Laboratory Exercise
No. 2
Identification of the external
and internal structures of the
domestic chicken
Introduction
The biology of the domestic chicken has
close resemblance with the biology of other
poultry species. Gaining knowledge on
some of the important features of the avian
anatomy will help the animal science
students to understand the factors that
influence the productivity of a chicken.
Students can use the knowledge gained in
this exercise as guide to become a
successful chicken raiser in the future.
Objective
Upon completion of this exercise, the
students are expected to:
1. Enumerate the important structures of
the external anatomy of chicken related to
the chickens economic value; and
2. Outline the structures and functions of
the major internal organs of chicken.
Questions/Critical
Thingking
What are pneumatic bones? Identify the
pneumatic bones found in chicken.
These bones are hollow and connected to the
respiratory system via the air sacs. Examples of
pneumatic bones are the :
In Chicken:
In human
1. Skull
1. Maxilla
2. Collar bone (Clavicle)
2. Scapula
3. Pelvic
3. Patella
4. Keel
4. Pisiform
5. Lumbar
6. Sacral Vertebrae
Questions/Critical
Thingking
What is the significance of medullary
bones?
The medullary bones . These bones include tibia ,
femur , pubic bone , ribs , ulna , toe bones , and
scapula. Medullary bones are an important source
of calcium when hens are laying eggs. Eggshells
primarily are made of calcium, and a hens body
mobilizes 47 percent of its body calcium to make
an eggshell. When in production , a commercial
laying hen cannot obtain enough dietary calcium
to allow for daily egg production. Without
medullary bones to draw calcium from , the hen
would produce eggs with very thin and weak
shells.
Questions/Critical
Thingking
What makes dark meat dark?
Turkeys can fly short distances typically
from ground to perch but they are not
known for their sustained flighting abilities.
They rely on their legs to get them around.
The active muscles, such as the legs and
thighs , are full of blood vessels. These
blood vessels contain myoglobin (or muscle
hemoglobin), which delivers oxygen to the
muscles. The more myoglobin the muscles
contain, the darker the muscle.
Questions/Critical
Thingking
What are air sacs? Give their importance.
Importance:
The air sacs permit a unindirectional flow of air through the lungs.
Unindirectional flow means the air moving through bird lungs is largely
fresh air & has a higher oxygen content. In contrast air flow is
bidirectional in mammals , moving back and forth into and out of the
lungs. As a result , air coming into a mammals lungs is mixed with old air
(air that has been in the lungs for a while) & this mixed air has less
oxygen. So , in bird lungs , more oxygen is available to diffuse into the blood
(air that has been in the lungs for a while) & this mixed air has less
oxygen.
Questions/Critical Thingking
What is the only part of the respiratory tract
capable of producing sound?
Voices produce sounds through a steady
flow of air through the larynx, which causes
vibrations and creates fluctuations in air
pressure.
Questions/Critical
Thingking
What makes the skin of some birds yellow?
The many types of melanin are responsible
for brown, black, gray, and some yellow
colorations. In some animals, especially
albinistic birds and reptiles, ruddy and yellow
hues or other colors may be present on the
entire body or in patches (as is common
among pigeons), due to the presence of
other pigments unaffected by albinism such
as porphyrins, pteridines, and psittacins, as
well as carotenoid pigments derived from the
diet.
Questions/Critical
Thingking
Give the function of feathers.
1.
2.
3.
Feathers are one of the most prominent
features of a birds anatomy and they are
unique to birds. Feathers perform a number of
function for a bird:
They provide insulation , body temperature of
most birds is maintained at around 40 C.
Feathers allow for flight.
Feathers control what a bird looks like by
supplying the bird with colors. Colors in birds
are used for camouflage and sexual display
(consider the tail feathers of a peacock).
