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Raising backyard chickens can be a fun and rewarding experience, but it can also be overwhelming for first-time chicken owners, who may not be familiar with all the terminology used in the world of backyard chickens. This article will provide a glossary of common backyard chicken terminology, to help you better understand the basics of raising chickens.
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Brooder: A brooder is a heated area where baby chicks are kept until they are old enough to be moved to the coop.
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Coop: A coop is a chicken's home, where they sleep and lay their eggs.
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Roost: A roost is a horizontal bar or perch where chickens sleep at night.
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Nest Box: A nest box is where chickens lay their eggs.
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Run: A run is an enclosed area attached to the coop where chickens can move around and forage for food.
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Pullet: A pullet is a young hen that has not yet begun to lay eggs.
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Cockerel: A cockerel is a young male chicken that has not yet begun to crow.
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Hen: A hen is a female chicken that is capable of laying eggs.
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Rooster: A rooster is a male chicken that is capable of fertilizing eggs.
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Fertile Egg: A fertile egg is an egg that has been fertilized by a rooster and has the potential to hatch into a chick.
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Incubation: Incubation is the process of keeping eggs at a specific temperature and humidity to hatch them into chicks.
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Broody: A broody hen is a hen that is sitting on eggs in an attempt to hatch them.
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Molting: Molting is the process of a chicken losing its feathers and growing new ones.
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Scratch: Scratch is a type of chicken feed that is made up of cracked corn, wheat, and oats.
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Layer Pellets: Layer pellets are a type of chicken feed that is formulated specifically for hens that are laying eggs.
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Oyster Shell: Oyster shell is a type of chicken feed that is high in calcium and is fed to chickens to help them produce strong eggshells.
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Debeaking: Debeaking is the process of removing the tip of a chicken's beak to prevent feather pecking and cannibalism.
In conclusion, Understanding the terminology used in the backyard chicken world is key to successfully raising chickens. This glossary of common backyard chicken terminology should help you better understand the basics of raising chickens. From brooder, coop, roost, nest box, run, pullet, cockerel, hen, rooster, fertile egg, incubation, broody, molting, scratch, layer pellets, oyster shell and debeaking, these are the most commonly used terms when raising backyard chickens.