The Basic Terminology for Young Chickens
Let’s start with the most common terms you’ll encounter
Chicks
The most common and widely recognized term for a baby chicken is a chick. This gender-neutral term applies to both male and female young chickens. When they first hatch they’re covered in soft, fluffy down rather than proper feathers.
Why use a gender-neutral term? Well, it’s actually extremely difficult to determine the sex of newly hatched chickens. Even experienced poultry keepers struggle with this, which is why the catch-all term “chick” makes perfect sense.
Peeps
Some folks (including myself) informally call newly hatched chicks peeps. This adorable nickname comes from the soft chirping or peeping sound they make while in the incubator and shortly after hatching.
When you hear that distinctive peeping noise coming from your incubator, you can be sure your baby chickens have successfully hatched! This term is typically used during the brief period between hatching and when the chicks are transferred to a brooder.
Gender-Specific Terms for Young Chickens
As chicks grow, they begin to develop characteristics that make it easier to tell males from females. That’s when we start using more specific terminology:
Young Female Chickens: Pullets
A young female chicken is called a pullet. This term specifically refers to a female chicken under one year of age who hasn’t started laying eggs yet. Once she begins laying eggs, some still call her a pullet until she reaches one year of age, after which she becomes a hen.
When pullets are approaching the age when they’ll start laying eggs (usually around 16-24 weeks), they’re sometimes called point-of-lay pullets. This is particularly common when selling young females who are almost ready to begin egg production.
I remember when my first group of pullets started laying – it was so exciting to see those first tiny eggs appear!
Young Male Chickens: Cockerels
Young male chickens are called cockerels. This term applies to male chickens under one year of age. After they reach maturity (approximately one year old), they become roosters.
Male chicks develop distinguishing features as they grow. They typically display wattles and combs that are redder and larger compared to females. They also tend to strut with their heads held high, develop puffed-out chests, and grow thicker legs than females.
When Do Chicks Become Pullets and Cockerels?
The transition from being called a chick to being called a pullet or cockerel isn’t tied to a specific age. It generally occurs when they lose their downy fluff and grow in their proper feathers, a process called “feathering out.”
Here’s a rough timeline:
- 0-1 week: Newly hatched chicks or peeps
- 1-8 weeks: Chicks
- 8 weeks to 1 year: Pullets (females) or cockerels (males)
- 1 year+: Hens (females) or roosters (males)
Collective Terms for Groups of Young Chickens
When you’ve got multiple young chickens, there are special terms for the group:
Brood
A group of baby chickens hatched at the same time is called a brood. This term is especially common when referring to chicks raised by a mother hen.
Other Collective Terms
Historically, groups of chicks have been called a “peep of chicks” or a “chattering of chicks”. These terms aren’t as common today but are still occasionally used.
A general group of chickens (young and old) is typically called a flock.
When Can You Tell if a Chicken is Male or Female?
One of the trickiest parts of raising chicks is determining their gender. Contrary to what some might think, it’s nearly impossible to tell the sex of a chick at hatching without specialized training.
However, by about 6-8 weeks of age, you can start to see differences:
- Male chicks’ combs and wattles grow faster and become larger and redder
- Males develop chunkier legs
- Males may start to crow around 12 weeks (though some breeds start later)
The process of identifying the sex of baby chickens is called sexing. While it’s not 100% accurate in the first few months, there are several methods poultry keepers use:
- Vent sexing (examining rudimentary sex organs)
- Wing feather examination (cockerels have even-length feathers)
- Comb observation (males have larger, brighter combs)
- Behavior observation
- Listening for vocal differences
I’ve been fooled many times! I once had a “pullet” that I named Henrietta, only to discover “she” was actually a “he” when he started crowing at 14 weeks. We renamed him Henry.
Regional and Slang Terms for Young Chickens
Beyond the standard terminology, there are some regional and slang terms you might encounter:
Biddy
Originally, biddy referred to an older hen, but over time the meaning has shifted. Now it can refer to juvenile or mature female chickens. The term likely comes from the sounds used to call chickens: “biddy-biddy-biddy.”
Interestingly, some people mistakenly spell it as “bitty” or “bittie,” thinking it refers to “itty bitty” baby chicks!
Chook
If you’re chatting with chicken keepers from the UK or Australia, you might hear them use the term chook as slang for chicken. It’s a cute term that applies to chickens of any age.
Started Pullet/Cockerel
These business terms refer to juvenile chickens that someone has already started raising. If you buy “started pullets,” you’re purchasing young female chickens that are already partially grown, rather than day-old chicks.
Complete Chicken Terminology Cheat Sheet
Here’s a handy reference table of all the chicken terms we’ve covered and a few more:
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Chick | A baby chicken (male or female) |
| Peep | Informal term for a newly hatched chick |
| Pullet | A young female chicken under 1 year old |
| Cockerel | A young male chicken under 1 year old |
| Hen | A mature female chicken (1+ year old) |
| Rooster/Cock | A mature male chicken (1+ year old) |
| Capon | A neutered male chicken |
| Point-of-lay pullet | A young female about to begin laying eggs |
| Broody | A hen setting on eggs or raising chicks |
| Biddy | Term for a female chicken (originally an older hen) |
| Chook | UK/Australian slang for a chicken |
| Juvenile | General term for a young chicken (pullet or cockerel) |
| Brood | A group of chicks hatched at the same time |
| Flock | A general group of chickens |
Why All These Different Names Matter
You might wonder why we need so many different terms for chickens at different life stages. Well, these distinctions are actually important for several reasons:
- Practical care differences – Young chicks need different care than juvenile or adult chickens
- Sales and commerce – When buying or selling chickens, specific terminology helps clarify exactly what’s being offered
- Breeding programs – Specific terms help breeders communicate clearly
- Feed requirements – Different life stages require different nutrients
- Housing needs – Space requirements change as chickens grow
So there you have it – the complete guide to what young chickens are called! From tiny peeping chicks to gangly pullets and cockerels, each stage of a chicken’s youth has its own special terminology.
Remember, most baby chickens start out as chicks or peeps, then become pullets (females) or cockerels (males) as juveniles, before finally maturing into hens and roosters. Each stage brings its own joys and challenges in the wonderful world of chicken keeping!
What is a straight run when purchasing chicks?
This means you are buying unsexed chicks. You select the number of chicks you want, and you will end up with varying amounts of baby roosters and hens. There is no way to control how many of each sex you will end up with.
Once you are able to determine if your chicken is a male or a female (usually around 6-8 weeks of age), you can start referring to them using the follow age-appropriate terms.
Names for Male Chickens
In backyard chicken keeping, male chickens are usually referred to as either a cockerel or a rooster.
Speaking of male chickens – have you been wondering if you need one? Here’s a helpful post on all the reasons you may (or may not) want to keep a rooster!
A cockerel is a young male chicken under a year of age. After a year old, a male chicken is now referred to as a rooster.
I’ve seen some say that prior to a year of age, the cockerel is still considered an immature male chicken that has not reached sexual maturity. While that may be true that they are not fully matured, young males are still able to breed prior to a year of age and will exhibit many of the same behaviors as adult birds.
Our cockerels, from ages 5-6 months on, have provided us with fertilized hatching eggs from our hens. Around the 4-month-old mark, they start to show some of the same behaviors as roosters – crowing, protective, and even sometimes aggressive.
Of course, this can all vary depending on your breed of chicken, but in general, the one-year-old mark doesn’t mean much in terms of behavior for male chickens.
The DIFFERENCE Between ROOSTERS And HENS
FAQ
What is a young male chicken called?
A young male chicken is called a cockerel. This is typically the term that is given to male chickens that are below the age of one. After that, the baby chicken is usually fully matured, and can be considered a rooster. Another term for a young chicken is a boiler.
What are the different terms for chicken?
There are so many different terms for chickens–juvenile, cockerel, pullet, chick, hen, rooster, peep, biddy, started pullet, point-of-lay pullet, broody, brood, flock—what do they all mean? There ARE a lot of different terms for chicken, aren’t there? It can be a little confusing, especially when you’re just starting out.
What is a baby chicken called?
Baby chickens are commonly called chicks. Some people refer to them as peeps. Both terms are acceptable. Young female chickens, however, are known as pullets. Pullets become hens when they are about one year old. This is the exact time they start laying eggs.
Why are baby chickens called Chicks?
Baby chickens are usually called chicks. The term chick is gender-neutral, meaning that it can apply to both male and female young chickens. Maybe the reason why these chickens are commonly called chicks is that it is extremely difficult to tell the sex/gender of a baby chicken after hatching.
What is a collective name for baby chickens or chicks?
A collective name for baby chickens or chicks is the “brood”. Usually, the term applies to chicks that were hatched at the same time. Don’t confuse this name with “broody” which is a term that refers to a mother hen. Historically, a group of baby chickens was known as a “peep of chicks” or a “chattering of chicks”.
What is an immature female chicken called?
An immature female chicken is referred to as a pullet. This term is used to describe young females who have not started egg production or are less than a year of age. What makes a pullet a hen? After 12 months of age, your lay chickens who have been referred to as pullets, are now called hens. At this point, they should be laying eggs regularly.
What is the name of a young chicken?
A young chicken is commonly called a chick, a term for a baby chicken of either sex. After a few weeks, a female chick can be called a pullet, and a male chick a cockerel. Other less common terms for baby chickens include peep or hatchling.
What are the 5 stages of a chicken?
- Egg Stage. The life cycle of a chicken begins with the egg. …
- Embryonic Development. Once the egg is laid, the process of embryonic development begins. …
- Hatching. …
- Chick Stage. …
- Juvenile Stage. …
- Adult Stage.
What is a young immature chicken called?
Chick: a baby chicken of either sex. Pullet: a female chick (immature chicken) Cockerel: a male chick (immature chicken) Broody: a hen inclined or wishing to incubate eggs.
What is another name for a baby chicken?
Chicks are baby chickens! Baby chickens are called chicks, 3 month old females are called pullets (until they start laying eggs around 6 months), adult females who lay eggs are hens, and males are roosters, cocks, or cockerels. After a mother hen lays an egg, she sits on it for almost 24 hours a day until it hatches.