what is the difference between a chicken and a hen?

[appps]

It's the same as what is the difference between a horse and mare. A horse boy or girl is what it is, a mare is its sex. So mare or stallion it is still a horse isn't it.

A chicken, boy or girl is what it is. A hen is its sex. So hen or rooster its still a chicken.

We tend to confuse matters though by calling a hen under 12 months a pullet instead of a hen. A rooster under 12 months a cockerel and to confuse it further by calling baby ones chicks which sounds like its short for chickens

 

[foxmfan1]

You'll be very lucky if you have a pullet start laying eggs at 5 months. I had one start laying at 5 months one time. Most girls wait till they're at least 6-7 months old to start laying.

lol so do i have a pullet or a chicken now ? I thought i had chickens,

 

[Mehjr10]

Until the point of lay or POL they are termed as Pullets. Once they start laying they are then called a Hen.

 

[foxmfan1]

Until the point of lay or POL they are termed as Pullets. Once they start laying they are then called a Hen.

ok so i was right they beome "hens" when they lay an egg

 

[appps]

lol so do i have a pullet or a chicken now ? I thought i had chickens,

You have a pullet chicken

Just like a puppy dog, a teenage human, a foal horse, calf cow. Like you wouldn't ask do I have a calf or a cow. You have a cow which is still a calf. You have a chicken which is still a pullet. But it will always be a chicken no matter if its yellow and fluffy or 5 years old and crowing. No matter how it changes, no matter what sex it turns out to be, it will still always be a chicken.

Chicken is its species like dog cat cow horse. All the other names describe its sex but don't mean it stops being a chicken.

 

[Elena2424]

That's a good way of explaining it

 

[ellen1953]

Thank you. This was most helpful.

 

[ellen1953]

That seems correct, however, in comments further down, they say a hen is a female chicken over one year. This can't be true since hens start laying around the 3 month age.

 

[ellen1953]

Hehehe!