🐔 Hens 8+ Years Old - What Contributed to Their Longevity?

[Copperhead1969]

This thread is a spinoff of this discussion: In your flock, what is the average lifespan of your hens?

If you have (or have had) a senior hen eight years or older, what do you think contributed to her long life?

Please share anything you think made a difference; diet, housing, breed, how often they laid, how you managed predators, or anything else you believe helped.

Here are a few helpful prompts to guide your post:

• How old is she now (or how old was she when she passed)
• What breed(s) is she?
• Where was she purchased or sourced (self-hatched, hatchery, breeder, feed store, rescue, etc.)? If self-hatched, was she raised by a broody hen or incubator/hand-raised?
• Is she still laying? If not, when did she stop?
• What was her egg-laying frequency like during her prime years?
• Has she ever been seriously ill or injured?
• What’s her diet like (commercial feed, kitchen scraps, supplements, etc.)?
• What is her water setup like (type of waterer, how often it’s cleaned or changed)?
• Does she free-range or stay in a run? Is the run enclosed, partially covered, or fully open?
• How often do you deworm or treat for parasites? What treatment do you use?
• What’s your climate like?
• Do you provide heat in the winter or any other special accommodations?
• What are the coop conditions like (space, ventilation, cleanliness, etc.)?
• What has her flock size been like over the years?
• Has there ever been a breeding rooster in the flock?
• Where is she in the pecking order?
• What is her general behavior or personality like (e.g., calm, dominant, friendly, skittish)?

Photos welcome! Let’s celebrate your older gals and learn what might help other keepers give their flocks long, healthy lives.

I'll get called a liar but this is 100% true. My oldest game hen ever was 26 , she only laid 1 or 2 eggs a year at the end but i did my best to hatch every one of them. She was lively and was always at my feed bucket. I raised her from a chick , she was 1 month old with a broken leg when i got her. She was my first hen and got a lot of attention. I have one now that is 18 and going storng.

 

[BurbCoop]

I'll get called a liar but this is 100% true. My oldest game hen ever was 26 , she only laid 1 or 2 eggs a year at the end but i did my best to hatch every one of them. She was lively and was always at my feed bucket. I raised her from a chick , she was 1 month old with a broken leg when i got her. She was my first hen and got a lot of attention. I have one now that is 18 and going storng.

That is awesome!! I suspect them being game hens plays into that longevity somewhat, but what other factors do you think are contributing to their age? Give us the details!