Chickens
About Chickens
Chickens are the top protein source in the United States food system. Protein from chickens can come from two sources: meat and eggs. Female chickens are categorized as "meat hens" or "laying hens".
Laying Hen
Laying hens are chickens that are utilized for egg production. After hatching from an egg, it takes roughly eighteen weeks for a chick to become mature enough to start laying eggs. During this time, a hen is considered a pullet. Once a hen reaches maturity, it can be kept in a hen house, free-ranged, or on pasture.
There are many types of chicken breeds that are used for laying eggs. The most popular chicken breed used on large egg farms is the Leghorn chicken. On smaller farms or in "backyard" coops, farmers might keep many different types of chicken breeds for their unique coloring and feather patterns as well as for their egg production such as the Rhode Island Red, Speckled Sussex, or Silkies.
Meat Hen
Meat hens are raised specifically for meat production. Meat hens have many different names such as broilers, boilers, fryers, roasters, capon, poussin, or stewing hens. The age and weight of a chicken determines its categorization.
There are many breeds and cross breeds of chickens that are used in large scale meat production. Large scale farmers prefer breeds that are able to add weight efficiently and quickly. Meat chickens are harvested anywhere from seven to twenty weeks and between four to ten pounds.
Fun Facts
- Chickens usually lay one egg a day.
- It takes a chicken twenty-six hours to lay its next egg.
- On average, modern hens used for egg laying can produce 300 eggs a year.