Chicken vs hen?

[Jackie]

What is the difference between the protein "chicken" vs "hen?"

I thought a hen was a female chicken. So aren't they essentially the same protein source?

[Heather]

That's my thought but maybe age There are some one board who are a little more fowl knowledgeable so you may get your answer yet
ciao

[Jackie]

Age might be a possibility.... Here's what I found on wikipedia.

"A Cornish game hen, also sometimes called a Cornish hen, poussin, Rock Cornish hen, or simply Rock Cornish, is a hybrid chicken sold whole. Despite the name, it is not a game bird, but actually a type of domestic chicken. Though the bird is called a "hen," it can be either male or female."

[sherrylynne]

Female chickens are called "hens". Cornish "hen" is the name for that particular breed(hybrid)
*Most sources credit Alphonsine "Therese" and Jacques Makowsky of Connecticut for developing the small bird in the mid-1950s. A Saturday Evening Post article from July 1955 credited Mrs. Makowsky with coming up with the idea to breed the Cornish game chicken, a small bird with short legs and a plump, round breast that she had discovered in a book. The Makowskys began cross-breeding the Cornish game cocks with various chickens and game birds, including a White Plymouth Rock Hen and a Malayan fighting thingy, to develop the Rock Cornish game hen, a succulent bird with all-white meat suitable for a single serving.*
In short- it has been bred from a variety of birds to get what we have today, and yes, is considered a separate protein from regular chicken because of that.
It goes more into the history here, if you're interested:
www.motherearthnews.com/Sustainable-Farming/Cornish-Game-chickens-heritage-breed-zeylaf.aspx

[Jackie]

Thank you Sherry! That makes perfect sense. I appreciate the information!