Are 2 years old chickens considered old? Should I start to breed them?

[frizzyfizz]

Hi Everyone!
I have a few polish hens that have great personalities and they are about 2 years of age and should I start to hatch their eggs and keep their offsprings?
How long do they live till ?
And also how long will they lay their eggs till?
Thank you

 

[silly4buttons]

I have chicken that are 7 years old. Some still lay eggs sometimes

 

[frizzyfizz]

I have chicken that are 7 years old. Some still lay eggs sometimes

Any idea if they are fertilized?
I really love to breed and continue their great personalities but hopefully in another 2 years time.

 

[chrissynemetz]

Do you have a rooster? You shouldn't have any trouble incubating a 2 year old hen's eggs as long as they're fertile.

 

[Mrs. K]

There are no guarantees. I think that one should add a percentage of the flock, and remove a percentage of the flock each year. For me, this keeps an active, vigorous and strong flock. I do not raise polish birds. I have never had a bird reach 7 years old, but many people on here post that they do.

However, when you start to hatch your own, you tend to get a lot of males, and that too is a problem. Need to be able to address it.

Mrs K

 

[frizzyfizz]

Do you have a rooster? You shouldn't have any trouble incubating a 2 year old hen's eggs as long as they're fertile.

Yes i do have a rooster. But am thinking of incubating their eggs when they are about 3 years old. Will that be too late?

 

[Michaelshamp]

There are no guarantees. I think that one should add a percentage of the flock, and remove a percentage of the flock each year. For me, this keeps an active, vigorous and strong flock. I do not raise polish birds. I have never had a bird reach 7 years old, but many people on here post that they do.

However, when you start to hatch your own, you tend to get a lot of males, and that too is a problem. Need to be able to address it.

Mrs K

I plan to eat all the excess males and pullets each year, keeping a few choice birds for the flock. As a semi prepper I would first like to achieve a sustainable flock. I am not getting into this to make extra money selling eggs.

 

[Michaelshamp]

There are no guarantees. I think that one should add a percentage of the flock, and remove a percentage of the flock each year. For me, this keeps an active, vigorous and strong flock. I do not raise polish birds. I have never had a bird reach 7 years old, but many people on here post that they do.

However, when you start to hatch your own, you tend to get a lot of males, and that too is a problem. Need to be able to address it.

Mrs K

Don't you eat them? Assuming they are meat birds also.

 

[Mrs. K]

oh yes, I eat them, however many people on here are horrified at the idea. And some how do not foresee that as a problem. Multiple roosters can be very difficult to keep, harder to give away, so I was just mentioning it.