Comb – The comb is a red fleshy appendage on the top of the chicken’s head.

Eyes -Chicken have two eyes, one on each side of their head and the eyes should be dark and
prominent.

Ear Lobes – Chicken have two ear lobes, one on each side of their head.

Beak – Chicken have an upper and lower beak. The beak is usually a yellowy colour.

Wattles – Chicken have two wattles which hang below the beak. Wattles are fleshy skin and are
generally red in colour.

Breast – The breast is at the front of the bird and should be broad and plump.

Wings – Chicken have a set of wing feathers on either side of the body which allow them to fly.

Tail Feathers – The tail feathers are the same colour as the other feathers and point upwards.

Vent – The vent is the external opening referred to as the anus or cloaca. This is the opening
which allows the birds to excrete and for the females to lay their eggs.

Hock – The hock is the leg joint which bends in the opposite direction to a human knee.

Shank – The shank is the bird’s lower leg. Chicken have two legs which have a scale like
appearance.

Toes – Chicken have four toes on each foot. Three of their toes point forward and one faces back
for balance.

If you keep hens or are interested in keeping hens then visit the farmingfriends hen forum for the
latest chat about hens and then check out the books shown below about keeping hens which are
informative and excellent for the beginner and a handy reference for the more experienced hens
keeper.