MALE
FEMALE
Smaller. rather fine and delicate
Usually larger with larger and longer
in appearance compared with
attachments, such as comb and
HEAD
males; hen turkeys have hair on
wattles; coarser in appearance than
centerline of head
that of females
Feathers usually long and pointed
Feathers inclined to be shorter
at the ends; tail feathers in chickens
and more blunt than those of the
long and curved; males of the parti-
males; tail feathers short and
colored varieties have more brilliant
PLUMAGE
straight in comparison with the
colors than have the females; most
males; modest colors in parti-
male ducks have a curl in the tail
colored varieties
feathers
Larger and generally more angular
than the female; depth from keel to
Finer boned, body more rounded
back greater on same weight birds;
BODY
bones, including shanks, longer,
larger, and coarser
Smoother, generally better
Slightly coarser, particularly in old
distribution of fat between feather
birds; feather follicles larger; less fat
SKIN
tracts; feather tracts narrower but
under skin between heavy feather
carrying more fat
tracts and over back
Longer, with fleshing tending to
Shorter, with more rounded
KEEL
taper at the base
appearance over the breast
Drumstick and thigh relatively
Drumsticks and thigh relatively long
shorter with drumstick more
with flesh tending to show less full
LEGS
inclined to roundness,
until mature
increasingly so with age
Table 2-2. Indications of sex in live poultry.
2-9.
CLASS REQUIREMENTS FOR CHICKENS
a. Three Class Indicators. Since chickens are the most commonly used kind
of poultry, special mention will be made of their class indicators. Chickens are divided
into classes according to age, weight, and sex of the bird. Determination of class is
difficult when the chicken is frozen.
(1) Age. Age is determined primarily by the comparative flexibility of the tip
of the breastbone but is also based on size and conformation of the bird. The cartilage
at the tip of the breastbone is very flexible in young poultry, but, as a bird ages, the
cartilage gradually hardens until it becomes firm and rigid. Young birds are rangy; the
meat is light and soft, and the fat is evenly distributed. Older birds are more blocky;
their meat is darker and tougher, and the fat is gobby or patchy. Excessive abdominal
fat is common in heavyweight fowl.
MD0728
2-6