Cooperative Exterisi S Talk The University of Arizona College of Agriculture Tucson, Arizona 85721 P’

Kenneth Olson, Extension Specialist, 4.H You won’t be around poultry breeders long before you will hear some strange sounding terms and you’ll be wondering what they mean. Poultry people like all groups have terms they understand, that are useful as they discuss their specialty with each other. As a newcomer to poultry either as a business or a hobby it is important that you learn these terms so that yoU too can take part in “Poultry Talk.” Here are some of the terms, listed in alphabetical order, for your convenience in looking up a term you may hear and not understand.

ABDOMEN — The underpart of the body from the general weight, and often a variety of colors andlor breast to the tall. combs.

A.B.A. — The initials of an organization devoted to the BRONZE — The metallic colored cast sometimes promotion of miniature sized poultry. (American found in plumage of black varieties.

Bantam Association) BUTTERCUP COMB — A comb consisting of a single A.O.C. — The initials used to designate the remainder leader from the base of the beak to a hollow crown of the colors after listing several specific colors. set firmly on the center of the head surrounded by a (Any other color) circle of regular points.

A.O.V. — The initials used to designate the remainder CAPE — The short feathers at the juncture of the back of ‘iarleties after listing some of the varieties in a and neck underneath the hackle and between the breed. (Any other variety) shoulders.

A.P.A. — The Initials of America’s first livestock CARRIAGE — The posture of the bird. Also applies to organization which is devoted exclusively to the the angle of the wing, tail and/or back.

poultry industry. (American Poultry Association) CLOSE FEATHERED — Term used to describe a bird AXIAL FEATHER — The short feather growing between whose feathers are held tight to the body.

the primaries and secondaries of the wing. COCK — A male fowl one year old or more.

BACK — The top of the body from the base of the neck COCKEREL — A male fOwl less than one year old.

Jo the base of the tail. COMB — The fleshy protruding part on top of the head BANTAMS — Miniature fowl which are about 14 the size of a fowl. It is larger in the male than female. of standard fowl. CONDITION — The state of a fowl in regard to health, BARRING — Two alternating colors on a feather run including sufficient fleshing and cleanliness and ning across the width of the feather. brightness of plumage.

BEAK — The horny formation projecting from the front COVERTS — Those feathers which cover the base of of the head of forming tfle forward mouth- the primary and secondary wing and main tail parts. feathers.

BEARD — A cluster of longer feathers hanging from CREST — A globular tuft of feather on the topof the the upper throat of some breeds. head of some breeds.

BIRD — A term often used to refer to an individual of CROP — The enlarged part of the gullet lying between any breedof poultry. the neck and body and in which the food is stored BLADE — The portion of a single comb below the and moistened before passing Into the gizzard.

• points. CROW HEAD — A narrow, shallow head with an abnor BLUE — A term used in referring to the siaty color of mally long beak.

some varieties of poultry. CUSHION — The mass of feathers over the back and BODY — That portion of a bird exclusive of head, neck, base of tail of a fowl giving it a rounded effect.

wings, tail, thighs, shanks and toes. CUSHION COMB — A solid low, moderately small BOW-LEGGED — A deformity in which the legs are far comb that is smooth on top. The front, rear and ther apart at the hocks than at the feet. sides are nearly straight with rounded corners, It Is BRASSINESS — A term describing the light yellowish free of spikes.

metallic cast commonly found In the plumage of DEFECT — Anything short of perfection.

varieties. DEWLAP — A growth of skin which hangs under the BREAST — The entire forward part of the body from the rear of the beak and upper throat.

juncture of the neck and body down to the rear point DISQUALIFICATION — A term used to describe a of the keel bone. serious deformity or a defect which prevents a bird BREED — An established group of fowls, related by from receiving an award.

breeding, possessing a distinctive shape, the same DOWN — The soft, fine, fluffy covering of a baby chick __~I____fl ~ ~ - UI LII~ ~UI L, IIUI I)’ pai LU’ d I~dLI)Cl U~IUW LlI~ WeU. — lIIcluU~ IFIW upper ariu lower tnign allu SudS!’..

EAR — The small opening on each side of the head LOPPED COMB — A comb which falls over to one side.

covered by a small tuft of stiff feathers. LUSTER or SHEEN — A glossy appearance of the EARLOBES — A round fleshy patch of bare skin on feather due to the reflection of the light rays. It each side of the head varying in size, shape and col usually indicates good physical condition.

- or according to the breed. MAIN TAIL FEATHERS — The straight, stiff, long FACE — The skin around and below the eyes on either feathers of the tail.

side of the head of a fowl. Usually red in-color but MEALY — Term used to describe plumage flecked with may be white or purple In some breeds. a lighter color as if dusted with flour.

FAKING — The removal or concealing of a disqualifica MOSSY — Indistinct or irregular markings which tion or serious defect, thus creating merit which destroy the desirable contrast wit the ground color.

does not naturally exist. When found the bird is dis MOTTLING — Plumage in which the surface is spotted qualified. with colors or shades of color that differ from the

FEATHER — One of the epidermal outgrowths, which ground color. -

collectively forms the external covering or plumage MUFFS — A cluster of feathers below and around the of a bird. sides of the eyes and extending from upper throat to

FEATHER-LEGGED — A term used to designate those the earlobes. birds having feathers on the outer sides of shanks, NOSTRILS — The openings of the respiratory system and on the outer, or the outer and middle toes. as the base of the upper portion of the beak.

FEATHER WEB — That portion of a feather formed by OIL GLAND — A large gland on the back at the base of barbs united by little hooklets that give a solid ap the tail which secretes an oilyfluid which is used in pearance to that portion of the feather and which preening the bird’s feathers. give the surface color to the bird. PEA COMB — A medium length, low comb, the top of FLUFF — The soft downy portion of a feather located which is marked with three low lengthwise ridges, on the lower part of the shaft. Also the soft downy the center one slightly higher then the outer ones. feathering on theinner sides of the lower thighs and The top of the ridges have a wavelike appearance or below the vent. have small rounded pointed.

FOWL — A collective term applying to chickens, PEARL EYE — A creamy white or very pale bluish gray ducks, geese and turkeys. Poultry means the same colored eye. thing. PENCILING — The narrow concentric linear markings

FRIZZLE FEATHER — A term used to describe feathers inside the edge of the feather web.

which are curled or which curve outward and for PLUMAGE — The collective feather covering of the en ward. It is a desirable characteristic of certain tire body of a fowl.

breeds. POULTRY — The general term applied to all

GAMY TAIL — A term used to describe a tightly folded, domesticated fowl, including chickens, turkeys and slim, tapering, whip-like tail. A desired characteristic waterfowl, etc. Fowl means the same thing.

of some breeds and a defect in others. PRIMARIES — The long stiff feathers of the wing,

GROUND COLOR — The basic or primary color of the growing from the pinion or outer segment of the web of a feather. In laced, penciled, barred, spangl wing.

ed and mottled varieities, it is the basic color to PUBIC BONES — The thin, rear portion of the hip which the markings are added. bones that form part of the pelvis. Considered impor HACKLE — The rear and side neck plumage of a bird. tant in evaluating productivity of the female fowl.

HEAD — The term Used to describe the part of the bird PULLET — A female fowl less than one year old.

which includes the beak, skull, face, eyes, ears, ear PUPIL OF EYE — The round, black center of the eye lobes, comb, and wattles. through which light is admitted.

HEN — A female fowl usually one year old or more. QUILL — The hollow and transparent hornllke portion HEN FEATHERED — A male having oval instead of which attaches the feather to the fowl’s body.

pointed sex feathers in the hackle, saddle, wing bow ROACH BACK — A deformed, humped back.

and sickles. ROSE COMB — A solid, broad, flat topped, low, fleshly HOCK — The joint between lower thigh and shank. comb, which comes to a point at the rear. The shape HORN — A term used to describe the various shadings of this comb varies in different breeds.

of color in the beak of some breeds such as the SADDLE — The rear of the back of a male fowl, covered , Silver Spangled Hamburgs, etc. with long pointed feathers.

IRIS — The colored circle that surrounds the black SCALES — The thin horny growths covering the shanks pupil of the eye. and top of the toes of a fowl.

KEEL — The lower portion of the breast bone that SCALY LEG — A condition of the shanks and toes of a resembles the shape of the botton of a boat. fowl caused by a small burrowing mite which raise KNEE or KNEE-JOINT — The joint between the upper and deform the scales.

and lower thighs. SECONDARIES — The long stiff wing feathers growing KNOCK-KNEED — A deformity in which the legs are from the middle wing segment.

closer together at the hocks than at the feet and SEX FEATHERS — The pointed feathers in the backle, knees. back, saddle, sickles and wing-bow of a male fowl. LACING — A border of contrasting color around the en These same feathers have an oval shape in females.

tire web of a feather. SHAFT — The part of a feather which is an extension of the quill the entire length of a feather. The barbs are SYMMETRY — The beauty of shape arising from a attached to this portion. perfectly proportioned bird when viewed as a whole. — SHAFTING A color characteristic where the shaft of TAIL — The fleshly and bony protruding part at the a feather is either lighter or darker than the color of posterior of a fowl from which the sickles and/or the web. other large straight stiff feathers grow.

SHANK — The portion of the leg below the hock, not in TELESCOPE COMB — A pea comb with an indentation cluding the foot and toes. at the rear or a rose comb with an inverted spike.

SHOULDER — That portion of the bird where the body TEXTURE — Applied to the condition or size of the arid wing join. grain and quality of the skin of the comb, face, wat SICKLES — The long curved feathers of a male tles and earlobes.

’s tail. THIGH — The part of the leg between the hock and the SIDE SPRING — A pointed growth on the side of a body.

single comb. THROAT — The upper, forward and under part of the COMB — A round, somewhat lumpy comb, neck of a bird.

often greater in width than length. It is covered with THUMB PRINT — A disfiguring indentation on the side small corrugations on top and usually crossed with of a single comb.

an indentation slightly to front of the middle of TICKING — Specks or small spots of color different comb. from the ground color which are required on some SINGLE COMB — A moderately thin comb firmly at portions of some breeds and are disqualifications in tached from the beak along the top of skull. The top others.

portion has five or six rather deep serrations or TRIO — At a show it is the term used to describe a cock distinct points. The middle points are higher forming and 2 hens or a cockerel and two pullets shown as a a semi-oval when viewed from the side. unit.

SLIPPED WING — A wing that is carried improperly. TWISTED COMB — A single or pea comb that has Either individual feathers of the primary section curves or other faulty shapes.

overlap in reverse order or the entire section is held TWISTED FEATHER — A feather in which the shaft and outside the secondaries rather than under the web have a corkscrew appearance.

secondaries. TYPE — The ideal general shape and form common to SPANGLE OR SPANGLING — A distinct marking of all fowl in a breed.

contrasting color at the extremity of a feather. It is UNDERCOLOR — The color of the lower or fluff portion shaped like a V with a rounded end. of feathers. Not visible when the feathers are in SPIKE — The single elongated tapering growth exten natural position.

ding from the rear of a rose comb. VARIETY — A sub-division of a breed, distinguished SPLIT COMB — A definite division in the rear of the either by color, color arid pattern or combination.

blade of a single comb. V-SHAPED COMB — A comb formed of two well def in SPLIT TAIL — A tail which has a distinct gap at the ed horn shaped sections which are joined at their center of the tail featuers. base.

SPLIT WING — A wing which has a distinct gap VULTURE HOCKS — A formation of stiff, straight and between the primary and secondary feathers. rather long feathers growing from the lower part of SPURS — Stiff horny projections from the rear inner- the lower thighs and projecting backward and side of the shanks. They are most prominent in male downward.

birds. WATTLES — The thin pendant growth of flesh at either SQUIRREL TAIL — A tail that is carried at an angle side of the base of the beak. greater than 90 WEB OF FEET—The skin growing between the toes.

STANDARD FOWL — The large or regular sized breeds WILLOW — The dusky yellowish green color found on of poultry. the shanks, feet and toes of some breeds and STIPPED or STIPPLING — The effect produced by con- varieties of fowl.

trasting dots of color on the ground color of the web WING WEB — The triangular skin in front and between of a feather. the joints of the wing.

STRAIN — Fowl of any breed or variety that have had WING BARS — The distinct band of color across the special breeding and selection for a number of years middle of the wing.

and which reproduce uniform characteristics with WING BAY — The triangular section of the wing, below marked regularity. the wing bar and terminating at the wing points, STRAWBERRY COMB — A low, short comb set well for formed by the exposed portion of the secondaries ward on the head. It is wider at the forward end and when the wing is folded.

has a slightly bumpy surface. WING BOW — The surface part of the wing below the STRIPE — Contrasting band of color running parallel to shoulder, and between the wing covert and wing the shaft in the web of the hackle feathers of some front.

varieties and also in the saddle feathers of a few WING FRONTS or WING BUTTS — The extreme front varieties. portion of the wing at the shoulder, forward of the STUB — A short feather usually found on the shanks, wing bow.

or on or between the toes. WING POINTS — The ends of the primaries and secon SURFACE COLOR — The color of that portion of the daries.

plumage that is exposed when the feathers are in WRY TAIL — The tail of a fowl permanently carried to natural position. one side of the vertical. Note: A fun learning experience can be developed ram or non by using “Poultry Talk” for a poultry term spell down. Have the whole group or two teams stand. Read the description of the term and if the person can give the correct term from the description he or she remains standing. If missed the person Cu5hion must sit down and the next person is asked to give the term. Continue until one team wins or on -Main Tail ly one person is left standing.

Shoulder_ - - :5 Tail CoverFa

Learning Exercises — A. Draw 2 large pictures of the henat right on a large poster or sheet of wrapping paper. Write the parts on Wing •-fr---’ Primaries separate small labels. Make 2 sets. Choose up teams Cove rts and see which team can label the parts of the hen in the shortest time. To draw a larger picture from a Fluff smaller one (a) Draw ½ inch squares on the picture at right. (b) Draw 4 inch or larger squares very lightly on your poster board with a pencil. (c) Draw in each large square the portion of the hen in the small squares. Your finished product should be an enlarged duplicate.

B. Have a Poultry Term Spelldown. (See page 3 for in ~-~‘~‘ --Foot structions.) Web-~’ 0~-Toe NaiL C. Complete the Poultry Term Crossword Puzzle below. 11. A hulled grain often used in pultry rations to provide a 5 bulk when needed. 14. The portion of the body including the upper and lower thigh and shank. 15. The abbreviation for a very popular dual purpose breed of chickens which are dark red in color. 17. At a show it is the term used to describe a cock and two hens or a cockerel and two pullets shown as a unit. 19. The openings of the respiratory system at the base of the upper portion of the beak. Down 1. A female fowl less than one year old. 2. The color that is not visable when feathers are in a natural position. 3. The fleshly and bony protruding part at the posterior of a fowl from which the sides and/or other large straight stiff feathers grow. 5. The underpart of the bpdy from the breast to the tail. 7. The pointed feathers in the hackle, back, saddle, sickles and wing-bow of a male fowl are called what kind of feathers? These same feathers have an oval shape in females. 9. An abbreviation for number. 10. A term used to describe a tightly folded, slim, taper ing, whip-like tail. A desired characteristic of some breeds and a defect in others. Across 12. A term used to identify a division in the rear blade of 1. The general term applied to all domesticated fowl, a single comb, a gap in the center of tail feathers including chickens, turkeys, and waterfowl, etc. Fowl and/or a distinct gap between the primary and secon means the same thing. darywing feathers. 5. The initials of America’s first livestock orgnaniza 13. -Fowl of any breed or variety that have had special tion which is devoted exclusively to promoting and breeding and selection for a number of years and serving the poultry industry. which reproduce uniform characteristics with mark 6. The colored circle that surrounds the black pupil of ed regularity. the eye. 16. A stiff horny projection from the rear Innerside of 8. Specks or small spots of color different from the the shank. Most prominent in male birds. ground color which are required on some breeds and 18. The Initials of an organization devoted to the promo are disqualif ications in others. tion of miniature sized poultry.

The Univeruily of Arizona College of Agriculture ii an equal opportunity employer authorized to provide research, educational infonnanion and other services only to individual, and institu. nion, that function without regard no sex, race, religion, color, national origin, age, Vietnam Era veteran’, seam,, or handicapping condition. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Exeen,ion work, sat of May S and June 30. 1914, in cooperation with the u.s. Department of Agriculture. Bartley P. cardon, Director, Cooperative Exten,ion Service, College of Agriculture, The uni venity of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona.