Food · Fermented foods

Parent Chicken (Spent-Layer Hen)

親 (鶏肉) (Oya (toriniku))

Also known as: Oya-dori, Parent chicken, Spent-layer hen, Hineri, Adult-bird chicken, 親鶏, 親鳥, ヒネリ

Looking for a Japanese supplier of Parent Chicken (Spent-Layer Hen)? Tell us

At a glance

Category	Food
Japanese labeling name	親ささみ / むね皮つき/皮なし / もも皮つき
Common Japanese notations	親, 親鶏, 親鳥, オヤ, ヒネリ, ヒネ
Origin	Spent-layer hen (oya-dori) — egg-laying hen at end of laying productivity (typically 18-24 months old, vs broiler 50-60 days); principal production wherever layer-egg production exists (Ibaraki, Chiba, Aichi, Hyogo); firmer, more flavorful, more umami-rich than broiler due to longer maturation; less tender — requires longer cooking; lower retail price than broiler; regional specialty: Kagoshima oya-dori, Akita Hinai-jidori is parent-line
Typical functions	Premium chicken-stock and ramen-broth — defining ingredient for premium toripai-tonkotsu fusion ramen, Oyakodon premium variant — 'ko' is broiler chick, 'oya' is parent (literally 'parent-and-child rice bowl'), Slow-cooked dishes — yakitori-don and udon-no-tori-niku, Karaage premium variant (firm-textured), Foodservice chain ramen-broth raw material
Regulatory status in Japan	Standard food labeling. Bird-age category labeling (parent vs. broiler) is permitted but not always required. Origin disclosure. Chicken JAS-recommended-disclosure allergen.

Parent chicken (親 / 親鶏) is spent-layer hen — egg-laying hen at end of laying productivity (18-24 months old, vs broiler 50-60 days). **Firmer, more flavorful, umami-rich; lower retail price.** Defining premium ingredient for premium ramen-broth and oyakodon. Niche specialty channel.

Classification

Tags below link to other ingredients sharing the same attribute, so you can pivot from one ingredient to its peers.

Product applications

Functions

Flavoring

Regulatory tags

Culinary ingredient

Origin

Animal-derived

Used in (typical product categories)

Finished-product categories that commonly include this ingredient in Japanese-market formulations.

Fresh oya-dori retail (specialty butcher channel; less common in CVS)
Frozen oya-dori B2B (ramen-broth, foodservice, processed)
Premium ramen-broth specialty B2B

What it is

Gallus gallus domesticus — spent-layer hen (oya-dori) at end of egg-laying productivity.

Typical uses in Japanese products

Premium chicken-stock and ramen-broth.

Oyakodon premium variant (literal 'parent' meat).

Slow-cooked udon-no-tori-niku.

Karaage premium firm-textured variant.

For OEM: fresh specialty butcher retail, frozen B2B (ramen-broth major), processed-meat raw material.

Regulatory classification in Japan

Standard food labeling.

Bird-age category labeling (parent vs. broiler) permitted but not mandatory.

**Chicken JAS-recommended-disclosure allergen.**

Regulatory classification in other markets

EU	Niche category — typically processed-meat raw material in non-Japan markets.
USA	Niche category — typically processed-meat raw material.
China	Spent-layer is established culinary category.
Korea	Spent-layer is standard for samgyetang (백숙).

Example products

Example finished products will be added after verification.

All brand names and product names referenced anywhere on this site are the property of their respective owners. Example entries are provided for informational purposes only and do not imply endorsement.

Related ingredients

Used in similar product applications

Other ingredients commonly used in the same finished-product families.

Sharing similar functions

Ingredients that overlap on functional benefit tags.

From the same origin

Other ingredients that share an origin classification.

References

MEXT Standard Tables of Food Composition — 親ささみ / むね / もも

Last updated: 2026-04-28. Ingredient entries are reviewed at least annually against current regulatory listings.