At what age do you usually retire a layer?

[BettyR]

I've ordered 12 new chicks that will come in mid May and will probably get 12 more in the fall. My 3 year old hens are still laying well so I'm guessing they have a few good years left, but I was wondering at about what age do you normally start culling the older hens?

 

[littledel]

I usually start looking at culling somewhere between 4-5 years of age. Depends on the breed and hen itself.

 

[chickenlady08]

I won't cull any of my older hens, ever. I didn't get chickens to kill them after they have laid eggs for me their entire lives. That is kinda sad and I know that many people do it and I understand but that is definitely not for me. My chickens will grow up and lay all they can and then retire but not to the freezer.

 

[babyblue]

once a hen reachs "old age" I have heard of people free ranging the old hens and keeping the young layers cooped up- with free range time if you do that. the idea is that even though they make less eggs that they work for their own food.

 

[BettyR]

My Mom and Grandma used to pick an old hen out of the flock and wring their neck right there and put them straight into the gumbo pot. My aunt used to cage several of her older hens for a couple of weeks before they went into the freezer.

My problem is I have a fairly large flock of mostly free range hens and they all look alike to me. My present flock is all the same age because we started over when we moved to this new house but I'm about to add younger chicks into the mix. How am I going to tell who is old and who is young?

 

[littledel]

Quote:
culling does not mean killing. I have never killed any of my hens. I sell them off to people who want a hen to lay a few eggs for them and move on. Simple as that.

 

[horsejody]

If one of my hens can ever figure out how to apply for Social Security or get money out of a 401K, she can retire. Otherwise, she's stuck living in the same old coop and the same old yard. I had one that was about 9, and she still laid an egg every few days. She was killed by dogs. She was healthy and active and fun to watch.

 

[Ridgerunner]

You'll have to make that decision yourself, obviously. With our different set-ups and goals, no one answer will be right for everyone. I think you are doing the right thing gathering information to make that decision.

On average, a hen will lay about 15% fewer eggs after each adult molt. Each hen is different and none can read, so they don't all know they are supposed to lay 15% less. I'm certainly not going to tell mine. But if you have a large enough number so you get statistically relevent results and they follow the norms, you will get about a 15% decrease on average. Some more, some less. It depends on your climate, when they were hatched and many other things, but the first adult molt is often when they are about 1-1/2 years old.

I'll tell you what I do. If I were free ranging them where they forage for most of their food, I'd probably do it differently.

In year one I have group A of pullets. They start laying in midsummer and often lay throughout the winter.

In year 2, I get group B of pullets, and keep Group A. Group A molts in the fall/winter and really cut back laying but group B usually keeps laying.

In the spring of year 3, I get group C of pullets. I keep group A throughout the laying season but retire them when they molt that fall/winter. By then group C is laying and Group b is going through a molt.

It takes three years to get this sytem set up and running. Good luck in figuring out what is right for you!


For BettyR, you can get colored plastic rings to go on their legs so you can tell them apart. I prefer the spiral. Many chicken supply places have them.

 

[littledel]

Quote:
nice system, and I will have to be looking for some of those colored rings.

 

[SilkieTime]

you can get colored let bands to help you know who is who. I get mine on line at First State vet Supply.