Chicken Anatomy Question

[Goat Lover 3]

Sorry if this isn't the right place to ask. I couldn't find a better forum on chickens to ask this question.
I am 15 years old and I am doing a very detailed 4-H project on the process of how a chicken egg is formed and some other things. I am studying the chicken's anatomy and I'm wondering what is the caeca or cecum, and what does it do for the chicken? Thank you in advance!

 

[perchie.girl]

Here is a pdf from www.uspoultry.org

https://www.uspoultry.org/education.../Lesson11/PoultryAnatomyandPhysiologyPres.pdf

I know the ceca is a part of the digestive tract that holds organisms that are very suited to aid in the digestion of Celulose and other materials that are difficult to digest. At least that is what I know of Horse digestion Horses have one so its called a Cecum... chickens have two so they are called Ceca

I hope this helps

Oh and an interesting note. Chickens dont have a bladder. So their urine is excreted as a white past that sits ontop of the poo.

And every few Poops there will be one that is called a Cecal poop. Cecal poops should be lose a bit watery and very stinky. Sometims you will see other chickens seek out that Cecal poop and eat a bit of it.... I know Ewww

. But even with horses they do this periodically to reinoculate their own digestive process.

deb

 

[Goat Lover 3]

Thank you so much! So, just to make sure I understand this right, the Caeca pretty much help further digest or break down the feed that didn't get totally digested? Correct?? Thank you for the website too, this is all very interesting!

 

[perchie.girl]

Thank you so much! So, just to make sure I understand this right, the Caeca pretty much help further digest or break down the feed that didn't get totally digested? Correct?? Thank you for the website too, this is all very interesting!

Yep.... Lots of animals have vestigial Cecum. Wikipedia has some good resources too but Make sure you verify them. Because they are contributed by readers.... any one can add to wikipedia information.

deb

 

[Goat Lover 3]

Ok! Thank you so much!! I greatly appreciate all your help!

 

[perchie.girl]

I hope you write a great paper. I have a son thats in college and I really appreaciate young people who are
"interested"... I don't care what field because if you are interested in what you do you will always be successfull.


deb

 

[Goat Lover 3]

Thanks for your support! Yes, every time I get an animal I like to study as much as I can about them before I buy them. I've raised chickens for about a year now, and I am still learning about them! I am hoping to become a veterinarian when I graduate High school, but I guess I'll just have to wait and see! Thanks for your help again!