Things You Want to Know: What is a Group of Chickens Called

There is a lot of words you can use to describe a chicken, right? And sometimes it can be quite confusing for some, especially if you are just starting in the business. You have to understand that there are a lot of various terms you can use for chickens.

The words include cockerel, pullet, juvenile, hen, chick, Peep, and a rooster. But, what is a group of chickens called? Let us first define each of these terms in this article.

Using Words Like Hen, Roo, Rooster, Capon

You probably heard of the terms rooster and hen. Both of them represent a male and female chicken respectively. Moreover, Roo is just a short term for chicken. On the other hand, Capon means a neutered rooster.

Using Chicks and Peeps for Baby Chickens

What you have to understand is that you cannot use these terms for the little ones. A young chicken or chick is not a rooster or a hen. Rooster and hen refer to adult chickens only.

You can call chicks or peeps for baby chickens of both sexes. But, why not use separate terms for male and female chicks? It is because you cannot tell the sexes of the baby chickens before they mature.

Historically speaking, the Westerners didn’t know what to call them until the 30s came. They learned about the terms chicks or peeps from the Japanese.

Chicken Versus Rooster

A lot of times beginners get so confused and think that term refers to male fowls and chicken for females. In fact, other people would separate the two words.

But, if you are a newbie this is not an excuse that you do not know these words. So, make sure that you are aware that chicken defines both the males and the females.

Difference Between Cockerels, Pullets, and Juveniles

When you can now identify whether it’s a boy or a girl chicken, you can refer to them as pullets for females and cockerels for males. Both of them are collectively known as young chickens.

But, what ages can you call them chicks, pullets, or cockerels? It is quite confusing, right? But, baby chickens undergo the process of being called as chicks to cockerels or pullets once they develop feathers.

Then, the male chickens turn from chicks to cockerels. Then, once they become adults, you can call them chickens or roosters.

For females, they can go from pullets, then to chickens. You can call them pullets for their whole first year, even after laying eggs. Why? It is because they will lay eggs that are not yet full size initially.

Terms Used for Older Hens

Broody for Mother Hens

Broody is jargon for mother hen. With that, it is a hen that is getting started to hatch eggs, or they already hatched their eggs. Also, they are raising their chicks.

Biddy as an Informal Term for Female Chickens

Biddy is a familiar word that you may hear from farmers to point out female chickens. Decades ago, this term referred to elderly women compared to the birds. Later on, it already applies to mature chickens.

The name sounds like the call other people call their flock of hens that goes like: “biddy, biddy, biddy.” But nowadays, a lot of individuals even mispronounce and misspell them as bittie or bitty that refers to itty bitty little chicks. But, biddy also means hens.

Collective Word for Chickens

Lastly, we have to talk about what we should call a group of chickens. A lot of handlers or raisers use these terms:

You Can Use the Word Flock

Flock is a word that talks about a group of chickens that exist together. Nearly all backyard chicken raisers own a herd of chickens. You may even have two or more flocks if you allow them to live in separate houses, especially when breeding them.

Use Clutch for a Broody’s Set of Eggs

It is a term utilized to describe a broody’s collection of eggs that she is going to hatch or have already hatched. Most of them are still immature enough to explore the earth that’s why they start to die off under the mother hen.

Conclusion

Chickens are one of the easiest to raise when it comes to all livestock. You can even meet their requirements for food and shelter so quickly. You can get meat the eggs from the flock of eggs, and they remained superior amongst other sources.

But, if you do not know the standard terms in raising chicken, then you may be one step further from your goal of keeping them.

That’s why you need to learn more by checking out the words indicated above. A flock of chickens is also a cause of enjoyment and fascination for the entire family. So, why not give it a try?