The Anatomy of Poultry

Whole Chicken (WOG) A whole bird without giblets with all parts, including the breast, thighs, drumsticks, wings, back and abdominal fat.

Quartered WOG A 4-piece is 2 breast quarters (half breast with back and wing attached) and 2 leg quarters (drumstick, thigh and back, all attached). The tail and abdominal fat may or may not be present.

8 Piece An 8-piece is 2 split breasts with back and rib portions, 2 drumsticks, 2 thighs with back portions and 2 wings.

Tenderloin A tenderloin is a whole-muscle product hand-pulled by separating the inner pectoral muscle from the breast and the sternum.

Thigh A thigh is produced by cutting a whole leg at the joint between the tibia and the femur. The drumstick and patella are removed. The thigh consists of the thigh and associated fat. Meat adjacent to the ilium (oyster meat) may or may not be present.

Drumstick A drumstick is produced by cutting a whole leg through the joint between the tibia and the femur. The thigh is removed. The drumstick consists of the drumstick and patella.

Whole Wing A whole wing is produced by cutting the wing from a whole bird without giblets at the joint between the humerus and the backbone. The wing consists of: the first segment, the second segment (flat) and the third segment (tip) containing the metacarpals and phalanges.

Wing Sections The first wing section is described as the wing drumette. The second wing section is described as the wing portion. Wing sections are usually equal proportions of wing portions and drumettes.

Breast Fillet The whole or half of the breast deboned.

Tenders Also known as chicken fingers, chicken goujons, chicken strips or chicken fillets, tenders are chicken meat prepared from the pectoralis minor muscles. These strips of white meat are located on either side of the breastbone, under the breast meat (pectoralis major).

Legs Obtained by cutting at the natural seam through the hip joint (articulation between the femur and the pelvis). A leg includes the thigh and drumstick jointed or disjointed and may include pelvic meat. It excludes pelvic bones, back skin, abdominal skin and excessive fat.