What is a chicken?
Chickens do not have the gut bacteria necessary to break down phytates. (1)
What are types of chickens?
By Age
Boiler – a chicken 6 to 9 months old (2)
cockerel – a young rooster, under 1 year old (2)
fryer – a chicken of 3 to 4 pounds, at 12 to 14 weeks old (2)
point-of-lay pullet – a young female, just about to lay, near 5 months old (2)
pullet – a young female chicken, under 1 year old (2)
roaster – a chicken of 4 to 6 pounds, over 12 to 14 weeks old (2)
sexed chickens – separated into pullets only or only cockerels (2)
straight run – pullets and cockerels, mixed (unsexed or “as hatched”) (2)
By Gender
cock – a male chicken, also called a rooster (2)
hen – a female chicken (2)
Bantam – a diminutive breed of domestic fowl (2)
| Age | Gender | Weight | Name |
| at birth | any | chick (3) | |
| 8 to 12 weeks old | male | 2 or 3 pounds | broiler (2) |
| 12 to 14 weeks old | male | 4 to 6 pounds | rooster (2) |
| near 5 months old (about to lay) | female | point-of-lay pullet (2) | |
| less than 1 year old | female | pullet (3) | |
| less than 1 year old | male | cockerel, or cock (3) | |
| less than 1 year old | separated into gender groups | sexed chicks, (group of only pullets or cockerels) (2) | |
| less than 1 year old | any sex | straight run (2) (group of unknown sex) | |
| 6 to 9 months old | Any gender | boiler (2) | |
| Adult | female | hen (3) |
Chicks and Teeth
Chicks are born with one tooth, called an egg tooth. (3)
A chick eats the yolk inside a chicken egg to give them enough strength to use break free of their shell when the time comes. (3)
Soon after hatching, a chick lose their egg tooth and no teeth replace it. (3)
Parrots, ducks, and turtles, all have an egg tooth to help them hatch. (3)
Resources
1. https://thetrailtohealth.com/blog/toxins-and-antinutrients-in-food-why-you-should-avoid-them
2. https://www.almanac.com/glossary-chicken-terms
3. https://a-z-animals.com/blog/baby-chicken-six-facts-and-pictures/
