Any living thing that demonstrates life shares the same characteristics– to live and die. Humans, plants, and animals all undergo the life cycle process, where we are bound to experience critical life stages that lead to growth.
For this blog, we will take a different turn in this matter! We will discuss what is the life cycle of a chicken– the key stages and what happens to its body during these phases. Learning these stages, especially if you are a poultry farmer, is necessary to better understand how the chicken body works!
Key Stage 1: Fertilization of the egg
Do you know that hens can lay an egg even without mating with a rooster? Yes, hens are independent chickens who can produce their own eggs.
At peak, hens can lay one egg per day (the cycle lasts 25-27 hours), although some can produce up to two eggs. This is why poultry farmers who want to venture into an egg production business take care of hens instead of roosters.
However, roosters are still helpful for hens by fertilizing eggs. Check out the comparison between fertilized and unfertilized eggs below!
Fertilized Vs. Unfertilized egg
As we said, hens can lay eggs even without mating. These are called unfertilized eggs; they don’t turn into chicks even if the hen incubates them. Unfertilized eggs don’t show any signs of life; hence often sold for human consumption.
On the other hand, the sperm of the rooster makes the hatching possible. The mating process only takes seconds to finish, but the fertilization of the egg will take around 3-7 days. After a single mating, the hen can still produce fertile eggs for 2 weeks since they have Sperm Storage Tubules, or SST, where they can store fertile sperms.
Key Stage 2: Hatching
The next phase after a hen lays a fertilized egg is hatching. This stage takes place for 21 days for the chick to fully develop. An incubator is used during these days if the hen doesn’t sit on the eggs to ensure that it will receive proper temperature and humidity.
Here’s a breakdown of specific growth per day during the hatching period.
- Day 1: Development of the embryo
- Day 2: The heart of the embryo begins to form and beat
- Day 3: Blood vessels and tail bud are being developed
- Day 4-5: Limb development starts, which includes the wing and leg buds
- Day 6-7: The digits and beak of the chick begin to develop.
- Day 8: The feather starts to grow
- Day 9: Chick can open its mouth
- Day 10: The chick grows its claws
- Day 11: Tail feathers begin to show
- Day 12: The scales start to appear on the feet and legs
- Day 13: The eyelids of the chick are formed
- Day 14: The chick starts to rotate its body towards the bigger side of the shell
- Day 15:Guts draw into the abdomen
- Day 16: The whole body of the chick is already covered with feathers
- Day 17: The chick tucks its head between its legs
- Day 18: The chick continues to grow to fill the available space in the shell; the chick absorbs most part of the yolk sac
- Day 19: The yolk sac is drawn into the abdomen
- Day 20: The chick starts to break through the shell by pipping
- Day 21: The chick hatch from the shell
Key Stage 3: Chick
Chicks are adorable, but poultry farmers should remember that chicks are also delicate creatures. Their legs are still soft and shaky, making them stumble when walking or running. In this case, avoid holding or touching the chick too much.
Compared to the hatching period, where the egg needs an incubator, in this stage, the chick will be put in a brooder for warmth. A brooder container has an infrared heat lamp and a top cover. In the first week of the chick, the temperature should be around 90-95 degrees and must be decreased every week by 5 degrees.
Another thing that a chick needs is a starter feed. This one is entirely different from the meals of a mature chicken. Since the goal of starter feeds is to:
- Develop immunity
- Improve bone health
- Supply protein
You can purchase a starter feed at stores, but you can also make your own, which is much more affordable. Some farmers use the combination of hard-boiled eggs and oatmeal as their starter feed.
Key Stage 4: Pullet or Teenager
The pullet or teenager stage is where the chick becomes adolescent chickens. This stage usually lasts for 20 weeks, depending on the breed of the chicken.
This stage is awkward for the chicken, the owner, or anyone who sees the pullet. Physically, a pullet will look skinny because of the patchy feathers; their legs and wings are the most visible in this stage.
Regarding size, Pullets are ⅔ the size of an adult chicken. This might result in bullying in the flock if you put them in the same coop as the adult chickens.
Pullet chickens can already lay eggs after their 18th week. However, the eggs are smaller than an adult chicken’s eggs. You can improve a pullet’s egg-laying frequency and quality by exposing them more to sunlight.
In the pullet stage, you give them grower feeds instead of starter feeds.
Key Stage 5: Adult Chicken
Adult chicken is the last stage in the life cycle of a chicken. In this phase, hens and roosters can now function as fully-grown chickens and fulfill their duty. For hens, they lay, on average, one egg per day, although some will not lay eggs every day. Meanwhile, roosters will start to produce sperm and mate with a hen.
Every year, adult chickens undergo the process of molting, where they shed old feathers and develop new ones. During this period, hens may become incapable of laying eggs. Behavioral and physical changes may also occur during this stressful phase.
Some changes may happen in terms of the following:
- Weight loss
- Lethargy
- Less to no egg production
- Aggressiveness
- Withdrawn behavior
When your chicken experiences molting, ensure its environment will be less stressful. Also, add more protein-rich feeds to their diet.
Nowadays, adult chickens only have a lifespan of 3-10 years, depending on the breed. They are very delicate; hence their health must be the top priority if you like them to produce more eggs and continue the life cycle.
Brief recap about the life cycle of chickens
The life cycle of chickens has five key stages: egg fertilization, hatching of the egg, chick, pullet, and adult chicken. All these phases are necessary for the growth of a fertilized egg.
Just like in humans, chickens must undergo these stages successfully. If an egg fails to accomplish the necessary standard in each phase, there will be a problem with the adult chicken. Moreover, the poultry farmer plays a vital role in ensuring that the chickens get the necessary care and nutrients for each period for the egg to survive.
Watch this video for the full summary of the life cycle of a chicken:
Conclusion
A chicken helps us to survive; by providing the healthy egg and meat we need and entertaining us during dull and challenging times. Chickens are indeed blessings. Hence we should understand how they were brought to life to appreciate them better.
If you have other questions about what is the life cycle of a chicken, just hit us up in the comment section!
