Chickens living longer

[cheer10]

I never had a chicken die before, but what do I do to let them live longer? Do I care more for them and give them healthy food?

 

[SilverBirds]

Yep. With the right care, chickens can live to be ten years or older.

 

[cheer10]

Yep. With the right care, chickens can live to be ten years or older.

Oh ok thanks a lot.

 

[HeatherKellyB]

Complete and balanced feed, very minimal but healthy treats, fresh water at all times, secure draft free coop for sleeping (Edited to add, with lots of ventilation), keeping an eye out for healthy poops, regular fecal floats and deworming as needed.

My 10 year old daughter would say, NEVER say they're your favorite or become too attached. That's part of it though. Getting attached and knowing your birds so well that you're in tune with them helps you catch illnesses faster. Sometimes no matter what, you still lose some at a young age. Instead of hanging it up, learn from each loss and grow as a flock master



I'm sure this list can be really long, but this came to mind first.

 

[cheer10]

Complete and balanced feed, minimal and healthy treats, fresh water at all times, secure draft free coop for sleeping, keeping an eye out for healthy poops, regular fecal floats and deworming as needed.

My 10 year old daughter would say, NEVER say they're your favorite or become too attached. That's part of it though. Getting attached and knowing your birds so well that you're in tune with them helps you catch illnesses faster. Sometimes no matter what, you still lose some at a young age. Instead of hanging it up, learn from each loss and grow as a flock master

Thank you!

 

[SilverBirds]

NEVER say they're your favorite or become too attached. That's part of it though

It is ALWAYS the favorite to go. Even if they don't like you back, they're always the ones to go first.

 

[cheer10]

It is ALWAYS the favorite to go. Even if they don't like you back, they're always the ones to go first.

Oh.... I see!

 

[HeatherKellyB]

Another important thing is to make sure your flock can get plenty of exercise. You want to keep them safe from predators, but birds that don't get adequate exercise aren't as healthy. I remember reading a study on fatty liver disease that compared birds that have some free ranging time to those that don't. Obviously the birds that free range are getting adequate sunshine and exercise so they're more healthy.

 

[Bonwell]

It is ALWAYS the favorite to go. Even if they don't like you back, they're always the ones to go first.

So true! My favorite hens have lived to be generally like 3-4 years old or something like that, but 2 Wyandottes, who I loved, (but not as much as some of the others) lived to be 14. Although I guess my all-time fav hen lived to be 9 so that was nice.

 

[MysteryChicken]

A chicken's lifespan is between 8-10yrs. But there's been rare instances where they've lived longer.

My two Elderly Bantam hens died at 8yrs old, & 8½yrs old.