Cockerel
A male chicken less than one year old.
Comb
The fleshy red spiked material on a chicken's head.
Coop
A safe place for your chickens to roost, lay eggs and to be protected from weather.
Crest
The bunch of feathers on the head of some breeds.
Crop
The pouch in a chicken's esophagus, at the base of its neck, that bulges with feed. Can feel like a golf ball.
Debeak
To remove part of the top beak to prevent cannibalism. NOT RECOMMENDED. This is a very cruel method to prevent overcrowding incidents due to improper care!
Droppings
Manure.
Embryo
The developing chicken inside a fertile egg.
Fluff
The soft feathering on a chicken's butt.
Fryer
A young meat bird used for food.
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Gizzard
An organ in the digestive system of a chicken that grinds food with grit swallowed by the chicken.
Grit
Sand and pebbles eaten by chickens to grind food in its gizzard. Birds allowed to free range don't need to be offered grit -- they find their own ideal sizes and types to suit themselves.
Hen
A female chicken a year or more old.
Hock
The joint in the chicken's leg between the thigh and the shank.
Keel
The breast bone of the chicken.
Litter
Biodegradable material such as pine shavings used on the floor and in nesting boxes to absorb moisture and keep housing clean. Straw and rice hulls can also be efficient.
Mash
A mixture of (wet or dry) coarse ground feed.
Mite
A type of external crawling parasite.
Moult
The annual normal dropping out and regrowing of a chicken's feathers. Your birds may look rather unsightly during this time, and the barnyard can resemble the aftermath of a big pillowfight! Lasts approximately 6-8 weeks.
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Nesting Box
The private area where chickens lay their eggs.
Oviduct
The tube through which an egg travels over the course of its formation until it is laid.
Pasting
Manure sticking to the rear end of a young chick. Can be fatal! Remove manure with a cotton ball dipped in warm water.
Pecking Order
The order and social ranking of a group of chickens.
Pellet
Pellets are feed that is formed from a fine mash bonded together.
Point of lay
A young pullet about 18 weeks old, the age at which the bird could start laying.
Predators
Raccoons are clever and ravenous. Skunks, dogs, cats, and even hawks may also harm chickens.
Primary feathers
The first ten feathers on the wing starting at the tip.
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Perch
A pole or dowel which a chicken sleeps on at night, also called a roost. A sturdy tree branch works great too.
Plumage
The feathering of a chicken as a whole.
Pubic Bones
The two bones sticking out from either side fo the vent.
Pullet
A female chicken less than one year old.
Roaster
A bird for cooking whole, larger than a fryer or broiler.
Roost
A pole or sturdy branch a chicken sleeps on at night.
Rooster
A male chicken a year or more old. Also referred to as a Cock or Cockerel.
Run
A chicken's outdoor area. It should be fenced to keep chickens in and predators out. If you let the flock run during the day (and we know that you will), always close the coop door before nightfall.
Scales
The horny tissue covering the toes and legs.
Scratch
Whole or cracked grain fed to chickens. Given as treats and can be fattening.
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Setting
The incubation of eggs in the nest by a sitting hen.
Sexed
Chicks that have been professionally sorted by sex.
Shank
The lower leg of a chicken.
Spur
The sharp bony points on the back of a rooster's shanks. Used for fighting and protection.
Straight Run
Chicks that have not been professionally sexed. Bantams are commonly sold Straight Run due to the difficulty of sexing the tiny chicks.
Vent
The opening at the rear of a chicken where the digestive, urinary and reproductive tracts end.
Wattles
The fleshy colored appendages hanging from either side of the lower beak.
