Chicken
Classification
The chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) is a domesticated fowl, a
subspecies of the Red Junglefowl. As one of the most common
and widespread domestic animals, and with a population of
more than 24 billion in 2003, there are more chickens in the
world than any other species of bird.
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Chordata
Class:
Aves
Order:
Galliformes
Family:
Phasianidae
Genus:
Gallus
Species:
Gallus gallus
Subspecies:
Gallus gallus
domesticus
(Linnaeus, 1758)
Chickens are omnivores. In the wild, they often scratch at the soil to search for seeds, insects
and even larger animals such as lizards or young mice.
Domestic chickens are not capable of long distance flight, although lighter birds are generally
capable of flying for short distances, such as over fences or into trees (where they would
naturally roost).
Chickens are gregarious birds and live together in flocks. They have a communal approach to
the incubation of eggs and raising of young. Individual chickens in a flock will dominate others,
establishing a “pecking order”, with dominant individuals having priority for food access and
nesting locations.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken
Skeleton of a Chicken
7
6
3
2
11
1
10
23
22
8
9
4
5
24
25
17
19
18
20
13
21
14
15
12
16
16a
16b
16c 16d
1.
2.
3.
4.
Maxilla
Eye socket
Cranium
Mandible (bones of the hyobranchial apparatus are
shown to be protruding below the mandible)
5. Atlas
6. Axis
7. Cervical vertebrae
8. Radius
9. Ulna
10. Humerus
11. Femur
12. Patella
13. Fibula
14. Tarsus
15. Sesamoid bone (ossified tibial cartilage) in hock joint
16. Tarsometatarsal joint
17. Scapula
18. Coracoid bone
19. Ribs
20. Sternum
21. Keel
22. Ilium
23. Caudal vertebrae
24. Ischium
25. Pubis
Text book of Veterinary anatomy, third edition, Dyce et al
Chicken Skull
6
7
8
9
10
5
4
3
12
11
2
1
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Premaxilla
Nasal aperture
Nasal bone
Lacrimal Bone
Orbit
Frontal Bone
Parietal Bone
Tympanic cavity with cochlear and
vestibular windows
9. Quadrate Bone
10. Articular Bone
11. Maxilla
12. Zygomatic arch
13. Mandible
13
Text book of Veterinary anatomy, third edition, Dyce et al