What does it mean when a hen hits maturity? Is it when they start laying eggs? I know they mature as they get older.
Guess it depends on the context. Laying would be sexual maturity IMO. But even at that point their reproductive system is still working stuff out. So to me that's just point of lay. But the girls as they reach 1 or a little older will be more mellow and confident usually. At 1 is when they get called hens instead of pullets. Less rowdy than teenagers. Seems to me like it's kind of a mind set thing as well as a body thing. For example a 16 year old boy will usually have less muscle than a 26 year old man. They have finished filling in and won't be growing any more. But I'm just guessing here!
