ANATOMY

Detailed explanation-1: -How fast does a chicken grow? Most will reach adulthood in about 18-26 weeks, while some broilers only take 7 weeks to mature and 16 weeks to reach full size!

Detailed explanation-2: -Watch each chick mature into a pullet and cockerel: Chickens will usually be fully feathered by 5-to 6-weeks of age. Their wattles and combs should also start growing larger and becoming a deeper red.

Detailed explanation-3: -Starter feed is protein dense (usually 20-24% protein) and designed to meet the dietary requirements of baby chicks. Chicks between 6 and 20 weeks of age should be switched to grower feed, which contains less protein than starter feed (16-18%) and less calcium than typical layer feed varieties.

Detailed explanation-4: -6-week-old chickens should be fully feathered and can tolerate cooler temperatures. Birds can easily tolerate temperatures into the 50’s at this age, and cold-tolerant breeds can tolerate temperatures into the 40’s.

Detailed explanation-5: -Between 5-7 weeks, you should be able to begin visually distinguishing males from females. Compared to pullets, the combs and wattles of cockerels often develop earlier and are usually larger. Females are typically smaller in size than males.