How do you know if it's a chicken or a rooster? In common language, we notice that we use the hen or rooster to designate the small animal that runs in a pen, sings loudly and lays eggs. In addition, we also know very well that we can have it as a pet. However, chicken will be the name we will give to the animal that we cook and eat.
But how can we tell if it's a rooster or a hen at 3 months? At what age do you know if a chicken is a rooster or a hen? If you are asking yourself these questions, from our site we bring you the following article where we also tell you what is the difference between rooster and hen, so you can have more information about the topic.
What is the difference between chicken and hen?
To know the difference between chicken and hen, we must first know that the generic species to which they belong is the family Gallinaceae. Within the gallinaceous birds, there are different poultry, where we can see, among others:
- The chicken
- The rooster
- The peacock
- The Pheasant
Secondly we have to know that when we talk about hens we generally refer to the domestic hen under the scientific nameGallus gallus domesticus . The hen is the name of the female of several species of galliformes, while the chicken belongs to the species Gallus Gallus domesticus, but refers to the youngest category of this bird. The explanation is simple: the chicken is a young bird within the domestic hen species.
To know perfectly the difference between all their names, which often designate the same thing, it is necessary to know the growth of a poultry, although the beginning is always difficult since one will never know which comes first, the chicken or the egg.
Thus, the male rooster fertilizes the hen to give an egg. It then unfolds as follows:
- After 21 days after fertilization: the egg hatches into a chick.
- After about 90 days: The chick turns into a chicken, which can be male or female. Upon reaching sexual maturity, the chicken becomes a chicken or a rooster that can reproduce.
Now that you understand how to recognize a chicken and a hen, and that everything is based on the growth of the animal, continue reading this article on our site for more information on gallinaceous.
If you want to know more about Chicken reproduction, don't hesitate to take a look at this other article that we recommend.
How to know if a chicken is male or female?
The poultry species has several subspecies of galliformes, classified according to the International Congress of Ornithology in 5 categories:
- Megapodiidae.
- Cracidae.
- Numididae: we are talking about the guinea fowl.
- Odontophoridae.
- Phasianidae: within it chickens are included. Therefore, in Phasianidae, the generic term for adult female is hen, while rooster is the noun representing to the male adult.
The hen can be a domestic hen, but also a common water hen or a hen: it is the female of several species of birds. The rooster is her male. A chicken, thus being a subspecies of the domestic hen, can be male or female
To know if a chicken is male or female, we have to know that they can be distinguished between:
- A teenage chicken
- A rooster
- A chicken
For informational purposes, and although we do not condone these practices and condemn them within our site, it is worth mentioning that there is also the term capon to designate a castrated male chicken and the term chicken is a chicken thatthe ovaries are removed Both practices are intended to make the meat more tender for human consumption.
At this point in the article, and now that you know that the domestic chicken is a subspecies, you are probably wondering how to tell if it is a rooster or a hen, or how to tell if a chicken is male or female. To do this, we will have to look at the eggs that the bird in question has laid. When they have passed between 3 and 4 weeks after being born, we will realize that:
- If they are male: they will have a larger body and head. Physical elements such as the comb, barbel and tail will be more developed in the rooster.
- If they are female: their body build will be smaller and petite. Also, knowing if it is a rooster or a hen at 3 months will be easier because around these months, if it is a hen, it will lay an egg.
Don't hesitate to consult this other article on How to tell if a chicken is male or female? for more information on the subject.
At what age does a chicken become a rooster?
Within the family Gallus gallus domesticus, the male can be called in three different ways. In fact, at birth, a male domestic hen is called chicken, then, as he grows up, he becomes a young rooster (a teenage chicken) to finally become a rooster
The age at which a chicken becomes a rooster is when it has reached sexual maturity, that is, between 5 and 9 months of age . This difference depends on the breed of the rooster, the amount of light received when the rooster was just a chick, and its environment.
However, full sexual maturity is reached between 8 and 15 months(according to the same criteria), so a rooster can reproduce completely at this time. The hen will also be able to breed at this time.
What is the difference between a rooster and a hen?
Now that we know what animal the chicken is and where chickens come from, now we are going to see the difference between a rooster and a hen. Some of these differences that cause sexual dimorphism are:
- The size: As mentioned above, the male chicken is larger than the female. Therefore, the first difference between a rooster and a hen is that the rooster, once fully grown, is twice as big as the hen.
- El canto: while the hen only crows, the rooster wakes us up singing with his characteristic "kikiriki".
- Plumage: the colors are much brighter and more striking in roosters, while hens have less iridescent feathers and more opaque In roosters, the blue and greenish reflections stand out.
- The Crest: Males have a large, conspicuous crest. However, the crest of hens is smaller. In addition, it should be noted that said crest will depend on its size and shape depending on the species of hen we are talking about.
- The function: Another difference between the rooster and the hen is that the former is dedicated to fertilizing the hens and protecting the family. In contrast, they are dedicated to incubating and laying eggs, as well as taking care of them later.
Difference between laying hen and domestic hen
The difference between a laying hen and a domestic hen lies mainly in the function of the hen. In this way, we can find the following differences between one and the other:
- The domestic chicken: will be raised for its meat. This hen will grow much faster and will be much bigger because it will be for food.
- The laying hen: will be raised for her eggs. The growth rate of a laying hen will be less as it will have the primary purpose of laying eggs.
The treatment of the two hens will be different, since the rearing and feeding of laying hens and hens will be different.
We leave you to consult this video on our site so you can discover generic information about feeding hens.
