How to tell how old a chicken is??

[Mistycarmony84]

We bought some chickens a mixture of pullets and cockerels, we were told they(females) were just starting to lay. Now months later I’m starting to think some of them were older birds. A few of them have always laid large brown eggs, but they were the skinner chickens that looked more stressed. By that I mean they had missing feathers and the colors were less vibrant. The other females were laying smaller eggs and were more plump and had vibrant colors. Their eggs have grown in size over the months. I’m trying to figure out if there is a way to tell just how old some of the chickens are? Or if someone could at least tell me which ones are younger and which ones are older? These are pictures of the chickens from when we first got them.

 

[Sammy1122]

The last three birds are defiantly around 5-6 months and the other birds in the first two pics are defiantly a year and up who knows.

 

[Mistycarmony84]

Thank you for the response; that’s what I was thinking

 

[Mrs. K]

Old chickens look old, crotchety, maybe a little stiff, and young chickens look fuller, spry, fresher.... but in between is hard to know. I agree, I think the second picture is over a year, can't see the one in the cage, and last three are young.

 

[Mistycarmony84]

The one in the cage looks identical to the 2nd picture except she has one eye that looks like a cat eye. She was only in there because she had hurt her foot, but has since gotten better and is back to 100% happy chicken