Claire Thompson
Determining the age of a chicken can be challenging, especially for adult birds. However, there are some physical and behavioural clues that can help you make an educated guess. For example, you can consider the number of eggs they lay, the size of the eggs, the condition of their vent and shanks, and the presence of wrinkles and grey feathers. Additionally, young birds are easier to identify as they have distinct features, such as a fluffy yellow coating called down, which they wear for the first week or so of their lives. Understanding the three key development stages of chickens—chick, pullet, and hen—can also provide insights into their age.
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What You'll Learn
Check the number of eggs they lay
The number of eggs a chicken lays can be an indicator of its age. However, it is important to note that this method is not entirely accurate as some chickens may not lay eggs reliably according to their breed's average egg count.
Most chickens start laying eggs within the four-week span of 16 to 20 weeks. The average start for laying is 18 weeks. For example, a Brahma pullet will start laying eggs sometime after week 16, but it can be up to seven months. Pullets will begin the transition to layers, and their bodies will prepare for egg production. They may exhibit nesting behaviours and start submitting to their owners by squatting and staying still when they are getting ready to lay.
After their second year of laying eggs, hens will start to slow down in egg production. From their first lay to around two years is considered the "prime" laying years for hens. They will lay pretty steadily through years three and four. After this, the number of eggs they lay will diminish with each subsequent season.
The number of eggs a chicken lays in relation to other birds of the same breed can be an indicator of its age. For example, if a Rhode Island Red chicken is only laying one egg a week, it is likely several years old. On the other hand, if it is laying five to six eggs a week, it is probably only one to two years old.
The size of the eggs can also be an indicator of a chicken's age. Young layers tend to lay extra small eggs, and as a bird matures, its eggs get larger.
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Observe their colouring
Unless you know exactly when your hens were born, it is difficult to determine their exact age. The best you can do is make an educated guess based on their looks and behaviour. Young birds are the easiest to identify, as chicks do not have a complete set of adult feathers, beginning life with a short-lived fluffy yellow coating called down. They wear this yellow coat for the first week or so of their lives. After the first couple of weeks, chicks gradually moult their down and small feathers begin to grow to replace it. A baby chicken can be considered a chick until it sheds all its down, which usually takes around 12 weeks. If your hen still has some down, it is likely to be 12 weeks old or less.
Once a chick has moulted and lost its down, it enters the transitional period between chick-hood and adulthood, the chicken equivalent of teenage years. Hens over the age of 12 weeks are in this phase and are known as pullets. Pullets are considered adults when they lay their first eggs, which occur somewhere between 18 and 25 weeks.
Before a hen starts to lay, she will have all of her yellow colouring. Once she starts laying, "bleaching" will begin. After a couple of weeks of laying, she will lose her colouring around her vent, eyes and earlobes. The combs and wattles of older chickens appear plumper than those of pullets. When the moult starts, the colour of the comb and wattle will have faded to a washed-out red or pink colour. The vibrancy will not return until she is ready to lay eggs and mate again.
The Speckled Sussex chicken breed, for example, starts out with more mahogany red than white-tipped spangles. With each moult, the Speckled Sussex gets more and more white-tipped spangles.
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Examine their legs
Examining the legs of a chicken can be a good way to estimate its age. The legs and feet of chickens are one of the biggest giveaways when trying to tell how old they are.
Firstly, the colour of a chicken's legs can indicate its age. The legs of young chickens will have a sheen to them, whereas older chickens will have pale, beige or faded legs. For example, the legs of ISA Browns will start to show noticeable colouring as they age.
Secondly, the texture of a chicken's legs can indicate its age. Older chickens will have thicker, rougher, scalier, and callused legs. This is due to the wear and tear of activity early in life.
However, it is important to note that these are just estimates, and the age of a chicken can only be guessed unless you know exactly when they were born.
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Look at their combs and wattles
When chickens hatch, their combs and wattles are usually small, and it may be difficult to notice their wattles. However, some male chicks may have larger combs at hatch. At around 12 weeks of age, you will notice a distinct difference in the combs and wattles, which will now be more apparent and noticeable. At this stage, they will also start to turn red, and you will be able to differentiate between males and females, as male chicks will have more developed combs and wattles than female chicks.
As chickens age, their combs and wattles become fuller, more developed, and fleshier, with a vibrant red colour. The reddening of the combs and wattles is an indicator of good health and vigour. It is also a signal to the rooster that the hen is approaching the stage of mating. The rooster's combs and wattles will be large and red, and he will shake them when he crows to attract females.
When chickens are in their prime, in the first two years of their adult life, they will have vibrant colours, smoother legs, and colourful combs and wattles. As they get older, the colour of their combs and wattles will fade to a washed-out red or pink colour. This fading colour indicates that the chicken is past its prime.
Comparing the appearance of a chicken's comb and wattles over time through photographs can also help determine their age.
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Consider their body size
Chickens are considered fully grown when they reach one year old, but some breeds continue to grow and develop beyond this point. For example, Jersey Giants will continue to grow until they are nine months old.
When chickens are newly hatched, they weigh around 1.4oz (40 grams). Over the next 12 weeks, they will gain a significant amount of weight. By week 12, the same chicken will weigh 2lb 6oz (1.1kg) on average. At this stage, its body will have changed from a fuzzy ball to a slender and slightly gawky teenager. By 20 weeks old, most chickens will have achieved just over half of their adult body mass. For example, a Rhode Island Red will weigh around 3.1lb (1.4kg).
As chickens age, their body mass increases. You can identify a young chicken by its slender body, which will gradually become more rounded and solid as it matures. Once they reach adulthood, hens will have a more homely and cuddly appearance, while roosters will be well-muscled and upright.
The number of eggs a chicken lays can also indicate its age. Young hens typically lay smaller eggs, and their egg production decreases as they get older. A hen that is three to four years old or older will usually lay jumbo-sized eggs.
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Frequently asked questions
There is no definitive way to tell a chicken's age, but there are some indicators that can help you make an educated guess:
- The number of eggs they lay in relation to other birds of the same breed.
- The size of the eggs: young layers tend to lay extra small eggs.
- The condition of the vent: a moist, pink-looking vent indicates a younger bird.
- The condition of the shanks (lower legs): older birds have larger, rougher shanks, whereas a younger bird will have smooth shanks with a bit of sheen to them.
- The colour of their head: as chickens age, their heads start turning grey, like people.
A chicken is considered an adult once it has laid its first egg (for hens) or started crowing and chasing hens (for roosters).
Chicks usually wear a yellow coat for the first week or so of their lives. After that, they gradually lose their down and small feathers begin to grow. A chick can be considered a chick until it sheds all its down, which usually takes around 12 weeks.
