What to do when chickens age out of laying?

[Vicker]

It's not feasible for me to feed and house spent layers while adding new generations for egg production. I butcher some and may keep an odd few. If you've made pets of them and can't rehome them, I suppose you'll need to wait until they shuffle off this mortal coil before getting chicks again.

 

[AD01]

Howdy all! I wanted to query the group about what people are doing when their birds stop laying due to age. We are new to this and just started our flock, so I won't have to worry about this for a little while, but I want to prepare myself and my family for what will be next. We started our flock for eggs, but these birds have very quickly become family members (my daughters had them named before we made it home from the feed store). If space were not a consideration, I would keep every bird until their natural life ended, but we live in a area where chickens are not allowed, and I am not sure how I would fit more in to maintain egg production. I have no interest in eating these birds, and it doesn't seem like anyone suggests that anyway. I'm curious if others find themselves in this situation, and what they do?

I live in an area where chickens arent allowed either but we have good neighbors and our yard is big enough so the noise isnt an issue. We dont eat them either and it’s really heartbreaking to give them away, however our oldest hens (9 years) continued laying for a very long time and only stopped laying shortly before passing naturally due to age (5 months before passing). This might be due to environmental factors. Maybe find a farm or someone close by who would like a hen to keep as a pet and look after it until it passes, they are really quite relaxed as they get older.

 

[Cody19]

Howdy all! I wanted to query the group about what people are doing when their birds stop laying due to age. We are new to this and just started our flock, so I won't have to worry about this for a little while, but I want to prepare myself and my family for what will be next. We started our flock for eggs, but these birds have very quickly become family members (my daughters had them named before we made it home from the feed store). If space were not a consideration, I would keep every bird until their natural life ended, but we live in a area where chickens are not allowed, and I am not sure how I would fit more in to maintain egg production. I have no interest in eating these birds, and it doesn't seem like anyone suggests that anyway. I'm curious if others find themselves in this situation, and what they do?

My girls are pets. They live long, safe lives until it’s time for them to pass on. One of my Easter Eggers is 9 years old and still laying eggs. There are places that take unwanted chickens and they will not be eaten. Research a place near you. Good luck.

 

[DanaJP]

Howdy all! I wanted to query the group about what people are doing when their birds stop laying due to age. We are new to this and just started our flock, so I won't have to worry about this for a little while, but I want to prepare myself and my family for what will be next. We started our flock for eggs, but these birds have very quickly become family members (my daughters had them named before we made it home from the feed store). If space were not a consideration, I would keep every bird until their natural life ended, but we live in a area where chickens are not allowed, and I am not sure how I would fit more in to maintain egg production. I have no interest in eating these birds, and it doesn't seem like anyone suggests that anyway. I'm curious if others find themselves in this situation, and what they do?

I also live in an area where we have a limit on the number of chickens one can keep on property & I had 5 to retire..& I somehow found a wonderful hearted person who has a farm that takes in special & "retiring animals",, she has horses, a cow, donkey & 2 goats! So 5 of my girls went to that wonderful farm ! Too bad we can't all keep a hundred chickens, we wouldn't have a mosquito problem!! Good Luck!

 

[SueT]

This is Speck, the Speckled Sussex, age 7. She is on winter break, but she laid at least 3 eggs a week this past year. She will be allowed to live out her life here as I am very fond of her. However, I did take 3 six-yr-old leghorn hens to the poultry swap because they were bullying others in the flock. Sold them for $5 each. They were still laying well and someone was as glad to have them as I was to be rid of them.
Poultry swaps are a good resource, we have several in our area. I find swaps a good way to rehome extra cockerels too.

 

[Double Yolked]

From my observations it varies by chicken and breed. I had a Orpington that laid until age 6, was about 1 egg a week and sometimes 'weird' eggs but she kept on going. Her sister quit at age 3 and was the cranky ol' lady of the flock. Ruled my flock for 3 more years as everyone's stern granny. I had a Barred Rock that lived to about 7 and after 3 years gave me the rare egg up to maybe 4 or 5. But my small Wyandotte flock quit about 3 and didn't lay any stray eggs.

 

[Sally PB]

(Also many hatcheries have minimum orders, so I'd be limited in my options with only getting 3-4 at a time).

I ordered from Mt Healthy last May. I could order as few as 3 chicks, but had to pay a "small order" fee. It was an additional $30 (IIRC..?), so not a small fee. But I got what I wanted, and the small number of chicks that I wanted to add to my flock.

All were healthy and active. If I order mail order chicks again, it will be from them.

 

[fuzzi]

I ordered from Mt Healthy last May. I could order as few as 3 chicks, but had to pay a "small order" fee. It was an additional $30 (IIRC..?), so not a small fee. But I got what I wanted, and the small number of chicks that I wanted to add to my flock.

All were healthy and active. If I order mail order chicks again, it will be from them.

I ordered my sexed pullets from Cackle. Ordered 5, received 6, but 2 turned out to be boys. I got a refund from Cackle, sold the two boys at auction, and am happy with my four Dominique girls. They're so sweet, and make little nasal sounds, sort of like ducks.

 

[Christine T]

Howdy all! I wanted to query the group about what people are doing when their birds stop laying due to age. We are new to this and just started our flock, so I won't have to worry about this for a little while, but I want to prepare myself and my family for what will be next. We started our flock for eggs, but these birds have very quickly become family members (my daughters had them named before we made it home from the feed store). If space were not a consideration, I would keep every bird until their natural life ended, but we live in a area where chickens are not allowed, and I am not sure how I would fit more in to maintain egg production. I have no interest in eating these birds, and it doesn't seem like anyone suggests that anyway. I'm curious if others find themselves in this situation, and what they do?

I keep my old girls and let them live a comfortable life.

 

[K0k0shka]

My current chickens are pets, too, but eggs are not a priority for me, so the plan is to let the chickens retire and live out their lives. I already have one that stopped laying for health reasons, even though she's still young, and she's just a non-laying pet right now for as much time as she has left. If you want to cycle your spent hens out but don't want to eat them because they are pets, your only option is to try to rehome them, keeping in mind that what happens to them once you pass them on is out of your control. If you absolutely cannot find anybody who will take them, and can't bring yourself to dispatch them either, and if you can afford it, you could take them to the vet to be put down as a last resort. Or, if their lives will be ended regardless, you could make that count and take them to a zoo or animal sanctuary where they will be dispatched and used to feed the predator animals in the care of the facility.