Poultry, like all birds, have two legs, but also two wings, which enable them to fly more or less high. The anatomy is organized around this faculty: the bones are light and the digestive system short.
The eyes are placed laterally, which limits the vision. But a significant number of cervical vertebrae (14 in the chicken and 17 in the goose) makes it possible to compensate for the position of the eyes.
The vision is the more developped sense. If the chickens see up to 50 m, the geese see up to 120m.
The peak is a small red skin clearly posed on the top of the head. It is larger for the cock, with or without teeth. Under the effect of anger, it straightens up and becomes red sharp.
Certain hens carry sometimes a beautiful cap, called hoopoe. Sometimes imposing, it looks like a fan on top of their head.
For the cock, the feathers of the back and neck can be long, a large tail like a fan. Large and curved, they make think of a sickle.
With good look at them, the hen legs resemble those of the dinosaurs: they are covered with scales and are finished by large claws. The spur is a small end of horn, a frightening weapon for the cock.
Feathers protects the body. There are cover feathers, protecting the body from the bad weather. The plumules, under the cover feathers, are flexible feathers being used as insulating layer.
The laying, incubation, the bad weather induces an important wear of the plumage. This led to their replacement once a year: the molt takes place in autumn. The molt can take from 2 to 3 months. Nevertheless, it will be faster for animals in good health. This is a particularly difficult period for the animals; they are more vulnerable and require the most suitable care.
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