How does a chicken work? What features of chicken anatomy would be useful for everyone to know? Let's take a look inside the most popular bird and take a fun anatomical tour together!

Skeletal structure

At least a rough understanding of how the skeleton of a chicken works will help the poultry farmer carry out mandatory routine inspections of his livestock and diagnose various ailments in a timely manner. The chicken skeleton has the following feature: many of the bird’s bones are hollow inside. This is due to the fact that the chicken can fly, although it does not often do so. The total weight of bones in domestic birds rarely exceeds 10% of body weight. The second feature is that the chicken does not have teeth; instead, it has a dense horny process - a beak.

The chicken skeleton is conventionally divided into the head, torso and limbs. The head of the feathered resident is very small, sometimes it looks very caricatured on the voluminous body. The cervical part of the spine consists of 13-14 vertebrae, the thoracic part of 7, the caudal part includes 5-6 movable vertebrae. The thoracic region also has such a specific component as the keel. The forelimbs of birds are better known to us as wings.

A chicken wing consists of a coracoid bone, a scapula, a clavicle and the so-called free wing (it includes the radius, ulna and humerus). Hind limbs chickens have clawed paws, and roosters are also equipped with dangerous spurs. The legs of poultry are attached to the pelvic girdle and consist of the tibia, tibia and fibula, femur and tarsus. Most often, a chicken has 4 fingers, but there are breeds for which the standard provides for a different number of fingers.

Laying hens are also characterized by the presence of a medullary bone, which roosters do not have. This skeletal component is involved in the formation of eggshells.

Internal organs

The anatomy of the internal organs of poultry is also somewhat different from the structure of the internal organs of more familiar mammals. Read more about them below.

Digestive system

It begins with a beak, has such an interesting intermediate link as a crop, and ends with a cloaca. The beak is intended exclusively for swallowing food; nature did not endow birds with teeth, since they would significantly weigh down the bird’s head. It is precisely because primary fermentation of feed does not occur in the oral cavity of chickens that they need a crop. There, food accumulates, which gradually moves towards the muscular organ - the stomach, which has glandular and muscular sections.

The movement of food is carried out through the esophagus; it is a long muscular tube, the main function of which is transportation, because no enzymes or juices are secreted there. Fermentation begins directly in the glandular stomach, where strong acid and enzymes necessary for digestion are abundantly released. In addition, pebbles and sand can often be found in the bird's stomach. Birds purposefully swallow such foreign objects. They become part of the bird's digestive system and help it grind roughage.

Digestive system: 1 - oral cavity, 2 - esophagus, 3 - goiter, 4 - glandular section of the stomach, 5 - muscular section of the stomach, 6 - duodenum, 7 - pancreas, 8 - gallbladder, 9 - liver, 10 - small intestine, 11 - ileum, 12 - cecum, 13 - rectum, 14 - cloaca.

Next, the food moves into the duodenum and small intestine. There, useful substances and vitamins will be “taken” from it. Undigested food will form into feces in the large intestine, which ends in the cloaca. I must say that this is the only “way out” of the chicken body. The entire process of digestion in birds occurs very quickly; coarse grains take the longest to digest.

Respiratory system

The unusual structure of the respiratory organs is due to the fact that birds need a very large amount of oxygen during flight. And, although the birds in our backyard have practically lost interest in the sky, the structure of their respiratory system is atypical. The start of the respiratory system is the nostrils, then the air goes into the nasal cavity and larynx, then comes the trachea, which divides the air into two bronchi.

At the branching point of the trachea there is the so-called lower larynx, which serves as a sound-producing organ. The bronchi extend beyond the lungs and communicate with multiple air sacs located in the bird's body. Air sacs are now only found in birds; dinosaurs supposedly had them, so birds are often credited with being related to extinct reptiles. Most of the air inhaled by the bird “settles” in the air sacs, approximately 75%.

Chicken lungs practically do not change their volume; they are not able to stretch as much as the lungs of mammals do. At the same time, the respiratory system of birds is not equipped with any valves; all air movements in it are subject to the laws of thermodynamics. Besides, air bags serve for thermoregulation and gas exchange.

Circulatory system

The circulatory system of domestic birds is represented by a four-chambered heart, pulmonary and systemic circulation. Moreover, both circles of blood circulation are separated and venous blood never mixes with arterial blood. Venous blood, collecting in the right atrium, passes into the right ventricle. Then, moving along the pulmonary artery, it enters the lung and, saturated with oxygen, returns to the left atrium. This is what the pulmonary circulation looks like.

The systemic circulation begins with the left ventricle, from where blood from the aorta flows to all organs and systems of the bird through many small blood vessels. It must be said that the chicken’s heart is quite large compared to the size of the bird and looks asymmetrical. Its left side has a larger volume and does more “work”. In addition, all birds have high blood pressure and a rapid pulse.

This is due high temperature the bird's body and its rapid metabolism, which requires blood to circulate through the vessels at a high speed. And then in the video you can admire the walking poultry.

Selection system

The chicken's excretory system is represented by paired kidneys, which communicate with the cloaca through the ureters.

An important feature of the anatomy: chickens do not have a bladder, and the absorption of water from urine occurs directly in the cloaca.

Due to the absence of a bladder, chicken urine has an atypical appearance. It is thick and mushy and is not always distinguishable from feces. Moreover, the amount of feces in chickens is much greater than in mammals. This ensures the lightness of the body that birds need in flight.

Reproductive system

Chickens also reproduce differently from us; our feathered friends are oviparous. In males, the reproductive organs are the testes, located next to the kidneys. The testes greatly increase in volume during bird breeding. The spermatic ducts extend from the testis, which end in the seminal vesicle - the receptacle for sperm. Chickens do not have an external genital organ; fertilization is carried out by contact of the cloaca of the rooster and the hen.

In the female, only one ovary is properly developed - the left one. It is also located near the kidney. The left oviduct departs from it, which opens with an expanded funnel into a convoluted thick-walled tube communicating with the cloaca. The oviduct is divided into several sections: the upper one is called the fallopian tube, followed by a wide section called the uterus. From the moment the egg enters the oviduct until the hen lays the finished egg, 12 to 48 hours pass.

Nervous system

The nervous system of chickens is represented by the brain and spinal cord, as well as nerve processes and fibers, through which nerve impulses are transmitted throughout the bird’s body. The brain consists of the forebrain, diencephalon, midbrain and cerebellum. The cerebral hemispheres are small and lack convolutions. This is probably why they often talk about “chicken brains” as something insignificant.

The hemispheres of the brain carry out orientation in space and the implementation of chicken instincts. The cerebellum is responsible for the coordination of movements.

Video "Chicken Autopsy"

A postmortem examination of the chicken will complete our review!

Neck skeleton. In chickens it consists of 13-14 vertebrae, in ducks - of 14-15, in geese - of 17-18 vertebrae. The atlas fossa articulates with one articular condyle of the occipital bone. Rotational movements of the head are possible in the atlanto-occipital joint.

The articular surfaces of the vertebral bodies from the caudal surface of the second to the last cervical are saddle-shaped and form joints that provide extension and flexion movements of the neck.

Bones of the chest. The chest is shortened in terms of the number of vertebrae and ribs: there are 7 thoracic vertebrae in chickens, 9 in ducks and geese (Fig. 333).

The structure and relative position of the vertebrae, ribs and sternum ensures respiratory movements of the chest in the ventrodorsal direction with the approach and removal of the sternum to the spine.

Rice. 333. Chicken skeleton

The first and second thoracic vertebrae are connected by saddle joints. The bodies of the second to fifth vertebrae are fused. The dorsal spinous processes grow together into a continuous ridge. Ventral tubercles (tubercula ventralia) rise ventrally on the vertebral bodies. The seventh thoracic vertebra fuses with the lumbosacral bone.

Chickens have 7 pairs of ribs, ducks and geese have 9-10 pairs. The first and second ribs (rarely the third) are sternal, short, and not connected to the sternum. The remaining ribs consist of two parts: the vertebral, vertebral, and the ventral - sternal. Almost in the middle of the ribs there are joints connecting the vertebral and sternal parts. On the caudal edge of the vertebral part of the ribs there are uncinate processes - processus incmati, adjacent to the cranial edge of the subsequent rib.

Breast bone - os sternum. On the ventral surface of the body of the sternum, along the sagittal plane, the crest, or keel, of the sternum - crista (carina) sterni - rises. On the dorsal surface of the sternum there are pneumatic openings into which protrusions of the thoracic air sacs enter.

In the cranial part of the sternum there is the manubrium of the sternum, on the side of it there are articular fossae for the coracoid bone and at the edges of the lateral cranial (costal) processes.

On the lateral edges of the sternum there are articular fossae for articulation with the sternal ends of the ribs. Behind them are the lateral right and left thoracic processes, directed dorsally, caudoventral from them are the caudal abdominal processes. The body of the sternum continues into the median process.

Between the posterior abdominal processes and the body of the sternum in chickens there are the right and left oval notches. In ducks, these cuttings are often closed into rings.

Skeleton of the lumbosacral region. It consists of fused lumbar, sacral and first caudal vertebrae, forming the lumbosacral bone - lumbosacralis. The lateral edges of the lumbosacral bone are fused with the medial edges of the iliac bones. On the ventral surface of the lumbosacral bone there are intervertebral foramina through which the spinal nerves exit.

There is no pubic fusion and there is a large interpubic space between the pubic bones.

Tail section. It consists of 5 vertebrae in chickens, and 7 in ducks and geese. At the end of the caudal section, a tail bone is attached - the coccyx - pygostyl.

Skeleton of the shoulder girdle and wings (thoracic limbs). The skeleton of the thoracic limb makes up the bony skeleton of the wings. The wing skeleton is attached to the axial skeleton by three paired bones of the shoulder girdle: the scapula, the clavicle, and the coracoid bone (see Fig. 333). The shoulder blade is without cartilage, in the form of a plate. Three articular surfaces articulate the scapula with the humerus, coracoid bones and clavicle.

Rice. 334. Chicken humerus

Clavicle - clavicula. The right and left clavicles are fused at their distal ends and form a fork, or arch. In chickens, on the fork at the fusion site there is a small process connected by a ligament to the sternum. In the proximal part of the clavicles there are articular surfaces for articulation with the coracoid and humerus bones.

Coracoid bone - os coracoideum (right and left). They are connected by joints to the sternum, humerus and clavicle.

Skeleton of the free thoracic limb (wing). It consists of the same links and bones as the thoracic limb of mammals, but their structure has features associated with the function of the wings (Fig. 334). At the proximal end of the humerus there is an articular head for articulation with the scapula and coracoid bone, on the medial surface there is a pneumatic opening - foramen pneumaticum, leading to the air cavity inside the humerus. Through this hole, the cavities of the humerus are connected to the interclavicular air sac. The distal end of the humerus has articular surfaces for articulation with the radius and ulna.

The forearm bone, the ulna, is more developed than the radius (Fig. 335). There is a significant interosseous space between them. In the resting wing, the bones of the forearm are directed cephalad from the elbow joint. The bones of the hand are significantly reduced.

The carpal joint contains one row of two bones: the carpal radius and the ulna. The intermediate bone merged with the carpal radius, the accessory bone - with the carpal ulna. The bones of the distal row of the carpal joint are completely fused with the metacarpal bones.

Carpometacarpal bones - carpo-metacarpus. The three metacarpal bones (second, third and fourth) are fused into one bone with the bones of the distal row of the carpal joint. There is an interosseous space between the third and fourth metacarpal bones.

Rice. 335. Bones of the forearm and hand

Rice. 336. Bones of the metatarsal and toes of a chicken

The carpometacarpal bones are connected by joints to the bones of the second, third and fourth fingers; the second finger is the base of the wing and consists of one bone, attached under the carpal joint in the proximal part of the metacarpal bone; the third finger has two bones, the fourth finger has one bone.

Pelvic skeleton. The iliac and ischial bones are fused with the bones of the lumbosacral region. In the area of ​​the articular sockets of the hip joint, the pubic bones fuse with them. Behind the glenoid cavity there is a locked foramen and dorsal to the locked foramen between the pubic and ischial bones - the ischial foramen. The ribbon-shaped pubic bones lie ventral to the ischiums. The right and left pubic bones do not fuse. The ventral wall of the pelvic cavity is soft, elastic, and consists of muscles, connective tissue and skin. The distance between the pubic bones increases during egg laying and is reduced in chickens that do not lay eggs.

Bones of the free pelvic limbs. Femur with one trochanter. The bones of the lower leg are represented by a well-developed tibiometatarsal bone and a rudimentary fibula. The distal end of the tibia is fused with the proximal row of bones of the tarsal joint, which gives rise to the name tibiotarsal bone - os tibiotarsi.

The tarsal joint is simple, without a calcaneus, and is formed by the articular ends of the tibiometatarsal bone and tarsometatarsi.

There are two metatarsal bones (Fig. 336): a) the tarsometatarsal main bone is formed by the fused second, third and fourth metatarsal bones and the bones of the tarsal joint. In poultry farming and processing technology meat products it is called the tarsus. At the distal end of the tarsometatarsal bone there are three articular surfaces (at the ends of the fused three bones) for articulation with the phalanges of the fingers; b) the first metatarsal bone is small and articulates with the first toe. Proximal to this bone, roosters and sometimes chickens have a calcarine process.

Skeleton of fingers. Domestic birds have four toes on the pelvic limb: the first is posterior and the second to fourth are anterior. In each finger, the number of bones (phalanxes) is equal to the number of the finger plus one. The first finger has two phalanges, the second has three, the third has four, and the fourth has five.

Skeleton of the head. The brain section - the skull consists of bones fused together without visible seams. Occipital bone with one condyle, like in reptiles. The sphenoid bone has only one temporal wing. The temporal bone consists of fused petrosal and squamosal bones with an articular surface for articulation with the quadrate bone. There is no interparietal bone. The ethmoid bone does not have a developed labyrinth and consists of ethmoid and perpendicular plates.

In the facial part of the head, the incisive, nasal, and maxillary bones form the basis of the beak. The palatine processes of the maxillary bones do not fuse and there is a cleft in the hard palate.

The mandibular bone consists of two main sections: the cranial, called the dentary - os dentale, and the posterior, called the articulated bone - os articulare. The dentary forms the basis of the mandible. The articulated bone articulates with the quadrate bone of the mandibular joint. The palatine, pterygoid and zygomatic bones are movably connected by joints to the quadrate bone.

The quadrate bone os quadratum is located inside the jaw joint and there are four articular surfaces on it: for articulation with the articular surfaces of the temporal bone, the articular part of the lower jaw, with the pterygoid and zygomatic bones. The complex jaw joint with the quadrate bone and the system of movable bones of the skull create a mechanism for the wide opening of the oral cavity.

Birds have relatively large, deep orbits. The right and left orbits are separated from each other by an interorbital thin bone plate.

It’s worth starting with the fact that a chicken is a bird. Despite the doubts of some about her ability to fly, she is classified precisely in this class. The domestic chicken has a front pair of limbs adapted for flight, as well as rear ones - for standing firmly on the ground.

In addition, the anatomy of the internal organs of this poultry also differs from the structure of mammals. So, their main feature: the presence of a special organ - the ovipositor, with the help of which birds can give birth to their offspring in a shell. Read on to find out what other features the body of such a familiar bird contains.

Skeleton

Conventionally divided into the head, trunk and limbs. The chicken's head looks very small compared to its body, and consists of a skull with a horny process - the beak. It is set on a long neck consisting of 13-14 vertebrae cervical spine. The spine continues with the thoracic section of 7-9 vertebrae, followed by the lumbosacral. The vertebrae in it are fused, not only with each other, but also with the last thoracic and first caudal bone. The line is completed by 5-7 movable vertebrae of the tail, the last of which is called the coccyx - it is to it that the tail feathers are attached.

The thoracic spine has a special bone called a keel - the most voluminous muscles of the bird's chest are attached to it. It can be easily felt, and it is by this that farmers can determine the fatness of their birds.

It will be interesting to know that almost all the bones of birds are hollow - nature took care to lighten the skeleton of these creatures. That's why total weight Chicken bones make up only 10% of its total weight. Wings also help birds navigate the skies and are therefore very mobile and consist of many bones. These are the humerus, forearm, wrist bones, metacarpal bone and fingers.

The hind limbs of chickens are much longer than the front ones and are attached almost to the back, almost half of their length is hidden under the plumage. They consist of the tibia, tibia, fibula, femur and tarsus. The foot most often consists of 4 toes, but there are also breeds that have more or less. Roosters, in addition, have protruding growths on their legs - spurs.

Internal organs

Internal structure birds assumes the same organs that mammals have: the esophagus, stomach, intestines, liver and heart, as well as special ones inherent only in birds. So, to process food, they needed a special organ of the digestive system - the crop. This is where the food is pre-wetted and processed. Then it enters the stomach, where gastric juice is secreted in its glandular section. Next, all the beneficial substances from the food are taken into the intestines and it is excreted through the sphincter.

Interestingly, the intestines of chickens measure 160-170 cm, which is six times the length of their body. But despite this, the digestion process takes place very quickly, which is why chickens are almost always in search of food. To grind their daily diet, birds specifically swallow sand and small pebbles.

The selection system also has its own characteristics. Paired kidneys communicate with the cloaca, where excretion occurs uric acid, and the bladder itself is absent in birds. To form an egg, chickens have a special organ called the ovipositor. It originates from the chicken's ovary and then communicates with the cloaca. As a rule, the formation of an egg in the oviduct takes place within 12-48 hours.

Excretory system diagram

Everyone knows the fact that when a chicken is slaughtered, it is able to run around without its head for some time. This is justified by the nerve impulses entering the body, even after death.

Headless Mike

This is a rooster that has gained unprecedented fame and is even included in the Guinness Book of Records. Surprisingly, this bird managed to literally lose its head and remain viable. Moreover, the bird lived without it for 18 months. This story, which dates back to 1945, was officially documented by scientists at the University of Utah. Then they studied the ward from the farm, Lloyd Olsen.

And it all happened like this. On September 10, 1945, Loyd's mother-in-law arrived at the Olsen couple's farm in Fruita. For this event, the wife asked to slaughter the largest domestic chicken. However, the farmer took pity on his feathered ladies and chose a young rooster named Mike as his victim. But a matter of chance or the trembling hand of the owner allowed the ax to go a little askew: the rooster was left with one ear intact, as well as part of the brain stem.

Almost brought to the table, the pet suddenly jumped up, heading back to the chicken coop. It turned out to be quite viable, soon grew stronger, survived the winter and the next summer, and even tried to peck food along with all the other birds. It was decided to leave this miracle, and it had to be fed manually, with a milk-water solution. It is believed that the pet was able to live in this condition for another eighteen months. And he died because one day, after a tour, a farmer did not have time to clear his larynx in time in the middle of the night.

Scientists who examined the animal indicated that the rooster was able to survive for so long because the ax blade passed by the carotid artery. In addition, it was the remaining brain stem that was responsible for the vital functions of the body. Do you think that the rooster that lived for 18 months without a head is just a myth? Watch the video about the rooster, from the Bizarre World channel.

The headless chicken literally became a symbol of its homeland - the city of Fruita. Every year, on the third weekend of May, Mike's Day is held there. His program includes throwing eggs and many other fun games.

Chicken hypnosis

There is another experiment that birds lend themselves well to. It is believed that a chicken can be made to freeze for up to half an hour with one in an interesting way. To do this, they place her on the floor, and then draw a stripe, starting from her head. The bird freezes, concentrating on the line, and lies motionless until it is distracted or moved to another location. It is believed to be associated with a catatonic syndrome, a stupor associated with fear.

Video "Hypnotized Chicken"

Is it hard to believe that you can make a chicken freeze just by looking at a line? And here is a video from the Balyona channel confirming this experiment.

Understanding aspects of the anatomy and physiology of farm animals and birds is necessary for their effective breeding, as well as promoting health. The reproductive system, which includes the reproductive organs of a chicken, is of particular importance.

Anatomy of chicken reproductive organs

While the reproductive organs of a rooster are paired and symmetrical, in chickens they are represented by the left ovary with an oviduct. The right ovary atrophies as the bird grows. A diagram of the female reproductive system is shown in the photo below.

Eggs are formed in the ovary; they are represented by yolks and are rich in nutrients, which are important for the harmonious, full development of the embryo in the future. Inside there are follicular, or germ cells, and on the outside it is covered with two layers of membrane - epithelial and connective tissue.

Externally, the ovary is similar to a bunch of grapes, since the eggs are freely attached to its surface by means of a special thin stalk, being fixed by a process to the abdominal cavity with large blood vessels. With prolonged oviposition, the organ increases significantly from 2-4 g to 44-57 g, decreasing in volume to 7-8 g during the molting period.

Oviduct

Speaking about the reproductive organs of a chicken, one cannot fail to mention the oviduct, which is a tube-shaped long winding organ. Sperm live in it from the moment of sexual intercourse until fertilization, and an egg is immediately formed. Its walls are very elastic and stretchable. There are 5 main elements - the funnel, the protein part, the isthmus, the uterus and vagina. In chickens at the age of maximum fertility, the length of the oviduct reaches 35-86 cm, and the diameter is 7-10 cm.

The funnel is located in the upper part, opening with an oval wide opening with a diameter of 7-9 cm into the abdominal cavity next to the ovary. The abdominal wall is attached to the funnel by muscular ligaments that ensure its mobility, which allows the largest mature follicles to emerge at the end of ovulation for fertilization.

The neck of the funnel is a narrow tube that smoothly passes into the protein part, which occupies the greatest length (up to 37 cm) and is designed to produce protein while the yolk passes through it. On the mucous membrane there are 15-26 basic folds with a height of up to 5 mm and a thickness of 2.5 mm. The process of dressing in protein takes approximately 3.5 hours, after which the egg enters the uterus through the isthmus, in which the subshell layers are laid.

Chicken uterus

The uterus is a muscular organ, the widest part of the oviduct with a length of 7-10 cm. Due to the abundance of folds on the surface, it expands as the egg passes. Here the shell is laid, after the formation of which, through the sphincter - a powerful muscle ring - it enters the vagina 3-5 cm long, formed from the inside by a mucous membrane with ridged narrow folds and circular muscle fibers.

Insemination process

Experts recommend having 1 rooster for every 9-12 females to avoid high competition with frequent fights. Excessive mating tires hens and can lead to injury. Without contact with the rooster, the egg will remain unfertilized, so there will be no chicks. You can check whether an egg is fertilized by candling.

After the rooster “tramples” the hen, the seminal fluid enters the female’s genitals, where it remains active for 20 days. Only one sperm connects to the egg, causing an acrosomal reaction, and the tail of the sperm is separated.

Chicken oviduct 1 - ovary with follicles; 2 - follicle shell; 3 - oviduct funnel; 4 - protein part of the oviduct; 5 - isthmus; 6 - shell part; 7 - output part; 8 - cloaca; 9 - rectum; 10 - mesentery; 11 - blood vessels.

Knowing how the reproductive organs of a chicken work and their functions will help you achieve the desired results and get good, strong, healthy offspring.

The human body is a reasonable and fairly balanced mechanism.

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Do chickens have kidneys?

Internal structure of a chicken: internal organs

When the structure of the internal organs of a chicken is considered, the main attention is paid to what can be eaten - the stomach, liver, heart. While in the body of any living creature the most important organ is the brain. But these birds were not lucky here either. The common expression “chicken brains” belittles the level of intelligence of these birds.

Although the brain size relative to the body size of these birds is indeed small, they are not as brainless as is attributed to them. There are some things chickens know and can do.

The chickens' heads also contain sensory organs - eyes, tongue, nostrils, and auditory openings that come out.

The sense of smell in birds is poorly developed, so the nostrils are used mainly for breathing. Here are the other ways of perception environment- V in perfect order. Chickens can see at a distance of 50 meters, hear the faintest squeak of their chickens, and also distinguish all tastes due to the numerous taste buds on the tongue and palate. In addition, all birds have an excellent sense of touch due to the presence of sensory nerves at the base of their feathers.

The internal structure of the chicken in the neck area is rather “classic”. There is the esophagus, trachea, jugular vein, carotid artery and the spinal cord, located inside the spine. The larynx, which blocks the access of food to the respiratory tract of the bird, is in a lower position, next to the lungs.

An interesting feature of the chicken digestive system is the presence of a crop, in which food (up to 100 grams of grain) accumulates before entering the stomach. The organ is located in the lower part of the esophagus. As food passes through it, it undergoes certain changes. It softens and sometimes changes chemically. From there, after 3-4 hours, the food passes into the glandular section of the stomach, where it is exposed to gastric juice, and then mechanically processed in the muscular section.

IN chest, in addition to the lungs there is a heart. Compared to human ones, it works very quickly - from 200-300 beats per minute in adult birds, to 400-500 in young birds, providing a body temperature of 40-42 degrees. The reproductive organs in roosters are the testes, and in chickens - the ovary, facial tube, uterus and cloaca. In addition, each bird has a coccygeal gland near the tail, which produces fats to lubricate the feathers.

The anatomical structure of the chicken is such that the process of assimilation of nutrients from the feed occurs very quickly. Intestinal juices are similar in composition to the juices of mammals. Also involved in the process of digesting food are the liver, gall bladder, pancreas, kidneys and ureter. But birds of this species do not have a bladder.

A chicken is an interesting living creature, with its own characteristics of vital activity and structure. The information presented in our article contains complete data on the anatomy of this useful bird. Such data can be useful to representatives of various professions.

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Internal organs of chickens

Chickens have a rather interesting and unusual structure of internal organs. Of course, they have a heart, stomach, lungs, liver, brain and other organs. And in addition to the main product - meat, many poultry farmers use it to prepare various delicious dishes bird's entrails.

These poultry have a very high rate of digestion of food and all because their large intestines are quite short. Chickens, like other birds, are distinguished from other creatures on earth by the presence of a crop, into which all food ends up after ingestion. Up to one hundred grams of grain can accumulate in a chicken's crop. In it, the food softens, and in some cases even undergoes chemical changes. From the crop, three to four hours after eating, the food enters the stomach, where, under the influence of gastric juice, it begins to be digested, but the food is finally processed only in the muscle section.

A few more features of the structure of the internal organs of chickens are the presence of a coccygeal gland and a keel of the sternum.

Despite the fact that chickens practically do not smell, and they only need their nostrils to breathe, the bird’s other senses work perfectly. These feathered pets have excellent hearing; they hear even very faint sounds, which allows them to hear even the faint squeak of chickens at a fairly long distance. Chickens also see well - at a distance of up to fifty meters. And numerous taste buds on the palate and tongue allow you to distinguish the taste of food.

Chickens do not have a bladder. But in the digestion of food, in addition to the crop, stomachs and muscular sections, such internal organs of chickens as the liver and kidneys, pancreas and gallbladder, as well as the ureter are involved.

On the neck, the internal organs of chickens are represented by the following components: the spine, which contains the spinal cord, the carotid artery, the esophagus, the jugular vein and the trachea.

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Anatomy of a laying hen in pictures and videos - All about chickens

Good afternoon, dear subscribers and readers of the site “Everything about laying hens and broilers.” In our new material, the anatomy of a laying hen in pictures, see interesting video. So, let's go!

Anatomy of a laying hen in pictures and video

Skeletal structure

Knowing the anatomy of a laying hen, skeletal structure, location and size of internal organs is not only interesting when raising them on your farm, but also useful when slaughtering and processing. Such knowledge may also be needed to identify and treat certain diseases of chickens.

A special feature of the chicken skeleton is its many hollow bones. This is due to the possibility of chickens flying, although they do not often practice this type of movement.

The hollow bones are so light that on average the mass fraction of a chicken skeleton is 10% of the mass of the entire body. Another feature is the presence of a beak and, in turn, the absence of teeth.

The chicken skeleton can be divided into three parts: the main section, the trunk and the limbs. The head, set on a long neck with 13-14 vertebrae, is small compared to the body. The thoracic part of the spine has 7 vertebrae and 5-6 caudal parts.

A feature of the thoracic region is the presence of a keel, and the forelimbs of chickens are wings. Components The chicken wing consists of the coracoid bone, scapula, collarbone and free wing.

The hind limbs are paws crowned with sharp claws, and in roosters they also have dangerous spurs. Most chickens have 4 toes, but there are breeds that are characterized by having a different number.

The difference between the skeleton of a chicken and a rooster is the presence of a medullary bone in chickens; it is involved in the formation of eggshells.

Digestive system

Anatomy of a laying hen. The digestive system begins with the beak and ends with the cloaca. A separate intermediate station is the crop, intended for the primary fermentation of feed. As mentioned above, chickens do not have teeth; therefore, this process cannot occur in the beak.

The movement of food occurs through the esophagus and this is its only function. Fermentation begins to occur in the stomach. Chickens often swallow stones and sand, which then end up in the stomach after slaughter. This is useful and correct; such foreign objects help to grind large feed.

From the stomach, food enters the duodenum and small intestine, where vitamins and other beneficial substances are absorbed from it, and undigested food forms feces in the large intestine, which exit through the cloaca.

Respiratory system

Anatomy of a laying hen. The respiratory system has a number of features due to the chicken’s ability to fly. It begins with the nostrils, continues with the nasal cavity and larynx, passes into the trachea, lower larynx and bronchi, which extend beyond the lungs and are combined with many air sacs located in the body. Approximately 75% of the air that the chicken inhales settles in these bags.

It is the air sacs that are responsible for the processes of gas exchange and thermoregulation. The lungs of chickens practically do not change in size and do not have the same ability to stretch as the lungs of mammals.

Circulatory system

Anatomy of a laying hen. The circulatory system consists of a four-chambered heart and two circles of blood circulation: large and small. Venous blood accumulates in the right atrium, which passes into the right ventricle, then into the pulmonary artery, enters the lungs, is saturated with oxygen from them and enters the left atrium. This is the pulmonary circulation.

The systemic circulation originates in the left ventricle, from where the blood passes into the aorta and spreads to all organs and systems. Numerous blood vessels serve as transport routes.

Relative to the size of the chicken, its heart is quite large and has an asymmetrical shape; the left side is larger and does more work. Chickens have a fast pulse and high blood pressure, like all birds.

Excretory system

The excretory system of a chicken consists of two kidneys, ureters and a cloaca. Bladder chickens do not, and this causes the atypical appearance of their urine, which is thick and cloudy, and often does not differ from feces.

Stool occurs quite often, which is necessary to lighten the body weight and easy flight.

Reproductive system

Anatomy of a laying hen. Chickens reproduce by laying eggs. The reproductive organs of roosters are the testes, which are located near the kidneys. During the breeding season they greatly increase in size.

From the testis comes the vas deferens, which passes into the seminal vesicle, where the sperm are located. Roosters do not have an external genital organ, and the process of fertilization occurs when the cloaca of a rooster and a hen touch.

The reproductive system of a chicken includes an ovary, and only one, the left one, which is properly developed, an oviduct, which expands and passes into the cloaca. Between the time the egg enters the oviduct and the time the hen lays the egg, 12 to 48 hours pass.

Nervous system

The nervous system of a chicken consists of the brain and spinal cord, nerve processes and fibers. It is through them that nerve impulses are transmitted throughout the chicken’s body. The brain is conventionally divided into the forebrain, intermediate, middle and cerebellum. The hemispheres of the brain are small and lack convolutions, hence the numerous sayings about “chicken brains.”

The hemispheres are entrusted with the functions of orientation in space and the implementation of instincts. The cerebellum is responsible for the coordination of movements.

Autopsy of a chicken by a pathologist

Anatomy of a laying hen in pictures and videos.