Terms for Baby Animal Litters

While "litter" is probably the most used term to refer to a group of baby animals, it isn't always the correct term. English has many specific words for baby animals of a certain type, and "litter" just one of them. Read on to familiarize yourself with some of the more esoteric and specific examples of terms and to find out which baby animals are, in fact, referred to as litters.

  1. Litters

    • Many different groups of baby animals are officially referred to as litters. Kittens and puppies are known as litters when they are born from one mother. The same is true of baby hogs (also known as shoats and piglets), who can comprise a litter if they share a mother. Families of bear cubs and baby rabbits, or bunnies, are also known as litters.

    Baby Birds

    • Young birds, generally known as hatchlings when they are very young and chicks thereafter, have their own special names when formed in groups. A group of birds is known as a brood, or clutch. Baby chickens, called chicks, can also be said to comprise a clutch. However, if you are looking for a term specific to chicken chicks, a group of them can also be called a clutch or a chattering.

    Kindles

    • The word "kindle" is much like litter, although it is not as fashionable. To form a kindle, baby animals need not be from the same mother (although they usually are.) Kindles can be made up of kittens, bear cubs and baby rabbits. The term is most commonly used with bunnies.

    Other Group Terms

    • Some words are specific to certain animals. As a result, they are not as widely used. For example, a group of baby alligators, or hatchlings, is called a pod. A group of ponies is technically known as a string. There are also examples of more specific names for groups of baby animals that also can be known by more general terms. Piglets and kittens can be part of a litter, of course. A group of kittens can also be known as an intrigue, and a group of piglets can also be called a farrow.