Chicken terminologies you should know
Whether you’re a beginner poultry keeper, an aspiring farmer or simply fascinated by backyard chickens, understanding chicken terminologies is essential. The world of poultry has its own language and knowing these terms will help you communicate better, care for your flock and improve your overall chicken-raising experience.
Here’s a detailed guide to common chicken terms every enthusiast should know.
1. Bantam: A small variety of chicken.
2. Broiler: Chicken raised for meat.
3. Brooder: Heated area for chicks.
4. Broody hen: Hen incubating eggs.
5. Cockerel: Young male chicken.
6. Comb: Fleshy crest on top of the head.
7. Coop: Chicken house.
8. Cornish: Breed of chicken used for meat.
9. Crossbreed: Offspring of different breeds.
10. Dust bath: Chickens’ way to clean themselves.
11. Egg tooth: Chick’s beak tip used to break out of the egg.
12. Feathers: Plumage covering a chicken’s body.
13. Flock: Group of chickens.
14. Free-range: Chickens with access to outdoor areas.
15. Gizzard: Digestive organ for grinding food.
16. Hen: Adult female chicken.
17. Incubation: Process of hatching eggs.
18. Layer: Chicken bred for egg production.
19. Nest box: Place where hens lay eggs.
20. Organic: Chickens raised without synthetic chemicals.
21. Pecking order: Social hierarchy among chickens.
22. Pullet: Young female chicken.
23. Roost: Perch where chickens sleep.
24. Rooster: Adult male chicken.
25. Scratching: Chickens’ behavior of foraging.
26. Silkie: Breed of chicken with fluffy feathers.
27. Spurred: Having spur growths on legs.
28. Spurred: Having spur growths on legs (yes, it’s repeated in the list!).
29. Wattle: Fleshy part under a chicken’s beak.
30. Wing clipping: Trimming feathers to prevent flying.
31. Bantamweight: Small-sized chicken.
32. Biddies: Informal term for baby chickens.
33. Capon: Castrated male chicken.
34. Clutch: Group of eggs a hen incubates.
35. Crop: Pouch for storing food.
36. Dual-purpose breed: Chickens raised for both eggs and meat.
37. Egg candling: Checking eggs’ development using light.
38. Feather pecking: Behavior of pecking other chickens’ feathers.
39. Grit: Small stones aiding digestion.
40. Hackle: Neck feathers.
41. Hen saddle: Protective pad for hens’ backs.
42. Hybrid chicken: Crossbred for specific traits.
43. Molting: Shedding and regrowing feathers.
44. Point-of-lay: Stage when hens start laying eggs.
45. Run: Enclosed outdoor area for chickens.
46. Scaly leg mite: Parasite affecting chickens’ legs.
47. Shanks: Lower part of the leg.
48. Squatting: Submission behavior in hens.
49. Tractor: Movable chicken coop.
50. Vent: Opening for excretion and egg-laying.
Whether you’re managing a large-scale poultry farm or keeping a few hens in your backyard, understanding these chicken terminologies is key to successful and ethical poultry keeping. The more familiar you are with these terms, the easier it becomes to care for your flock, improve productivity and enjoy the fulfilling experience of raising chicken.
