What Is a Pullet? The Word and Why It Matters
TL;DR: A pullet is a young female chicken that has not yet started laying. Once she is laying and mature, she is a hen. The word matters commercially: sexed pullet chicks, straight-run chicks and point-of-lay pullets are three different products at three different prices, and comparing them per head instead of per future layer is how buyers overpay. Feed a pullet grower ration, never layer feed — the calcium in it is for shells and harms birds that are not laying.
Vocabulary that looks like trivia until you are standing in front of a seller.
The Vocabulary
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Chick | Newly hatched, either sex |
| Pullet | Young female, not yet laying |
| Cockerel | Young male — see what is a cockerel |
| Hen | Mature female, laying — inahin in Filipino, see inahin na manok |
| Cock / rooster | Mature male — tandang, see tandang |
| Point-of-lay pullet | A pullet close to starting to lay, sold at that stage |
Nothing changes about the bird when the word changes. She crosses from pullet to hen by starting to lay.
Why It Matters When You Buy
Three products get compared as though they were one, and they are not:
| What you buy | Price per bird | What you still have to do |
|---|---|---|
| Straight-run chicks | Lowest | Raise them for months, and roughly half are male |
| Sexed pullet chicks | Higher | Raise them for months; nearly all become layers |
| Point-of-lay pullets | Highest | Almost nothing — she starts laying soon |
The trap is comparing price per head. If you want laying hens:
- Straight-run means buying roughly twice as many to end up with the same number of hens, plus feeding the cockerels until you deal with them.
- Point-of-lay costs more because someone else has already paid the months of feed — which is the largest cost in getting a hen to lay.
Do that arithmetic with today’s quotes before deciding which is cheaper. See day-old chick prices and where to buy day-old chicks.
Buying Point-of-Lay Pullets
The convenient option, and the one where questions pay:
- How old are they, exactly?
- What strain or breed? See best layer chicken breeds.
- What ration are they on now? A sudden feed change on arrival is stress you can avoid.
- What vaccinations have they had? See chick vaccination schedule.
- Can I see them and handle them? Check weight, feather condition, and part the feathers for mites and lice.
Then quarantine them before they meet your existing flock. A point-of-lay pullet is an adult bird from another premises, which is the highest-risk category of incoming stock.
Feeding a Pullet
Grower ration until she lays. Not layer feed.
Layer feed carries high calcium because a laying hen builds a shell most days. A bird that is not laying has no use for it and no good way to handle the excess, and prolonged high calcium before lay is harmful to a growing bird.
In a mixed-age flock: feed everyone the grower ration and offer calcium free-choice in a separate container for the birds actually laying. See growing pullets, calcium for laying hens and oyster shell and grit.
Knowing She Is Close
The bird tells you more reliably than the calendar:
- Comb and wattles enlarge and redden — usually the first clear sign.
- She investigates nest boxes.
- She squats when you approach or reach over her.
- Pelvic bones widen, noticeable when you handle her.
Full detail in point of lay. Once these appear, get nest boxes ready and prepare to switch rations.
Do not rush her. Feed and light can bring a pullet into lay before she is physically ready, which raises the risk of vent prolapse and gives smaller eggs for longer.
Her First Eggs
Small, and sometimes irregular. That is normal — see pullet eggs for why, and why some buyers specifically want them.
The Honest Limits Here
The terminology and the physical signs of approaching lay are standard poultry husbandry, as is the rule against feeding high-calcium layer ration to birds not in lay. This guide gives no ages in weeks and no prices, because the age at which a pullet comes into lay varies by breed, strain and management, and stock prices move with feed cost and supplier. Ask your seller the bird’s age, strain and current ration, and judge readiness by the bird rather than the calendar.
Related: growing pullets, point of lay, pullet eggs, best layer chicken breeds.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a pullet?
A young female chicken that has not yet started laying. She becomes a hen once she is in lay and mature.
What is the difference between a pullet and a hen?
Age and laying status. A pullet has not started laying; a hen has. The words describe the same bird at different stages.
What is a point-of-lay pullet?
A pullet close to starting to lay, sold at that stage so the buyer skips the months of growing. She costs more per bird than a chick because someone has already paid to raise her.
Why does the word matter when buying?
Because sexed pullet chicks, straight-run chicks and point-of-lay pullets are three different products at three different prices, and comparing them per head rather than per future layer is how buyers overpay.
What should a pullet be fed?
A grower ration until she comes into lay. Layer feed carries high calcium for shell formation and is harmful to birds that are not yet laying.
How do I know a pullet is close to laying?
Her comb and wattles enlarge and redden, she investigates nest boxes, she squats when approached, and her pelvic bones widen. Those signs are more reliable than her age.
Are pullet eggs different?
They are smaller at first and get larger over the following weeks, which is normal and not a fault.