Curious on what happens to your older poultry?

[Chickens14]

My thought is as some of my chickens get older what will I do? Will I trade for young ones...or make a chicken type nursing home

yes I am a new Hen I have an idea what some do & wondering if others are kept as pets for life?
Random thought I guess

 

[scbatz33]

I just had one die - old age I'm guessing. Personally, I don't think the life span is so terribly long in chickens that if they have been good birds, they can't just live out life. I used to have a TON of birds and I cull the ones I didn't like and send the extra boys to Kamp Kold, but I have my favorites and they will live on til they don't.

I think it has to be what you are comfortable with - regardless of what anyone else thinks.

 

[key west chick]

The ones I hatch and dont want, I usually give away. The ones I keep I usually keep until they die. Old age, sometimes predators, I just hang onto my keepers until they're gone.

 

[chickensioux]

I got all of my chickens for pets only. The eggs are an added benefit. I am so in love with each and every one of them that all of them will live out their lives with me.

 

[Iowa Roo Mom]

The very few birds I have are pets, and will live out their days here 'till it is their time to die. Even the stupid roo

and after the girls quit laying.

 

[sonew123]

Quote:
Me too. I keep all my hens that I love right now I have 30+ of then and a few roos. But I do get rid of alot of roos or process them. If ,y roo wasn't so perdy and needed for breeding he's be dinner a long time ago-he's not so nice!

 

[Iowa Roo Mom]

Quote:
Me too. I keep all my hens that I love right now I have 30+ of then and a few roos. But I do get rid of alot of roos or process them. If ,y roo wasn't so perdy and needed for breeding he's be dinner a long time ago-he's not so nice!

Niether is mine! Since I've gotten the newest hen, he's attacked me twice. I can't bear to cull him though, because he was the first chicken I ever aquired, started my hobby/love for chickens, and is even my BYC namesake. I just can't do it. Plus he's super good to the ladies, and the first line of defense when a hawk (or vulture, or crow, or other bird that casts a large shadow

) flys over. The girls don't pay attention to lurking dangers, but he's always on the look-out. So for now, and probably always, he stays.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

We pass our two yr old hens down the road to our neighbor who pays a buck a peice for them for his egg layers and then we order a new batch. We can also go visit them too

I never ask what he does with them. He keeps them for two years also then takes our new "old" ones. At least they get four good free ranging years

 

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

They can go live on the goats' pasture. They've done their jobs well, so that's their version of Florida.

 

[Chickens14]

A thought I had too is if you are breeding them... after a few years ya need young ones... that can be alot of collecting of Hens

I am def. ok with keeping them I am just thinking I may need to save a seperate coop if I will breed...
My DH just built me a beautiful coop

I think I will wait until next valentines day for an addition

never seems like enough room for all my babies