Avian Production Management

FEATHER

Parts of feather

• The root is called 'calamus'. The base is known as the 'quill', which gives rise to a structure known as a shaft which in turn terminates in a structure called 'rachis'.
• The structure called barbs arise from the shaft which gives rise to the barbule. This further gives rise to barbicels. These join together to form the vane.
• Feather serves as a protection to the bird from extremes of weather by insulating the body. They are essential for flight. The feather pattern and colour will assist in identifying the breed and variety and also help in identifying the sex of the bird, because sexual dimorphism exists in the feather pattern of poultry.

Sex differentiation

• In the male fowl the tail feathers are sickle shaped.

 

• In case of ducks the male has a curved tail feather (sex curl) known as the 'Drake Feather', which is useful in identifying the sex of the bird.
• In the Tom turkey the tail feather is long when compared to that of the female.
• In the Japanese quail the feathers on the neck and breast region of the male is golden or rust brown, while in the female it is speckled. Condition of feathers help in identifying a good layer from a non-layer, an old layer from a young layer and also to identify the stage of moult in a bird.

Male Japanese quail	Female Japanese quail