Poultry Terms

A.B.A.  American Bantam Association

air cell : The air pocket between the two shell membranes found in the large end of the egg.

albumen : The white of the egg. There are two kinds; a thick white mostly next to the yolk, and a thin white mostly next to the shell. The white is actually formed in four (alternating) layers.

allantois : An organ in the embryo of birds which develops into part of the umbilical cord and unites with the chorion, forming the placenta. This membrane supplies oxygen to the embryo and stores waste material.

amnion : A thin membtanous fluid-filled sac surrounding the embryo.

amniotic fluid : The fluid that fills the amnion in which the embryo floats.

AOCCL: All Other Comb Clean Leg

A.O.V.: "All Other Varieties" or "Any Other Variety".

aviculture : The practice of keeping and raising birds.

avian: of, or pertaining to, Aves or birds.

axial feather: the short feather growing between the primaries and secondaries of the wing.

bantam : A miniature breed, sometimes with a full sized counterpart. There are bantam ducks as well as chickens.

bean : The small round bump on the end of a duck's bill. Also called the nail.

beard: (1) a cluster of feathers pendent from the upper throat of some fowl. Found only in combinations with muffs. (2) the small tuft of long, coarse, bristly, black hairs projecting from the upper part of the breast of the adult male turkey.

booted: fowls that are feathered on shanks and toes and having vulture hocks are said to be booted.

bow-legged: a deformity in which the legs are farther apart at the hocks than at the feet and knee joints; a disqualification if a perceptible angle is evident at the hock when viewed from the front or back.

brassiness: a term descriptive of a light yellowish metallic case commonly found in the plumage of White and Parti-White varieties, and to a lesser degree in several other varieties, particularly in the hackle, wing-bow and saddle of the male; a serious defect, may be hereditary or affected by exposure to sun rays and certain items in the diet.

Broody-hen: A hen that through hormonal changes has undergone marked changes in behavior and physiology, including cessation of laying and development of the maternal instincts. A hen that wants to sit on eggs to hatch them and to brood chicks.

booted: fowls that are feathered on shanks and toes and having vulture hocks are said to be booted.

bow-legged: a deformity in which the legs are farther apart at the hocks than at the feet and knee joints; a disqualification if a perceptible angle is evident at the hock when viewed from the front
or back.

brassiness: a term descriptive of a light yellowish metallic case commonly found in the plumage of White and Parti-White varieties, and to a lesser degree in several other varieties, particularly in the hackle, wing-bow and saddle of the male; a serious defect, may be hereditary or affected by exposure to sun rays and certain items in the diet.

breast : The front of the bird

breed: an established group of individuals possessing similar characteristics and when mated together produce offspring with those same characteristics. A breed may include a number of varieties of the same general weight, distinguished by different color plumage, or different types of combs or a comb and color as in Dorkings and some cases by bearded or non-bearded.

bevy : The collective name for a flock of domestic ducks.

bill : The part of the duck or goose that forms the mouth and nose - like the beak of a chicken; with waterfowl it is called a bill.

blastula : The name given to an embryo in the very early stages of development. Also called blastoderm.

brood : A group of baby birds. A broody hen is one who wants to sit on a nest and hatch and raise her babies. A brooder is a device designed to help look after newly hatched birds.

Broiler or Fryer - A young meat-type chicken, usually 9 to 12 weeks of age, of either sex, that can be cooked tender by broiling or frying, usually weighing between 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 pounds.

camouflage : Colour or markings that allow an animal to blend in with its surroundings so predators won't find it.

candle : To try to see inside a 'live' egg using a light to determine the condition of the embryo.

caruncles: the fleshy protuberances on the naked portions of the head, face and neck of the Turkey and Mascovy Duck.

chalazae : The twisted coils of very thick white that anchor the yolk and embryo in place within the egg.

chick : Any baby bird. The proper name for a baby chicken.

Chick tooth:  A tiny, sharp, horny projection on the end of the chick's beak used by the chick to peck holes in the shell. Also known as egg tooth.

Class - A group of chickens that has been developed in a particular region of the world.

close feathered: said of a fowl in which the feathers are held closely to the body (i.e., at no perceptible angle to the body).

clutch : A bunch of eggs to be incubated.

cock : The name for an adult male bird. The proper name for an adult male chicken over a year.

cockerel : A young male bird. The proper name for a young male chicken under a year.

comb: the fleshy protuberance on top of the head of a fowl, larger in the male than the female. Of various forms and variations of forms in different breeds, usually red in color. Eight types of combs include: 1) Buttercup, 2) Cushion, 3) Pea, 4) Rose, 5) Silkie, 6) Single, 7) Strawberry and 8) V-Shaped.

condition: the state of a fowl in regard to health, including cleanliness and brightness of plumage, head parts, legs and feet.

crop : The place where the food first goes when it is swallowed.

cull : An inferior bird (one who is deformed or does not measure up to its standard). The act of removing inferior birds from the flock.

crest: an almost globular tuft of feathers on the top of the head of some fowl and waterfowl, as in Polish, Houdans, Crevecoeurs, Silkies, Sultans and White Crested Ducks. Full expression is partially dependent on the "knob" which is the term most generally used to describe the bony structure and mass of tissue and follicles from which the crest grows.

Cuticle: A secretion of the uterus consisting mainly of protein that serves to partially seal the pores in the egg's shell and acts as a lubricant when the egg is laid; commonly called the bloom.

dabble : The tipping (bottom's up) of ducks to reach weeds growing under the surface of the water. Not all kinds of duck do this.

decoy : A live or artificial duck used to lure wild ducks nearby. Used by hunters when trying to get the ducks close enough to shoot. This was the original purpose of the tiny Call Duck.

defect: anything short of perfection; nearly all are inherited.

dehydrate : To loose moisture or to dry out.

dewlap: a pendulous growth of skin under the rear of the beak or
bill and extending onto the throat area. Examples include African Geese & Brahma females.

diet : The combination of foods eaten by an animal. To promote growth and general health and viability.

disinfect : To clean in order to kill germs.

disqualification: a term applied to a deformity or a defect, sufficiently serious to debar a fowl from an award, usually inherited. Also applies to evidence of faking.

down : The soft fluffy 'feathers' found next to the skin of adult birds (under the other feathers). The soft fluffy covering on baby birds.

drake : The proper name for a male duck.

dry-bulb thermometer: expresses a temperature reading in number of degrees Fahrenheit (F) or centigrade/Celsius (C).

dubbed - dubbing: a term used to describe too close trimming of comb, wattles and ear-lobes of the male Modern Game & Old English Game. Cocks not dubbed; a disqualification in above mentioned breeds.

duck : A kind of waterfowl. Also the proper name for a female duck.

duck-foot: a condition where the fourth or hind toe is carried
forward so as to touch or almost touch the third toe instead of carried backward to touch the ground and help balance the bird; a disqualification.

duckling : The proper name for a baby duck.

egg (avian) : The female reproductive cell (ovum) surrounded by a protective calcium shell and, if fertilized by the male reproductive cell (sperm) and properly incubated, capable of developing into a new individual.

egg tooth : The temporary horny cap on the duckling's upper bill
which serves for pipping (breaking through) the shell. The egg tooth falls off after the duckling hatches.

embryo : A baby animal before it is hatched or born. A fertilized egg in the early stages of development prior to hatching.

embryology : The study of the formation and development of plant and animal embryos.

evaporate : Water (or other fluid) turning from liquid to gas (vapour).

faking: a self-evident attempt to remove or conceal a disqualification or serious defect, thus creating merit which does not naturally exists; a disqualification.

feather legged: a term used to designate those breeds having feathers on the outer sides of shanks, and on the outer, or the outer and middle toes.

fertile : A fertile egg is one that will develop into a baby bird given the right conditions.

fertilization : The union of a male and female sex cell.

finish: the term applied to fowl which indicates the completion of growth of the entire body, head parts, plumage, shanks and toes,
and which must have the proper color, luster and sheen. Indicates bloom of health, ideal weight and perfection of plumage color and growth.

forage : The act of searching for one's own food. Ducks will forage for weeds and small insects

foreign color: a color in any part of a fowl that differs greatly from the color prescribed by the Standard. A disqualification in some breeds, and a defect in others.

flock : The collective name for a group of birds  (usually chickens).

foster mother : A bird that is willing to hatch and raise someone else's eggs and babies as her own. Some kinds of chicken are very good at this. Quite often, once a bird goes broody, it is possible to put anyone's eggs beneath her. They don't seem to be able to tell the difference.

fowl : The name given to birds in general, but usually to edible varieties.

frizzle feather: a term used to denote feathers which are curled and which curve outward and forward, a characteristic of Frizzle chickens. Also to a lesser degree in Sebastopol Geese.

fumigate : To clean an incubator with strong chemicals to kill all germs.