Whether you raise chickens for meat, for eggs or simply as pets, having an understanding of how your chicken’s bodily systems function will make you a better chicken keeper overall. There’s a lot at work inside your birds, from the respiratory system to the digestive system and more, and having a firm grasp on the function of these systems will help you recognize health problems that might arise. Plus, as a farm-to-table eater, knowing which organs are edible will help you create a no-waste meal.

Click each term below to learn more about the inner-anatomy of your chickens. (Definitions adapted from resources provided by the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture.)

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• Beak
  
• Esophagus
• Crop
• Proventriculus
• Gizzard
• Lungs
• Heart
• Spleen
• Liver
• Duodenum
• Small Intestine
• Large Intestine
• Testes