Chicken life-stage terms: chick, cockerel, pullet, and hen
Poultry terminology distinguishes age, sex, and purpose. The University of Calgary’s veterinary teaching material provides a useful introductory set of definitions.
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Chick, cockerel, and pullet
Chick refers to a young chicken. In the university’s glossary, a cockerel is a male chicken under one year and a pullet is a female chicken under one year. Exact age conventions can vary between organisations.
Cock, rooster, and hen
Cock means an adult male chicken; hen means an adult female. Rooster is a common term for a male chicken. A writer’s wording should be interpreted in context rather than assumed to be a pedigree description.
Purpose and size
Layer refers to chickens associated with egg production, while broiler refers to meat production. Ornamental describes birds kept mainly for appearance or showing. Bantam is a size classification, not an age or sex.