What Is a Pullet Chicken? Age, Eggs, Pullet vs. Hen & Care

A pullet is a young female chicken that is less than one year old. She may be several weeks away from laying, just starting to lay, or already producing eggs regularly. The word describes her age and sex, not whether she has laid her first egg.

That simple definition clears up a lot of confusion. A female chicken does not suddenly become a hen the morning she lays her first egg. In everyday backyard conversation, many people use “hen” loosely for any female chicken, but “pullet” is the more precise term during her first year.

Pullets are especially popular with new chicken keepers because they let you skip the brooder stage. If you buy healthy birds that are close to laying age, you can move into normal coop care much sooner than if you start with day-old chicks.

Pullet Chicken Quick Facts

Question	Short answer
What is a pullet?	A female chicken under one year old
Male equivalent	Cockerel
When do pullets usually start laying?	Often around 18–24 weeks, depending on breed and management
Are pullet eggs edible?	Yes
Are first eggs smaller?	Usually yes
What is a started pullet?	A growing female, often around 16–18 weeks, nearing laying age
When does a pullet become a hen?	At about one year old in precise poultry terminology
Best feed before laying	Age-appropriate grower/developer feed
When to use layer feed	Around the onset of laying, following the feed label or flock program
Should new pullets be quarantined?	Yes, ideally about 30 days before flock introduction

What Is a Pullet Chicken?

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A pullet is a young female chicken that has not yet reached one year of age. The male equivalent is a cockerel.

People sometimes use the word more narrowly for a female that has not started laying yet, but that is not the only correct use. A nine-month-old female that is already laying is still a pullet by age.

Once she passes roughly one year, “hen” becomes the standard age term. In normal backyard conversation, however, you will often hear keepers call any laying female a hen. That is common and understandable, even if it is less precise.

Chick vs. Pullet vs. Hen

Stage	Meaning	Typical age
Chick	Young chicken of either sex	From hatch through early growth
Pullet	Young female chicken	Under one year old
Cockerel	Young male chicken	Under one year old
Hen	Adult female chicken	About one year and older
Cock/Rooster	Adult male chicken	About one year and older

The transition from chick to pullet is gradual. There is no single morning when a growing female changes category. By the time sex is clear and juvenile plumage is developing, calling her a pullet is normal.

Pullet vs. Hen: What Is the Difference?

Age is the main difference. A pullet is under one year old. A hen is an adult female, generally one year or older.

Physical appearance can give you clues, but it is not reliable enough to replace age records. Breed, laying status, molt, health, and season all affect how a female looks.

Feature	Pullet	Mature hen
Age	Under one year	About one year or older
Body	Still filling out	Usually fuller and more mature
Leg scales	Often smoother	May become coarser with age
Comb before lay	Often small and pale	Depends on laying status and season
Comb near lay	Becomes larger and redder	Can also be large and red when actively laying
Egg size	Often starts smaller	Usually closer to normal breed size
Behavior	Often more juvenile and cautious	Usually more settled in flock routine

A bright red comb does not prove a bird is a pullet, and a dull comb does not prove she is old. Comb color changes with hormones, laying activity, season, molt, and health.

What Is a Started Pullet?

A started pullet is a growing female that has moved well beyond the baby-chick stage and is getting closer to egg production. The exact age varies by seller, but around 16–18 weeks is common terminology.

You may also see the phrase point-of-lay pullet. That usually means a female expected to begin laying soon, not a bird guaranteed to produce an egg the next day.

That distinction matters when buying. A 16-week-old Leghorn-type pullet may be much closer to laying than a slower-maturing heritage breed of the same age.

When Do Pullets Start Laying Eggs?

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Many pullets begin laying somewhere around 18–24 weeks. About 20 weeks is a useful general benchmark for common laying breeds, but it is not a deadline.

Fast-maturing egg breeds may start on the early side. Larger or slower-maturing breeds can take considerably longer. Some may not lay until 24–28 weeks or beyond.

Breed is only part of the picture. Nutrition, body development, daylight, weather, stress, parasites, illness, and a recent move can all affect the first egg.

If a healthy pullet has just arrived at your coop, give her time to settle. Moving, new flock mates, and a different routine can delay laying for a while.

You can read more in my guide on when chickens start laying eggs.

Signs a Pullet Is Getting Close to Laying

You usually see several changes in the weeks before the first egg:

• The comb and wattles become larger and redder.
• She may squat when you reach toward her back.
• She starts investigating nest boxes.
• Her pelvis gradually becomes more flexible as laying approaches.
• The vent becomes larger and moister as reproductive activity increases.
• She may become more vocal or restless around the coop.

None of these signs predicts the exact day. Think of them as a group of clues rather than a countdown clock.

Pullet Eggs: Small at First, but Perfectly Edible

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First eggs are often smaller than the eggs that same bird will lay later. That is normal.

As the reproductive tract matures, egg size generally increases. A pullet that starts with small eggs may be laying medium or large eggs several months later, depending on breed and genetics.

Pullet eggs are safe to eat when handled and cooked with the same food-safety care you use for other eggs. They do not need a special cooking method just because they are smaller.

Early eggs can also be a little unusual. You may occasionally see a tiny egg, odd shape, rough shell, soft shell, or double yolk while the pullet’s reproductive system settles into a routine. An occasional odd egg is not automatically a health problem.

What Should You Feed Pullets?

Growing pullets need feed that supports steady body and bone development without pushing them too hard.

Start chicks with a complete starter feed, then move to an age-appropriate grower or developer ration according to the feed manufacturer’s program. These feeds are formulated differently from layer feed because growing birds are not yet building eggshells every day.

Once the flock reaches the onset of lay, transition to a complete layer feed as directed on the label. Layer diets contain substantially more calcium to support eggshell production.

Do not routinely feed high-calcium layer ration to young, non-laying pullets for long periods. They do not need the same calcium level as active layers.

After laying begins, you can also offer free-choice oyster shell to hens that need additional calcium. Insoluble grit is different. Grit helps chickens grind coarse food and does not replace calcium.

For the broader feeding routine, see my complete chicken feeding guide.

How to Choose Healthy Pullets

Buying pullets can be a good shortcut if you want eggs sooner and do not want to raise chicks under heat.

Do not choose only by color or breed name. Watch the bird for a few minutes.

• Eyes: clear, bright, and open.
• Nostrils: clean, with no persistent discharge.
• Breathing: quiet, without repeated sneezing, wheezing, or open-mouth breathing at normal temperature.
• Feathers: reasonably clean and in good condition for age.
• Legs and feet: straight, weight-bearing normally, with no obvious swelling.
• Vent: clean, without pasted droppings or obvious swelling.
• Body condition: neither extremely thin nor abnormally swollen.
• Behavior: alert and responsive.

Ask the seller the bird’s hatch date if known, breed or cross, feed program, vaccination history, and whether any recent disease has affected the flock.

For U.S. buyers, it is also reasonable to ask whether the source participates in the USDA National Poultry Improvement Plan, commonly called NPIP. NPIP participation does not mean a bird can never become sick, but it gives you useful information about the source flock’s testing and program status.

Quarantine New Pullets Before Mixing Them With Your Flock

One of the easiest mistakes is buying healthy-looking pullets and putting them straight into the existing coop.

A bird can look normal while carrying a contagious disease or parasite. University Extension biosecurity guidance commonly recommends keeping new birds separated for about 30 days.

During quarantine, use separate feeders and waterers. Care for your established flock first, then the new birds. Wash your hands and avoid carrying manure, bedding, or equipment back and forth.

Watch for respiratory signs, diarrhea, unusual droppings, weight loss, mites, lice, lethargy, or sudden changes in appetite.

Vaccination is not a substitute for quarantine. Whether a bird needs a vaccine depends on her existing vaccine history, local disease risks, and the management plan for your flock.

Introducing Pullets to Older Hens

After quarantine, do not expect established hens to welcome newcomers immediately. Chickens have a pecking order, and adding new birds forces the flock to sort it out again.

A gradual introduction works better than dropping strangers together in a small coop.

• Let the two groups see each other through fencing first.
• Provide more than one feeder and waterer.
• Give the younger birds places to move away from dominant hens.
• Supervise the first direct meetings.
• Separate any bird that is being injured or relentlessly attacked.

Some chasing and pecking is normal. Blood, cornering, repeated head attacks, or preventing a pullet from eating and drinking is not something to ignore.

Housing and Predator Protection

Pullets may be nearly adult-sized, but they can still make poor decisions around predators and fencing. Secure housing matters.

Use a dry, well-ventilated coop with secure doors and latches. For openings where predators may reach or squeeze through, properly fastened hardware cloth is far more useful than relying on light chicken wire alone.

Chicken wire is good at keeping chickens in. It is not the same thing as strong predator exclusion.

At night, lock the flock into a secure coop. During the day, consider a covered or protected run if hawks, foxes, raccoons, coyotes, dogs, or other predators are common in your area.

For more detail, see my guide to building a predator-resistant chicken coop.

Common Pullet Problems

Most pullets are straightforward to raise, but their first months of adulthood bring several things worth watching.

• Delayed laying: often caused by age, breed, daylight, nutrition, stress, illness, or recent relocation.
• Soft or thin shells: occasional early shell problems can happen as the reproductive system matures, but repeated problems deserve attention.
• Bullying: younger birds can be targeted when added to an established flock.
• Parasites: check new birds carefully for mites and lice.
• Underweight birds: poor body condition can delay sexual maturity and laying.
• Reproductive trouble: repeated straining, a swollen abdomen, weakness, or a bird staying in the nest without producing an egg deserves closer attention.

Do not assume every young female that is late to lay is sick. First compare her age with the normal maturity of her breed and look at overall health, diet, daylight, and stress.

Is Buying Pullets Better Than Buying Chicks?

It depends on what you want.

Day-old chicks are usually cheaper to buy, give you the full raising experience, and offer the widest breed selection. But you need brooder equipment, heat, more time, and several months of feed before eggs begin.

Pullets cost more because someone else has already paid for those weeks of feed, housing, labor, and losses. In return, you get birds that are easier to sex, closer to laying, and past the fragile first weeks of life.

For a beginner who mainly wants a small backyard egg flock, healthy started pullets can be one of the easiest ways to begin.

Frequently Asked Questions

How old is a pullet chicken?

A pullet is a female chicken under one year old.

Does a pullet become a hen after laying her first egg?

Not in strict age terminology. A laying female under one year can still be called a pullet.

What is the male version of a pullet?

A young male chicken under one year old is called a cockerel.

When do pullets start laying?

Many begin around 18–24 weeks, with about 20 weeks being a useful general benchmark. Breed and management can shift that considerably.

Can you eat pullet eggs?

Yes. Pullet eggs are edible and are handled like other chicken eggs. They are often smaller at first.

Should pullets eat layer feed?

Growing, non-laying pullets are generally kept on an age-appropriate grower or developer ration. Transition to layer feed around the onset of lay according to your feed program.

How long should new pullets be quarantined?

About 30 days is a practical biosecurity target before adding new birds to an established flock.

Conclusion

A pullet is simply a young female chicken under one year old, but that stage covers a lot of change. She grows into her adult body, approaches sexual maturity, lays her first eggs, and learns where she fits in the flock.

If you are buying pullets, focus on health and source quality before chasing the cheapest bird. Ask the age, feeding program, vaccination history, and source-flock information. Then quarantine new birds before introductions.

With balanced feed, secure housing, clean water, enough space, and a careful introduction to older hens, pullets usually settle into backyard life quickly and become the next generation of productive hens.

Sources

• University of Minnesota Extension: Raising Layer Chicks and Pullets
• Penn State Extension: Small-Scale Egg Production
• Mississippi State University Extension: Poultry Feeds and Nutrition
• University of Minnesota Extension: Backyard Poultry Biosecurity
• USDA APHIS: National Poultry Improvement Plan