Pullet is a young domestic hen, generally less than one year of age or more specifically 20 weeks old. Generally the pullet is capable of laying eggs but it is not old enough to molt or shed off its feathers. Pullets are often fancied by the egg industry because they are capable of laying eggs throughout the year while the older counterparts can lay eggs only for six or seven months. The pullets which are of commercial usage are known typically as “leghorns.”
To breed pullets in such a way that it is tailored for commercial usage, one has to feed the bird rightly at various stages of its life. For instance during the first six to eight weeks, one has to feed it a diet which is rich in protein. Thereafter the protein content has to be reduced and calcium has to be provided for the next eight or nine weeks. Once the pullet comes to a stage where it can lay eggs, the protein level has to be increased slightly while the calcium level has to be tripled. Vaccination of the pullet is must otherwise it can be susceptible to a host of illnesses like fowl pox, coccidiosis, bronchitis and Newcastle disease. Pullet incidentally can also imply the flesh of a medium-sized young chicken used for being served as fried.