Chicken Keeping Glossary
Plain-English definitions of the chicken-keeping terms every backyard flock owner runs into: pecking order, broody hen, molting, pasty butt, point of lay, dual-purpose breeds, and the crop.
What Is the Pecking Order in Chickens?
The pecking order is the social hierarchy in a flock that decides who eats, roosts, and dust-bathes first. Learn how it forms and how to ease the squabbles.
Read guide →What Is a Broody Hen?
A broody hen wants to sit on eggs and hatch chicks. Learn the signs of broodiness, why it stops egg laying, and how to either hatch eggs or break a broody.
Read guide →What Is Molting in Chickens?
Molting is the annual shedding and regrowth of feathers, usually in fall. Learn why hens stop laying during a molt and how extra protein helps them through it.
Read guide →What Is Pasty Butt in Chicks?
Pasty butt is a dangerous blockage of droppings on a chick’s vent. Learn the causes, how to gently clean it, and how to prevent it in your brooder.
Read guide →What Is Point of Lay?
Point of lay is the age, around 18 to 22 weeks, when a pullet is about to start laying eggs. Learn what to expect and how to support a new layer.
Read guide →Dual-Purpose Chickens Explained
Dual-purpose chickens are bred for both eggs and meat. Learn how they compare to layers and broilers and which breeds suit a self-reliant backyard flock.
Read guide →What Is the Crop in Chickens?
The crop is a storage pouch where a chicken holds food before digestion. Learn what a healthy crop feels like and the signs of impacted or sour crop.
Read guide →Backyard Chicken Keepers Planner
Track your chicken's health, meds, vet visits, mobility, nutrition, and quality of life, all in one printable planner.
Backyard Chicken Keepers Planner
10 printable worksheets to track your flock's health, eggs, feed, and coop care.
Get the Planner for $39