Have you ever looked at your backyard flock and wondered exactly what to call that young female chicken that’s not quite laying eggs yet? If you’re new to chicken keeping the terminology can be pretty confusing! I’ve been raising chickens for years now and I still sometimes mix up all the different terms used for our feathered friends.
Let’s dive into the world of chicken terminology with a focus on what young female chickens are called along with other essential chicken terms you’ll need to know as a poultry enthusiast.
The Main Terms for Female Chickens
When it comes to female chickens, there are several terms used depending on their age and development stage
Pullet – The Correct Term for a Young Female Chicken
A pullet is specifically a young female chicken under 1 year of age that hasn’t yet started laying eggs. Think of pullets as the “teenagers” of the chicken world – they’re no longer chicks, but they haven’t quite reached full maturity either.
Key facts about pullets:
- Typically between 3-12 months old
- Haven’t started laying eggs yet (or just recently started)
- Will begin laying eggs around 16-22 weeks of age, depending on breed
- Their first eggs will be smaller than normal
- As they mature, pullets will gradually lay larger and more frequent eggs
I remember when my first batch of pullets started laying – those tiny eggs were so cute! Almost like little prizes hidden around the coop.
Hen – The Adult Female Chicken
A hen is a mature female chicken that has reached laying age, typically over 1 year old. Once a pullet starts laying eggs consistently, she graduates to “hen” status.
Important hen facts:
- Mature female chickens that lay eggs regularly
- Usually over 1 year of age
- Will lay eggs almost daily during peak production
- Experience hormonal cycles affecting egg production
- May occasionally go “broody” (wanting to sit on eggs to hatch them)
- Typically live between 5-10 years
- Best egg production occurs in the first 2-3 years
Chick – The Universal Baby Term
A chick is simply a baby chicken of either sex. Until they’re about 4-6 weeks old, it’s actually quite difficult to tell male and female chicks apart without specialized training.
Chick characteristics:
- Typically 0-10 weeks old
- Covered in fluffy down feathers initially
- Start growing wing and tail feathers around 8-10 weeks
- Cannot be easily sexed visually until 4-6 weeks old
- Come in various colors: yellow, black, white, buff, red, speckled, etc.
Biddy – A Regional Term
“Biddy” is a less common, regional term used primarily in the Southern and Midwestern United States to refer to female chickens. It likely originated from the sound people make when calling chickens: “biddy-biddy-biddy!”
Interesting biddy facts:
- Originally referred to older hens
- Now can refer to female chickens of any age
- Sometimes mistakenly spelled as “bitty” (the correct spelling is “biddy”)
- More common in rural areas and among older generations
Understanding Chicken Life Stages
To fully understand chicken terminology, it helps to know the different life stages:
- Egg – Where it all begins!
- Chick – The baby stage (0-10 weeks)
- Juvenile – Young chickens with their first set of regular feathers but not yet sexually mature
- Pullet/Cockerel – Adolescent stage (females are pullets, males are cockerels)
- Hen/Rooster – Adult stage (females are hens, males are roosters)
Male Chicken Terminology
For completeness, here’s what the boys are called:
- Cockerel – A male chicken under 1 year of age
- Rooster or Cock – An adult male chicken (though “cock” is used less commonly today)
- Capon – A neutered male chicken
- Stag – Same as a cockerel, but typically used with game breeds
Special Terms for Chicken Keeping
When you’re raising chickens, you’ll also hear these common terms:
Started Pullet or Started Cockerel
A “started pullet” is a specific term used by hatcheries and breeders. It refers to a young female chicken that someone has already begun raising – you’re not starting with a day-old chick, but with a juvenile bird instead.
The term “started” is mainly a business term and isn’t typically used for birds you’ve raised yourself from chicks. Started pullets might also be referred to as “point-of-lay pullets” if they’re about 4-5 months old and nearly ready to begin laying eggs.
Broody
A “broody” is a hen who is either sitting on eggs to hatch them or has already hatched them and is raising the chicks. When a hen goes “broody,” her hormones change, and she’ll stop laying eggs while focusing entirely on incubating eggs and raising chicks.
We had a Buff Orpington last year who went broody three times! She was such a good mother, though we had to keep moving her to the broody breaker box because we don’t have a rooster and her eggs wouldn’t hatch.
Straight Run
“Straight run” refers to an unsexed group of chicks. When you buy straight run chicks, you’ll get a mix of males and females, usually close to 50/50 (though it can vary).
Chicken Anatomy Terms
Understanding chicken anatomy helps when discussing your birds:
- Comb – The fleshy appendage on top of a chicken’s head
- Wattles – The fleshy appendages hanging beneath a chicken’s beak
- Earlobes – Fleshy areas on each side of the chicken’s head
- Crop – A sack near the base of a chicken’s neck that holds food
- Hackles – The neck feathers
- Saddle – The feathers just in front of the tail
- Shanks – The scaled part of chicken legs
- Spurs – Hard, pointed growths on the shanks (most common on roosters)
Egg and Hatching Terminology
For those interested in hatching:
- Hatch – When a chick emerges from the egg
- Pip – The first hole a chick makes in the shell
- Zip – When a chick chips around the circumference of the egg
- Lockdown – Final days of incubation when the incubator shouldn’t be opened
- Candle/Candling – Shining light through an egg to check development
- Clear – An egg showing no embryo development when candled
- Blood ring – An egg with a ring of blood visible during candling (indicates early embryo death)
- DOS – Dead in shell; a chick that died before or during hatching
Chicken Communication
Chickens have their own language:
- Eggsong – A loud call made by a hen after laying an egg
- Crowing – The loud call made by roosters (though dominant hens might crow too!)
- Tidbitting – An excited sound alerting other chickens to food
- Alert – A loud, growling call warning of danger
- Purring – A quiet sound made by happy chicks or broody hens
Collective Terms for Chickens
When talking about groups of chickens, you’ll use these terms:
- Flock – A group of chickens living together
- Clutch – A collection of eggs a broody hen will hatch
- Brood – A group of baby chicks hatched at the same time
Why Is It Important to Know Chicken Terminology?
Learning the proper terms for chickens helps you:
- Communicate clearly with other chicken keepers
- Understand instructions when reading about chicken care
- Describe your birds accurately when seeking advice
- Purchase the right type of birds for your needs
- Sound like you know what you’re talking about at the feed store!
Common Questions About Chicken Terminology
What is a chicken female called?
An adult female chicken is called a hen, while a young female chicken is called a pullet.
What is a chicken girl called?
“Girl” isn’t a technical term for chickens, but a female chicken would be called a hen (adult) or pullet (young).
What is the slang for a female chicken?
“Biddy” is a regional slang term for a female chicken, particularly common in the Southern US.
How do you say “female chicken”?
The proper term is “hen” for an adult female chicken or “pullet” for a young female chicken.
Final Thoughts
So there you have it – a young female chicken is called a pullet! But as we’ve seen, there’s a whole vocabulary of chicken terms to learn beyond just that.
When I first started keeping chickens, I remember being confused by all these terms. Now they’re second nature to me, and I catch myself using them in everyday conversation (which sometimes gets me strange looks from non-chicken people!).
Understanding chicken terminology isn’t just about sounding knowledgeable – it helps you better care for your birds by understanding their different needs at various life stages. Whether you’re raising chickens for eggs, meat, or just as feathered friends, knowing the right terms will help you communicate better with other chicken enthusiasts and provide the best care for your flock.
Do you have any favorite chicken terms I missed? Or maybe some regional terms used in your area? I’d love to hear about them in the comments!
Names for Female Chickens
Female chickens can fall in to two main categories – a pullet or a hen.
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 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.