The Hen Chicken – Is That Exotic Or Something
Hen chicken – chicken hen.
I see…
You are asking what is the difference here.
Is there any difference?
Well, we better talk about this a little bit more than, shall we…
Have You Seen A Hen Chicken Lately
And just when you thought you knew a fair bit about chickens, (especially if you have been reading my website articles).
Then you get hit with this question that would even have a chicken lover left scratching their head.
The hen chicken, when I saw this question.
I was thrown, just for a little while…
Well not that long, but it does put you in a little head spin for a micro-second.
Well…
Maybe a little longer than that.
Its…
I know what it is so why am I thrown just a little.
The mere fact that someone is asking this.
They must be a little confused.
So!
Let’s get this hen chicken thing straight.
Is A Chicken A Hen?
Is a hen a chicken?
Interesting, as they are one of the same.
I do not mean to confuse you here.
But they are.
The only difference is, at what stage does a hen become a chicken?
A hen is a mature female chicken.
Here we go with the chicken again…
What I mean is that a chicken is a branch of birds that are a domesticated egg-laying bird.
Yes!
The chicken is a breed of bird.
Getting more confused here.
You can not call it a different species – as the chicken is still a bird right.
But there are many different breeds of chicken out in the world today.
This being because humans domesticated wild chickens and cross bread them for so long that certain traits come out.
See also Finding Forever Homes for Rescue Hens
Then we bread them a little more for their other different traits.
Then we ended up with smaller breeds of chickens called bantams.
Are you getting the drift here?
I can also tell you that it has been proven with the domestication of certain animals their fur colour has even changed from the normal colour of their wild state.
So I am sure that this has also happened with the feathered variety as well.
Different colours come about with domestication.
And these colours are brighter colours that are not the best when it comes to camouflage.
They would not blend in with their environment very well.
And therefore would have a disadvantage when it comes to hiding from their preditors.
Humans have seen those different colours, and like the difference.
So they breed these traits with other chickens to get more colours.
As an artist, I can understand this and always go for a variety myself.
What Is A Female Chicken Called?
Now…
For the uninitiated, the female chicken has two titles as we do as we grow up.
The non-mature title and the mature title.
Same with female chickens.
This way we have an indication of what age bracket a female chicken is in.
So if the female is young and not sexually mature and has not started to lay eggs at this stage.
She is called a pullet.
When she starts to lay eggs and is fully matured enough to lay eggs.
She is called a hen.
Yes!
A hen.
A fully mature female hen.
Simply put, a hen is a mature female chicken.
See also Can Ducks And Chickens Live Together You Say?
Now…
The term chicken does apply to both male and female birds alike, and it applies to chickens of any age.
You see…
The hen chicken is no great mystery…
Not really.
It is just the title that would make anyone stop for a moment and reflect on the knowledge they have gathered about chickens through the years.
A hen- mature female.
A chicken- she is a member of the domesticated bird variety that has been with humans for a very long time.
So…
The hen chicken is a female chicken that is of a certain group of bird varieties.
Phew!
That was a mental workout.
So if you were none-thee-wiser before, you might still be.
Only joking…
You will now know what it means that you can blurt out the answer to your neighbour in no time.
And if they do not bring it up.
Just to show off.
Ask them, then quickly tell them the answer.
Buy this time they will be reaching for a drink.
Or thinking that you have been spending too much time down at your backyard chicken coop with the chickens.