Poultry Breeding

Flock mating is a system where males and females are kept together in a group (a flock) and are allowed to mate naturally. A common ratio in poultry is one rooster for every 10-20 hens. Stud mating involves taking the female to the male for a supervised mating.

A sex-limited trait is a trait that is expressed in only one sex, even though the genes for the trait are present in both sexes. Egg production is a classic example because the genetic potential for egg laying exists in both males and females, but the trait is only expressed in females (hens).

A broiler is a chicken (male or female) that is specifically bred and raised for meat production. They are slaughtered at a young age, typically between 6 and 10 weeks, once they have reached a target market weight, which fits the description given in the question. A capon is a castrated male, and a rooster is a mature adult male.