Chicken Terms

bantam- miniature chicken about 1/4-1/2 the size of a full size

banty- multiple bantams

rooster-male also known as a cock

laying hen- a hen laying usually starts around 18-20weeks of age

pullet- female chicken under one year old

chick- a baby chicken in a brooder usually up to 8 weeks of age

comb-crown at top of head

rose- lower to head and more spread lest susceptible to frost bite

standard - narrow and taller easy to get frost bite

crop- pouch at the base of the neck that bulges when birds eat

broiler- young, tender meat chicken can be called Fryer

broody- to care for a batch of chicks

candler- a light used to check eggs to see if they are fertile

clutch- a batch of eggs hatched together

cockerel- a male less than one year old

coop- the chickens house

cull- to kill a non-productive or inferior chicken

dam-mother

fertile-capable of producing a chick

flock- a group of chickens living together

gizzard- organ that contains grit to digest food

grit- sand and pebbles eaten to help digest food

free range- allow chickens to roam yards or pastures

HEN- a mature female chicken

incubation period- time to hatch chicks usually 18-21 days

molt- lose feathers for new ones

nest- secluded place where hens feel safe to leave their eggs

nest egg- a fake egg to encourage laying there wood or plastic

nest run- ungraded eggs

pasting- loose droopings sticking to vent and life threatning

perch- also known as a roost, a place where chickens spend the night

roaster- a cockerel or pullet weighing arond 4-6lbs

sire- father

spent- no longer laying

vent- where eggs are emitted