Common Species Names - Chickens

Lay people and professionals use terms to describe in one word the status of an animal. The term may relate to the sexual status of an animal (intact or sexually functional, or altered or sexually nonfunctional) or the age status of an animal. Terms have also been derived to denote the process of giving birth and the grouping of animals.

chickens

rooster: sexually mature male chicken; also called cock

hen: intact (not sexually altered) female chicken

capon (kā-pohn): young, castrated male chicken or domestic fowl

cockerel (kohck-ər-ehl): immature male chicken

pullet (puhl-eht):immature female chicken

poult (pōlt): young chicken

chick: very young chicken

flock: group of chickens