Poultry Science Terminologies

Vocabulary flashcards covering key poultry science terminologies from the lecture notes.

Addled

An egg whose contents are decomposing.

Air cell

The air space usually found at the large (blunt) end of an egg.

Albumen

The white of an egg.

Amino acids

Simpler building units of protein.

Anticoccidial

Drug used to treat or prevent coccidiosis.

Artificial insemination

Introduction of semen into the female oviduct by methods other than natural mating.

Auto-sexing

Sex differentiation at day-old age based on visual characters.

Aves

Class that includes all species of birds, including domestic fowl.

Aviary

Large enclosure for holding birds in confinement.

Aviary system

'Litter system' housing with mezzanine floors to increase usable floor space.

Aviculture

The science of birds.

Banding

Placing an identification tag or band on a bird’s wing or leg.

Bantam

Chicken breed ¼ to ½ the size of a standard breed.

Barring

Alternate markings of two distinct colors on a feather.

Battery

Wire-net compartment housing used for most commercial egg-type birds.

Beak trimming

Removal of the tip of the beak to prevent cannibalism and related vices.

Bedding

Material scattered on the poultry-house floor to absorb moisture and manure.

Biosecurity

Disease-prevention program for poultry.

Blastoderm

Fertilised nucleus of the egg from which the chicken develops.

Blastodisc

Unfertilised nucleus of an egg; no chick can develop from it.

Blood spots

Common internal egg faults, often in eggs from pullets coming into lay.

Booted

Having feathers on the shanks and toes.

Breed

Group of birds that reproduce their own likeness; varieties differ by a single trait.

Broiler

Young bird of either sex bred for efficient meat production (grown 5–7 weeks).

Brooder

Equipment providing supplementary warmth to young chicks.

Brooding

Early-life period requiring special diets and warmth.

Broody

Maternal instinct causing a hen to sit on eggs and care for chicks.

Caeca

Two blind guts attached to the distal end of the small intestine.

Cages

Housing system where birds are confined to wire floors, singly or in groups.

Candle

To examine internal egg characteristics with a bright light in a dark room.

Candler

Light device used to examine egg contents without breaking the shell.

Candling

Process of examining an egg’s interior using a candler.

Cannibalism

Birds attacking and eating flock mates.

Capon

Castrated male chicken.

Carrier

Apparently healthy bird that can transmit disease.

Ceca

Blind pouch after the small intestine; aids in immunity.

Chalazae

Ropelike albumen strands anchoring the yolk in the egg’s center.

Chick

Chicken from day-old to end of brooding.

Chick-type drinker

Waterer designed for young chicks.

Chick-type feeder

Feeder designed for young chicks.

Clear eggs

Infertile eggs removed during incubation.

Cloaca

Common external opening for digestive, urinary, and reproductive tracts.

Cluck

Sound a hen makes after laying an egg.

Clutch

Group of eggs or chicks.

Coccidiostat

Drug added to feed to prevent coccidiosis.

Cock

Adult male chicken, usually after one breeding season.

Cockerel

Young male chicken, typically under 6 months of age.

Condition

A chicken’s state of health and cleanliness.

Contract grower

Farmer who raises chickens under contract for a broiler company.

Controlled environment housing

Intensive housing where temperature, air quality, and light are regulated.

Coop

House or cage for poultry.

Crop

Food-storage pouch at the base of the neck (part of oesophagus).

Crossbred

Bird with parents of two or more different breeds or genotypes.

Crude protein

Total nitrogen in feed; not all true protein.

Crumbles

Pelleted feed broken into smaller pieces.

Cull

Identify and remove non-productive birds from the flock.

Culling

Removal of undesirable animals.

Cuticle

Outer membrane or bloom on the eggshell.

Dead-in-shell

Embryos that die and fail to hatch.

Cygnet

Young swan.

Day-old chick (DOC)

Chick up to 24 hours after hatching.

Deep litter

Housing system with litter material on the floor for birds to live on.

Disease

Any condition disrupting normal function of a bird’s body.

Droppings

Chicken manure.

Dry bulb thermometer

Thermometer with an uncovered bulb for measuring air temperature.

Dub

Surgical removal of a bird’s comb and wattles.

Duckling

Young duck.

Dust bath

Behavior of chickens splashing in soil to clean feathers.

Electrolytes

Mineral solution used to treat dehydration.

Egg bound

Condition where a hen cannot expel a formed egg.

Embryo

Developing chicken inside the egg.

Fertile

Egg that has been fertilized and can develop a chick.

Fertility

Percentage of eggs that are fertile.

Feed hopper

Semi-automatic feeder with extra feed storage capacity.

Feed conversion ratio

Feed consumed relative to production (growth or eggs).

Fertile egg

Egg in which the blastodisc has been fertilised, forming a blastoderm.

Flighty

Excitable flock prone to fly at slight provocation.

Flock

Group of birds of same origin and age managed together.

Floor eggs

Eggs laid on the shed floor rather than in nest boxes.

Foie gras

‘Fatty liver’ delicacy from specially fattened duck or goose liver.

Foot-candle

Unit for measuring light intensity.

Forage

To scratch the ground for food; also crops in a pasture.

Fowl

All members of Gallus domesticus, regardless of age, sex, or breed.

Free-range housing

System giving birds indoor shelter and daylight access to outdoors.

Fryer

(As per notes) A group of birds living together.

Gandler

Male goose.

Generation

Age at which an animal produces its first offspring or egg.

Germinal disc

Fertilisation site on the egg yolk (blastodisc/blastoderm).

Germicidal solution

Chemical solution that kills microbes.

Giblets

Heart, gizzard, and liver portion of a carcass.

Gizzard

Muscular stomach grinding food; lined and embedded with grit.

Gobbler

Adult male turkey.

Goose

Waterfowl species; female is also termed goose.

Gosling

Young goose.

Grade

To sort according to quality.

Growers

Birds between end of brooding and sexual maturity.

Guinea hen

Adult female guinea fowl.

Guinea pullet

Female guinea fowl under one year of age.

Hatch

Process of a chick emerging from the egg.

Hatchability

Percentage of saleable chicks hatched from all eggs incubated.