and yellowish white in colour. The testes are located in front of and near the kidneys
about midway of the vertebral column. The sperm cells are formed in the testes. The
spermatozoan is a long, slender, motile cell with a head, a neck and a tail. The testes
are normally retained in abdomen unlike of the mammals.
32
Each testes give rise to a coiled duct called vas deference which starts from epididymis Body Systems and Functions
and ends in cloaca in the form of papilla, which is rudimentary copulatory organ in
birds. The spermatozoa pass through epididymis to vas deference and then to cloaca
and stored at distal ends of vas deference. The testes also produce a hormone
which influences the sex characters.

2.4.2 Female Reproductive System

The female reproductive system consists of the following parts:
i) Ovary: At the time of hatching, a female chick has two ovaries, two oviducts.
But, towards sexual maturity, only the left one develops and became functional
in the hen. The right ovary and oviduct degenerate and remain rudimentary
(less developed). The hen’s ovary is composed of 900-3600 ova (egg) or
yolks in various stages of development.
ii) Oviduct: The oviduct is a long tube through which the yolk passes and where
the remaining portions of the egg are secreted. The segments of the oviduct
and their purpose are summarized below:
a) Infundibulum: The funnel shaped upper portion of the oviduct is the
Infundibulum. Normally inactive except immediately after ovulation, its
purpose is to search out and engulf the yolk causing it to enter the oviduct.
After ovulation, the yolk drops into the ovarian pocket or the body cavity,
from which it is picked up by the Infundibulum. The yolk remains in this
section for only a short period of about 15 minutes, and then is forced
along the oviduct by multiple contraction. If the Infundibulum fails to engulf
the yolk, then it falls into the abdominal cavity, where it is usually
reabsorbed. Such birds are referred to as ‘internal layers’. The
Infundibulum has no egg forming function.
b) Magnum: Next portion of the oviduct is magnum. This portion is the
albumen secreting portion and is highly vascular. The yolk is tumbled in
the magnum for uniform deposition of white (albumen) material. The
duration of stay is 3 hours. Most of the proteins are secreted here.
c) Isthmus: The incomplete egg moves to a narrow, comparatively less
vascular portion of the oviduct called isthmus. The duration of stay here is
1½ hours. Here, the inner and outer shell membranes are formed in such
a manner as to represent the final shape of the egg.
d) Uterus (Shell gland): Uterus, the next part of the oviduct, is highly
vascular. It is also referred to as shell gland since the shell is secreted
here. The incomplete egg stays here for the longest duration of 16 to 18
hours. At the junction of isthmus and uterus, two chords like structure
appear on either side of the yolk and they are called chalazae. The cuticle
is laid down on the outside of the shell in the uterus. It also acts as a
lubricant, while egg is being laid. The colour of the shell is due to
ooporphyrin and is deposited 30 minutes before the laying of egg.
e) Vagina: The last part of the oviduct is vagina. The vagina has no role in
egg formation and only serves to expel the egg once it leaves the shell
gland.

33
Biology of Poultry
Stigma

Follicle
E

Ruptured follicle

A
D
B
C
A Infundibulum
B Magnum
C Isthmus
D Uterus
E Vagina

Fig. 2.5: Reproductive system of a hen

Check Your Progress 3

Note: a) Use the space given below for your answers.
b) Check your answers with those given at the end of the unit.
1) Draw and label the female reproductive system of chicken.

2) Which ovary and oviduct is functional in poultry?

...................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................
3) In which portion of the oviduct egg stays for longest duration?
...................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................
...................................................................................................................

2.5 LET US SUM UP

The poultry’s body is covered with a combination of skin, feathers and localized
scales, with the latter being a derivative of reptiles. The most important internal
34 structures are skeletal, muscular, respiratory, urinary, circulatory, nervous, digestive
and reproductive systems. A bird cannot be classified as a simple stomach animal, Body Systems and Functions
and yet its digestive system is somewhat similar. The digestive system consists of
mouth, oesophagus, crop, proventriculus, gizzard, small intestine, caeca, large intestine,
cloaca, vent, pancreas, liver and gall bladder. The male chicken has two testes and
two vas deferentia. The testes are bean shaped and yellowish white in colour and
are located in front of and near the kidneys about midway of the vertebral column.
The sperm cells (spermatozoan) formed in the testes are long, slender, motile cell
with a head, a neck and a tail. The female reproductive system consists of ovary and
oviduct.

2.6 GLOSSARY
Artificial Insemination : Ejaculation, collection and deposition of
semen in female reproductive tract.
Clavicle : Either of two slender bones that extend from
the upper part of the sternum (breastbone) to
the shoulder. Also called collarbone.
Culling : Removing unproductive bird.
Debeaking : Removal of beak.
Dubbing : Removal of comb.
Keel : A structure, such as the breastbone of a bird
that resembles a ship’s keel in function or
shape.
Ovulation : Ovulation is the process in the menstrual
cycle by which a mature ovarian follicle
ruptures and discharges an ovum or egg that
participates in reproduction.
Pubic Bone : One of the three sections of the hipbone;
together these two bones form the front of
the pelvis.
Selection : Allowing certain individual to be parent in next
generation.
Sexual Maturity : is the duration between the date of hatch and
date of first egg laid.
Skull : The bony framework of the head, enclosing
the brain and supporting the face; the skeleton
of the head.
Sternum : A long, flat bone located in the centre of the
chest, serving as a support for the collarbone
and ribs.

2.7 SUGGESTED FURTHER READING

Jull, M.A. 1982. Poultry Husbandry, Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Ltd.,
New Delhi.

35
Biology of Poultry Prasad, P. 2005. Poultry Production and Management, Kalyani Publishers, New
Delhi.

Saxena, H.C. and Ketelaars, E.H. 2000. Poultry Production in Hot Climatic
Zones, Kalyani Publishers, New Delhi-Ludhiana.

Singh, R.A. 1985. Poultry Production, Kalyani Publishers, New Delhi.

Sreenivasaiah, P.V. 1987. Scientific Poultry Production, 1st Edition, IBH

Prakashana, Bangalore.

2.8 REFERENCES
Bell, D.C and Weaver (Jr) W.D. 2002. Commercial Chicken Meat and Egg
Production, Kluwer Academic Publishers.

Das, S.K. 2006. Poultry Production, CBS Publishers and Distributors, New Delhi.

Jull, M.A. 1982. Poultry Husbandry, Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Company Ltd.,
New Delhi.

Nesheim, M.C., Austic, R.E. and Card, L.E. 1979. Poultry Production, Lea and
Febiger, Philadelphia, USA.

Oluyemi, J.A. and Roberts, F.A. 1979. Poultry Production in Warm Wet Climates,
Macmillan Press Ltd., London, UK.

Prasad, P. 2005. Poultry Production and Management, Kalyani Publishers, New

Delhi.

Saxena, H.C. and Ketelaars, E.H. 2000. Poultry Production in Hot Climatic
Zones, Kalyani Publishers, New Delhi.

Singh, R.A. 1985. Poultry Production, Kalyani Publishers, New Delhi.

Sreenivasaiah, P.V. 1987. Scientific Poultry Production, 1st Edition, IBH

Prakashana, Bangalore.

Sreenivasaiah, P.V. 2006. Scientific Poultry Production - A Unique

Encyclopaedia, Third revised and enlarged edition, International Book Distributing
Co.

2.9 ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

Check Your Progress 1

1) The external body parts of poultry can be divided into 5 different regions. They
are head, neck, trunk, tail and limb.

2) The order of the appearance of the various feather tracts are: shoulder and
thigh; rump and breast; neck, abdomen and leg; back, wing coverts and head.

3) The different systems found in the body of a bird are skeletal, muscular,
respiratory, urinary, circulatory, nervous, digestive and reproductive systems.

Check Your Progress 2

1) Digestive system of chicken:

36
 Body Systems and Functions

Oesophagus
Trachea
Liver

Crop

Proventriculus
Gall bladder
Bile duct
Small intestines Gizzard
(jejunum and ileum)
Pancreas
Small intestines (duodenum)

Large intestine (caeca)

Large intestine (colon)

Vent

Cloaca

2) Pancreas is a gland. It secretes enzyme which helps in digestion. Liver is the

largest gland in the body and it secretes bile.
Check Your Progress 3
1) Female reproductive system of chicken:

Stigma

Follicle
E

Ruptured follicle

A
D
B
C
A Infundibulum
B Magnum
C Isthmus
D Uterus
E Vagina

2) The left ovary and oviduct is functional in poultry.

3) The egg stay longest period in uterus of oviduct (16-18 hours). 37