List of poultry feathers
- 8. Fluff
- 9. Saddle feathers
- 10. Sickles
- 11. Primaries
- 12. Scapulars
- 19. Tail coverts
Some terms used for the feathers of poultry are identical to those used for feathers of other birds, while others are specific to poultry. They include:[1][2]
| Feather | Description | Image | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beard | Feathers projecting below the beak | only in bearded breeds | |
| Crest | Feathers projecting upwards from the head | only in crested breeds | |
| Ear tufts | Feathers projecting from the ear | ||
| Flight coverts | Short feathers covering the base of the primaries and secondaries | ||
| Fluff | The soft feathers on the underside of the bird | ||
| Lesser sickles | Long curved feathers of the tail, below the sickles | only in cock birds | |
| Main tail feathers | The long straight feathers forming the tail, under the tail coverts | ||
| Muff | Feathers projecting below and around the eyes | only in bearded breeds | |
| Neck hackles | The long feathers of the neck | ||
| Primary flights or primaries | The longest and outermost feathers of the wing | ||
| Saddle feathers | Feathers covering the back or saddle before the tail coverts; in cocks they are long and pointed | divided into upper and lower saddles | |
| Scapulars | Short feathers on the upper side of the wing near the body | ||
| Secondaries | The long flight feathers of the inner part of the wing | ||
| Sickles | The two longest curved feathers of the tail | only in cock birds | |
| Tail coverts | Short feathers covering the base of the main tail feathers in cocks, and most of the tail in hens | ||
| Vulture hocks | Stiff feathers projecting downwards behind the leg | only in some breeds | |
| Wing bar | Short feathers covering the base of the secondaries and of the flight coverts | ||
| Wing bow coverts | Short feathers covering the upper part of the wing between the scapulars and the wing bar |
See also
References
- ^ Victoria Roberts (2009). British Poultry Standards, 6th edition. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons. pp. 13–14. ISBN 9781444309386.
- ^ Pam Percy (2006). The Field Guide to Chickens, 6th edition. St. Paul, MN: Voyageur Press. pp. 53–57. ISBN 9780760324738.