Basic Chicken Jargon

If you're new to the world of chickens, you'll want to know these 13 commonly used words and terms and why they're important.

1. Comb

The comb is the fleshy, red bit (with the exception of black-skinned chickens) at the top of the head. It comes in different shapes and sizes depending on the breed. In general, the larger the comb, the more heat-hardy and less cold-hardy the chicken is. The smaller the comb, the more cold-hardy they will be. Larger combs are susceptible to frost bite in colder climates.

2. Wattles

Wattles refer to the fleshy hanging bits under their beaks. They can help release excess heat on hot days. It is likely that in nature, bigger and brighter wattles would indicate a more desirable mate.

3. Spurs

Spurs are the spikes on the back of a chicken’s legs. These are mostly found on roosters, however a small percentage of hens will develop spurs. They are essentially a weapon used in fighting off predators or rival chickens. You can safely trim them if you are experiencing fighting chickens or aggressive roosters.

4. Crop

The crop is like a sack at the base of the neck. It’s an important part of the bird's digestive system. Since chickens don’t have teeth and therefore don’t chew their food, there must be another step to break down the food before it enters the stomach. The crop will fill up throughout the day and typically empty itself at night, given enough grit is provided in the diet. The grit, or small pebbles, helps to grind the food while in the crop so that it may move smoothly into the stomach overnight. Crop health is essential to the health of the bird. Sour crop is one of the most common medical issues that occur in chickens. Sour crop occurs for two main reasons;either the bird ingested mold, or food has become trapped in the crop and ferments. To prevent sour crop, ensure that your birds have grit offered to them if they are not free ranging daily, and that you never feed them anything that has mold present. Very long grass can also be a culprit so keep your grass trimmed.

5. Grit

Grit is tiny pebbles that a chicken will ingest in order to grind up the food in the crop. This allows for some digestion to occur before entering the stomach without the need for teeth. If your chickens don't free range, make sure you provide grit for them. It can be purchased at a local feed store.

6. Broody

Broody is a hormonal state in which a hen believes her eggs are going to hatch. A rooster does not have to be present for a hen to go broody. Some breeds are more likely to go broody than others, and some hens will go broody every year like clockwork. Chickens are fiercely protective mothers, and they will die to protect their eggs. When broody, she will sit on her eggs all day, taking only short breaks for water and a little food. Her hormones will put her into quite the mood for 21 days unless broodiness is "broken". Don't be surprised if a normally friendly hen acts like she wants to tear your face off while broody! There are a few methods for breaking a hen of her broodiness that I will discuss another article.

7. Vent

The vent is the butthole and vagina in one. All birds have only one hole for defecating, urinating, laying eggs and mating.

8. Molting

Molting occurs once a year, typically in the fall before temperatures drop severely. Feathers eventually become worn, so the chicken will shed all of its feathers in order to grow new ones. The new feathers will be more effective for insulating in the winter. During this period, the hen will not lay eggs. All of their protein is being used to create new feathers which are made almost entirely of protein. You can feed extra protein during this period and it may aid in excelling the growth of the feathers therefore reducing molting time. A great source of extra protein are high quality grubs, such as Grubbly Farms black fly larvae.

9. Bloom

The bloom refers to a natural coating that is formed over each egg shell at the last stage of development. This waxy coating protects the egg from bacteria and air from entering the pores of the shell. It is vital to reproduction, preventing fetuses from developing bacterial infection. The bloom can keep eggs fresh at warm temperatures for up to a month. Once the bloom is washed away, the eggs are vulnerable to bacteria and air and must be refrigerated. Yes, this means you do not have to refrigerate unwashed eggs! Save room in your fridge and keep them on the counter in an egg holder for up to a month. Just wash them right before use.

10. Pullet

A pullet is a female chicken that is under a year old. A hen is a female chicken that is one year or older.

11. Cockerel

A cockerel is a male chicken that is under a year old. A rooster is a male chicken that is a year or older.

12. Autosex

Autosex breeds are breeds that are sexable from birth due to distinctive colors. Most breeds can be sexed by the wing feathers with around 90% accuracy, so if you want to be certain of which sex chicks you are getting, you can purchase autosex breeds.

13. Straight run

This term refers to a mix of unsexed chicks, meaning you will not have indication of how many of each gender you are getting.