Chicken menopause

[SillyAnneh]

I have heard that chickens will typically stop laying eggs, essentially going into "menopause", at around three years old, and will then go on to live many more years without producing eggs. And my experience with chickens has always been in a situation where there is never a rooster.

So, does this trend change in the presence of a rooster? Do chickens tend to produce for a longer period of time? Or is there no difference?

 

[Pork Pie]

In theory the presence or absence of a rooster makes no difference. Breed and frequency of laying, latitude (eg on the equator there is no break in laying due to seasons, nor molting) can all influence the productive lifespan of a hen

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I don't think that women stop having their periods if the toilet seat is always down. My experience is that healthy well cared for and fed hens will always lay a FEW eggs. I am basing this on the past where I always kept at least 75 if not more roosters, all in separate pens usually with a hen or two in residence for moral purposes.

 

[SillyAnneh]

I understand what you're saying. But women don't lay eggs either. And some animal species do have the ability to alter their reproductive abilities and/or fertility based on the members of the population. I asked purely out of curiosity, and figured that if anyone would have noticed a trend in this area, it would be people who have raised chickens for a long time. Thank you!