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What do you do with your chickens????

post #1 of 38
8/31/11 at 5:43pm
Thread Starter 

I was reading a book last night about having a small farm, it had a part in it about chickens. It said the best laying years for a chickens are in the first two years of a chickens life. The book suggested to process your chicken at that point and start with new chickens. I mean I know a day is gonna come when my chickens don't lay that well and all that. Just curious what do you do with your chickens???? Do you keep your chickens until they are old and grey, do you process your after a couple years (if you process when) or do you sell or give them away at some point? After reading that I was just wondering what most people do.

Thanks,
MIchelle;)

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post #2 of 38
8/31/11 at 5:48pm

Hi
Mine are in their second season and molting so right now it's slow on eggs, but...I am just going to wait and see how much the egg laying decreases. Some are here for life since they are "pets" and some are for eggs, and still some are for meat. I plan on trying to keep them as long as possible before doing any culling of "stew" hens.I had a friend who's flock of 28 with 3 roos still gave him 10-15 eggs a day after 4 years, and he treats his chickens well but not fantastic....

1 Weim,1 Pomeranian, 2 Cats,2 fish tanks, flock of 30(or so ) BLRW chickens,flock of Banties(Cochins,Showgirls,Greylegs and Silkies), Flock of Ancona Ducks (B&W,Lav & W),Flock of Mallards (Blue Fawn and Restricteds) 6 Muscovies, 3 Narragansett Turkeys,2 Geese(Toulouse), 2 Budgies,2 zebra finch, 2 Cockatiels.... and oh yeah, 5 great kids( 2 have flown the coop) and an enabling hubby   

 

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1 Weim,1 Pomeranian, 2 Cats,2 fish tanks, flock of 30(or so ) BLRW chickens,flock of Banties(Cochins,Showgirls,Greylegs and Silkies), Flock of Ancona Ducks (B&W,Lav & W),Flock of Mallards (Blue Fawn and Restricteds) 6 Muscovies, 3 Narragansett Turkeys,2 Geese(Toulouse), 2 Budgies,2 zebra finch, 2 Cockatiels.... and oh yeah, 5 great kids( 2 have flown the coop) and an enabling hubby   

 

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post #3 of 38
8/31/11 at 5:49pm

Our plan is to turn non-productive hens into soup or stew. Extra males into dinner

Mother of 2 boys, wife to a wonderful man who stays at home while I work full time in the veterinary profession.
We have 3 dogs, 30 hens, 2 roosters: Buckeye, Partridge Rocks, Salmon Favs, Gold Comets, Easter Eggers, Austrolorp, hatchery RIR, New Hampshire, Jersey Giant, Dominique, mixed bantams, mixed LF
Sold several of our pullets, could not overwinter 26 additional birds!
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Mother of 2 boys, wife to a wonderful man who stays at home while I work full time in the veterinary profession.
We have 3 dogs, 30 hens, 2 roosters: Buckeye, Partridge Rocks, Salmon Favs, Gold Comets, Easter Eggers, Austrolorp, hatchery RIR, New Hampshire, Jersey Giant, Dominique, mixed bantams, mixed LF
Sold several of our pullets, could not overwinter 26 additional birds!
Reply
post #4 of 38
8/31/11 at 5:59pm

I am probably going to put an ad in the local online site and send them away.  Once they are in their new home I will have no idea what happened.  The thought of killing them at this time is something I can't handle.  I'm a sucker!

Shelley, one calls me wife, six call me mom.  My chickens....too many.  3 RIR, 4 BO, 2 WLH, 1 EE (hen), 1 EE (rooster), 1 black sexlink, 1 white austra, 1 black australorpe, 2 BR, 2 old english silver duckwing bantam, and two heritage chicks.  One dog, two cats and numerous fish.
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Shelley, one calls me wife, six call me mom.  My chickens....too many.  3 RIR, 4 BO, 2 WLH, 1 EE (hen), 1 EE (rooster), 1 black sexlink, 1 white austra, 1 black australorpe, 2 BR, 2 old english silver duckwing bantam, and two heritage chicks.  One dog, two cats and numerous fish.
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post #5 of 38
8/31/11 at 6:03pm

Most of my girls are almost 3 years old and still laying strong. When someone says 2 years and that's all or 3 years and that's all, they mainly mean production bred chickens. wink Sadly more than half the chickens in America are indeed bred solely for egg production, which actually pushes the production to their first few years, after that, it either dies off or the bird may possibly die from eggbound issues.

When mine get too old, I might butcher them for the dogs, who knows. . . I might sell them, too, so that someone can enjoy them as pets. But I don't see that happening very soon.

Araucanas, Polish, Shamos

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Araucanas, Polish, Shamos

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post #6 of 38
8/31/11 at 6:04pm
Thread Starter 

I am not sure what to do at this moment. I hate the thought of processing them, the thought makes me feel horrible. Then again when I think about it we buy chicken from the store, I guess at least I know these chickens have had a good life. Would it be better to process our own that have had a good life then to buy from the store from chickens that I have no idea what quality of life they had. Would it be better in the long run not to support those people. I am just a little conflicted right now. Thanks for the help. hmm

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post #7 of 38
8/31/11 at 6:06pm

Some people keep them for their compost pile when they aren't really good for eggs anymore.  Someone had once said on here, that since the hens feed them when they were in their egg laying stage, they would now feed them, instead of using them for stew. 

If you are getting them as pets, I would keep them for their whole life, but if you are getting them for eggs, I would then keep them a couple years then use them for stew.  You could sell them when they are one year old, and then let someone else deal with them in another year or so, and you could get fresh chickens.  Remember, if you don't want them 'cause they are 2 or 3 years old, prob no one else will either...

Don't Blink.

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Don't Blink.

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post #8 of 38
8/31/11 at 6:08pm
Thread Starter 

Hmmm, well thats good to know. Do you have any idea at what age there egg production really starts dropping off?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Illia 

Most of my girls are almost 3 years old and still laying strong. When someone says 2 years and that's all or 3 years and that's all, they mainly mean production bred chickens. wink Sadly more than half the chickens in America are indeed bred solely for egg production, which actually pushes the production to their first few years, after that, it either dies off or the bird may possibly die from eggbound issues.

When mine get too old, I might butcher them for the dogs, who knows. . . I might sell them, too, so that someone can enjoy them as pets. But I don't see that happening very soon.

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post #9 of 38
8/31/11 at 6:08pm
Thread Starter 

Is there a certain age that you shouldn't eat the meat after?

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post #10 of 38
8/31/11 at 6:08pm

We are keeping ours for life.love I've heard some never stop laying, that they only slow down.  Our girls are our pets and I will miss them when they are gone.

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