pepparaaraa
Chirping
I have just been reading some posts where it was mentioned someone's chickens passed away of natural causes after 5 years and I guess I thought they might live longer... What's the oldest chicken you've ever had?
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Curious, can you site a source for this claim?Good question.
My chickens are all still too young to be dying from old age, but I have seen chickens that have died from old age, and it is usually around 5-8 years of age. This is because chickens today are often bred and fed to be highly productive a couple years, and than butchered. They are not meant for longevity.
Junglefowl, their ancestors, apparently can live up to 30 years in captivity, while the oldest chickens usually die at 15-16 years of age, even with the best of care.
The broiler mixes can rarely live past one, while layers usually make it to 3-9 years of age, often dying from liver failure caused by over-laying.
Lots of domestic animals don't live as long as their wild ancestors (at least as long as their wild ancestors potential lifespans) simply because they are bred for appearance or production above longevity and health.
By the way, this is really long because I like studying domestication and its effects on animals.
Curious, can you site a source for this claim?
Quote: Be careful when citing 'facts'....better to 'wonder' than post misinformation.