For those who want to know what a male chicken is called, the topic brings forth many interesting aspects regarding the multiple names that male chickens go by and their specific traits, from rooster to cock or cockerel.
Describing poultry requires a vast vocabulary and terms that help you differentiate various feathered types and species.
Learning these terms are especially helpful if you are keeping chickens at home, as it will help you manage the interaction with veterinarians and other chicken keepers, and it will save you a lot of trouble when purchasing supplies for your hens.
If you are having trouble telling the difference between broilers and biddy’s, you could use a neat glossary of terms describing chickens, so that you will never fumble the answer, when someone asks you if you know what a male chicken is called.
Bantams are a naturally small, miniature version of a chicken. A bantam is a chicken that has significantly reduced size, proportions and eggs when reaching adulthood when compared to other types and breeds of chicken. Bantams received their name after an Indonesian port, where people would use them as ornamental pets.
A laying hen that has more than one year of age is called a biddy. Although it is a term for older and more mature chickens, it can also a term for chicks.
An older meat chicken, between 6 and 9 months of age, is usually called a boiler. It received its name because of its tough meat, which needs a lot of boiling in order to become tender.
A typical meat chicken that is bred and raised specifically for the market is called a broiler. This chicken grows fast and is ready for the market in a maximum of 8 weeks.
This type of laying hen makes a great incubator for fertile eggs since it is “specialised” in sitting on a clutch of eggs, in order to hatch them, a process that can be seen as brooding.
Castrating a male chicken before it reaches sexual maturity leads to a less aggressive attitude. Because of being castrated before reaching adulthood, a capon is ideal for rearing in groups, as it does not pose a threat to other chicken. Capons are known for their flavourful meat, which is less gamey when compared to cockerels or hens.
Baby chickens of up to 6 weeks old are called chicks. After the 6-week mark, the females are called pullets and the males are called cockerels.
A cock is a mature male chicken, over the age of one year old, and it is also known as a rooster.
Adolescent male chicken older than 6-8 weeks, up to 1 year, are called cockerels.
Domesticated birds, including chicken, are usually called by a general term that may vary based on the type of bird that one is referring to. Fowl is the general term, with variations such as landfowl for domesticated ground-feeding birds such as chicken or turkeys, or waterfowl for ducks, swans, geese, and other species in the waterfowl family.
As the name might suggest, fryers are young chicken especially reared for meat. Fryers are only ten weeks of age at slaughter, and their weight reaches around 4.5 pounds.
It is the Latin name given to many domesticated chicken breeds that have been raised by man for thousands of years. The origin of this domesticated fowl is believed to be linked to the Junglefowl (the Gallus genus) in Asia.
A female chicken that can lay hens, a process that begins at 18 weeks, is called a hen.
Layer hens have a high level of fertility and since they are bred solely for their laying capacities, the frequency of laying and the quality of their eggs are essential features for a quality layer.
Female chickens, also known as pullets, that reach the phase of maturity where they can lay eggs are called point of lay chickens. The term is used for female chickens between 16 and 20 weeks of age.
A pullet is a young female chicken that is not a chick anymore but has not yet reached the level of maturity (point of lay) where it can lay eggs. When reaching the point of lay, which is between 16 and 20 weeks, pullets develop into hens.
Purebred chickens come from pure breed mothers and fathers. Resulting from formally recognised chicken breeds that have been meticulously reared using selective techniques, purebred chickens have remarkable features and names that set them apart from other fowl.
Meat chickens are frequently named using this term. Roasters are classified as larger mature birds, around the age of 7 to 8 months, weighing around 5 pounds.
This is an interesting term for an older male hen. It is believed that rooster has been used instead of cock, a term that has immoral connotations, the use of the word being linked to the Pilgrim Fathers. Rooster, short for “roosting bird”, is said to have been preferred amongst the Puritans.
A spent hen is an older laying hen that is over its peak reproductive phase and enters a phase where it is no longer useful in commercial settings. Usually, hens that are reared laying eggs are culled at around 72 weeks, thus removing spent hens to make room for young and productive layer hens.
Now that you know the difference between boilers, capons and cockerels, as well as fryers, roasters and roosters, having acquired a better understanding of laying hens, meat chickens, miniature poultry and purebred chickens, you can confidently respond when someone asks what is a male chicken called with one of the alternate names described in this glossary of chicken terms.
You can even surprise them with some interesting facts about Gallus Domesticus or Bantam chickens.
A rooster is a male chicken, whereas a female chicken is called a hen. When the chicken turns one year old and starts laying eggs it is called a hen. When it is between 12 to 16 weeks old.
It is referred to as a pullet, which is The transition of a pullet from a hen can be detected by looking for these signs; it will be more fidgety, will go from nest to go, and will be a bit more grumpy. After she says an egg, she will become a member of the flock of the older ladies and will settle into a new routine.
A chicken is a bird and a young chicken is called a chick. Just like humans are classified as males and females, chickens also have classifications.
A hen is a female chicken whereas a rooster is a male chicken. Before the chicken turns one year old it is called a pullet. After that, when it starts laying eggs, it is referred to as a hen.
So the word chicken is not gender-specific, when we say chicken we could either be talking about a rooster one or a hen chicken. Just like when we say humans we could either be talking about a male or a female.
We can eat the meat of both male and female chicken. The chicken meat industry values both roosters and hens because both are used for human consumption. They are also grown together in the same barn and under similar conditions.
Male chickens usually have more meat in their breasts and their legs and feet are thicker. Their combs and wattles are also brighter and thus more noticeable. Male chickens are also gamier in taste than female chickens that have a more consistent taste. Whereas in the egg industry only female chickens i.e hens are required to lay eggs which are then used for human consumption.
If you require more information, please check these references
Rooster , article, "en.wikipedia.org", retrieved on, Tue 19-January-2021
Chicken , article, "en.wikipedia.org", retrieved on, Tue 19-January-2021
Chick Sexing , article, "en.wikipedia.org", retrieved on, Tue 19-January-2021
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