4 year olds not laying anymore

[bobbi-j]

It's entirely up to you. We eat our older hens. No kids anymore, but when they were home, they knew where their food came from. When the boys were 10, 8 and 5, we got a single bottle calf from a neighbor that was going out of milking. This was the last calf born on their farm. The kids named him Butch "because we're gonna butcher him anyway, Mom". I think how the adults in the household handle the death of an animal (whether pets or livestock) greatly affects how the kids handle it. We were always matter of fact when it came to processing our animals. (We took the steers into town, we didn't butcher them ourselves). The same way when one got sick or injured and died. The kids handled it way better than I did at times.

 

[RUNuts]

Got a hatched cockerel in the frig. Christmas gumbeaux.

Before I ordered chickens, had the conversation where we were raising food. On purpose. Love them and appreciate them. They are better cared for than other food. Second only to wild animals and much more pampered. The kids didn't argue. A few got named, but were lost in the herd. I had 3 duplicates of each color and I'm the only one spending enough time to tell them apart. The new wore off fast. Just like the puppy. I get to do all the poop picking.

Define what you want and explain it.

 

[Aunt Angus]

It's up to you. If my kids weren't ok with them being eaten, I wouldn't go there. Had a friend whose parents cooked his pet dog (he was from Vietnam). He was scarred. But, as others have stated, his parents never made it clear that the dog was purchased for food.

 

[Aunt Angus]

And FWIW, I'd take "spent" hens. You might find someone else who will.

 

[The Phantom]

Mine rare all pets so they stay. My oldest is 7. Just gives me a better reason to add more chickens!

 

[ctrstandards]

We live on the 40th parallel at 5,000 ft. We keep a light in the coop. My kids and wife are really sensitive and will keep them as pets I suppose. But we will see what happens in March. If they don't pick up then we may keep them in a different coop/run.

Thanks so much for your thoughts and insights.

I eat mine. Are y'all vegetarians of some sort, and don't eat chicken? Could be excellent lesson for kids to know where meat comes from.

But if they are pets, and you can afford to feed and house them, keep 'em.

Hopefully you and kids know that death from 'old age' is not pretty in a chicken,
eventually you may have to face euthanizing them.


This^^^ Here's a how to:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/who-is-laying-and-who-is-not-butt-check.73309/

Might not want to count any out, or even check them, until March.
If you live in the northern hemisphere the days have just barely started getting longer.

 

[ctrstandards]

Yep, my wife and I are on polar ends. I am OK with eating animals we raised especially vs, chickens that were raised in cages. Thanks for your comments!

It's entirely up to you. We eat our older hens. No kids anymore, but when they were home, they knew where their food came from. When the boys were 10, 8 and 5, we got a single bottle calf from a neighbor that was going out of milking. This was the last calf born on their farm. The kids named him Butch "because we're gonna butcher him anyway, Mom". I think how the adults in the household handle the death of an animal (whether pets or livestock) greatly affects how the kids handle it. We were always matter of fact when it came to processing our animals. (We took the steers into town, we didn't butcher them ourselves). The same way when one got sick or injured and died. The kids handled it way better than I did at times.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Are y'all vegetarians of some sort, and don't eat chicken?

Actually, I am - haha! It's a religion thing for me. I am definitely in the minority

 

[Ribh]

Actually, I am - haha! It's a religion thing for me. I am definitely in the minority

So'm I ~but it's got nothing to do with my religion.

 

[aart]

We live on the 40th parallel at 5,000 ft. We keep a light in the coop.

I'll assume that's 40th North.
How are you managing the light...timer, duration???