Can I get some help with Chicken Anatomy?

[JenniferC]

Maybe I'm a spazz here- but so the vent is where eggs and poop come out, right? (It's not so weird to be confused, because based on human anatomy, I would not have expected this.)

So the vent is the large pink lips-type opening that is easily seen if you flip the chick upside down.

Well, then what is the area farther down from the vent? My chicks seem to get plugs of stuff around- what? their urethras? Is that just dirt? Or am I confused about what comes from where?

Alright, I'm really blushing on behalf of my chickies now,

 

[ChickenWing]

The only thing that would be further down would be the "belly button". I'm not sure if it is called an umbilical cord in birds or not? Anyway, it is where the yolk was connected to the chickie in the egg. It usually dries up shortly after hatching.
Sometimes there is a stub left for a few days, but it has no function after hatching. The only "Privates" opening is the Cloaca aka "Vent". Used for elimination, eggs, and reproduction.

 

[JenniferC]

thanks! I was wondering about the umbilical cord stump and what it was.

 

[d.k]

*Try not to make it a practice to flip em upside down. Chickens weren't built for it, like parrots, say-- and they can aspirate crop contents too easily.

 

[JenniferC]

d.k :

*Try not to make it a practice to flip em upside down. Chickens weren't built for it, like parrots, say-- and they can aspirate crop contents too easily.

Good advice, thanks.​

 

[allen wranch]

Jennifer, it sounds like your chicks have pasty butt. They poop and some of it sticks on the fuzz under their vent then builds up. You need to take some warm water and try to gently wash it off. Gently cutting it off will also work.

If you don't get it off, it can build up to the point that it clogs their vent, they can't poop, then they die.