How long can they live?

pepparaaraa

Chirping
May 4, 2015
83
5
96
London, UK
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?
 
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.
 
it varies cosiderably from bird to bird.You may get a few to be very long lived, and a few to live less than a couple of weeks. A large number of birds will live 3 + or -.

It is best not to fill your coup, and to plan to add a few each year. If you loose a couple you can add a few more.

The best flocks are multi generational flocks. I maintain a flock and have for years,but the birds in it change.
 
Okay so quite varied but sounds like 5 years is good innings... Well not compared to 30 years but they were helpful answers.
Thanks!
 
After over twenty years with chickens here, my oldest birds were ten year old hens. Many will develop health issues at two or three, and one pullet here had fatal uterine infection at five months of age! Nearly nobody selects for longevity, and it shows! I value my older healthy hens, but can't keep roosters a long time, because of inbreeding issues. Mary
 
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?
 
What about the eggs from the really old hens (3 + years) I had an older hen, and the whites got so thin, that they did not stay around the yolk when you fried it. I was told that was an older hen's egg?
 

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