The anatomy of the digestive system of poultry differs from other animals. Poultry do not have teeth to initially
break down consumed food. The glandular stomach of poultry is the proventriculus. Food is stored temporarily in
the crop before it travels to the proventriculus. The crop, an enlargement of the gullet, is where food is softened.
Feed passes quickly from the proventriculus to the ventriculus, or gizzard, which crushes and grinds coarse feed.
Grit and gravel accumulated during the life of the bird aids in this process.