Dumb newbie question -- show definition of "pullet"?

[lceh]

My 7 y.o. daughter's thinking about entering one of her banties in Jr. Showmanship for the first time. I've found varying definitions of the term "pullet" -- some places say under 1 year, some say under 20 weeks. What is the technical definition of "pullet" in the show world? My daughter's bird is about 6 mos. old. Sorry for such a dumb question, but we don't want to get it wrong!

 

[sred98]

In our State Fair, a pullet is under one year. I think because technically, a pullet is a hen that hasn't layed an egg yet, but not every chicken lays at 20 weeks. So, they count it as one year of age.

Most fairs say they shouldn't even be shown if they are less than six months because a lot of chickens don't have their adult feathers yet.

Shelly

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

No, technically a pullet is a bird that has not had her first birthday. Likewise a cockerel has not had his. Egglaying has nothing to do with it, although that is a non-technical use of the term.

Some shows specify that the bird must have been hatched that year (between January 1st and the show date) to be called pullet or cockerel. Since most of the shows I go to are late in the year, I'm used to seeing that. However, since none of the shows actually ask for a birthdate, it is really an honor system. My gut says that if the bird hatched in late December you could ethically list it in either category, especially if the show is in October or early November. If in doubt for a particular show, call the show secretary.