Pickin' A Chicken 2014 | Page 16

Muff: Feathers that stick out from both sides of the face under the chin. Also called whiskers. Plumage: The feathers covering a chicken. Point of Lay (POL): - Point of lay chickens are females 16-18 weeks old who are getting ready to start laying eggs. Hybrids will lay within two or three weeks. Traditional breeds may take longer because they tend to be heavier and take longer to mature. Pullet: A female chicken that is less than one year old. Purebred: The offspring of a hen and rooster of the same breed. Roaster: A 4-6 pound cockerel or pullet used for roasting whole in the oven. Rooster: A male chicken. Also called a cock. Saddle: The part of a chicken’s back right before the tail. Sexed: Newly hatched chicks that have been sorted into pullets (girls) and cockerels (boys).