How Long Does It Take for Chickens to Mature?

The chicken, Gallus domesticus, reaches sexual maturity at any time between 18 and 24 weeks from hatching from the egg, according to the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. The growth, development and maturity of a chicken is photosensitive, meaning commercial producers of the chicken can speed the onset of sexual maturity with controlled lighting methods.

  1. Maturity

    • A chicken comes to sexual maturity on the day it has the ability to produce an egg. This is species dependent, with maturity happening between18 and 24 weeks. Lighting plays an important part in the development to sexual maturity of a chicken. An increased amount of light brings a chicken to maturity faster than a bird receiving less light. Where lighting is not controlled, the development of chickens is faster in spring and summer months when light is more readily available. In winter and fall periods, chickens develop more slowly.

    Commercial

    • Commercial producers of chickens and eggs closely control the amount of light and food provided for their birds, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. A commercial producer will often rear young chicks in a blackout room, with artificial lighting controlled to speed sexual maturity. Other techniques used to increase the onset of maturity include controlled feeding methods that increase the rate of maturity. Restrictive feeding techniques are used because a chicken will eat until it becomes obese and cannot breed. A chicken can be fed small amounts each day or fed every other day.

    Clutch

    • Each chicken has a breeding period of between one and two years, during which time the female produces eggs in clutches. A clutch of eggs refers to the number of eggs laid by a female over consecutive days. A clutch can consist of between two and 100 eggs. An average clutch for most chickens varies between three and eight eggs.

    Rearing

    • The levels of development of male and female chickens are different, with males often growing and coming to sexual maturity faster than females. Until reaching sexual maturity, females are often kept apart from males in commercial production facilities. When both males and females have reached sexual maturity, they are transferred to a breeder house where the ratio of females to males is strictly controlled. The peak production period for a hen to lay eggs is between the fourth and sixth week following the start of egg production, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.