Do you slaughter your laying hens after 2-3 years, or are they pets for you?

[happyfrenchman]

I don't kill my hens. They gave me eggs. I don't have too many that don't lay here and there. And I don't check who is laying or not laying either. (That is work) My chickens are totally natural as far as i have had the flock for 10 years in the one place. No artificial light in the winter. The birds really slow down when the days get short. But I think that lengthens their productivity. High Protein food with oyster shell on the side. I have 4 that are broody right now. When I hatch, i eat the cockerels. I kill roosters when I get a better one, I think the old hens are important to the flock. As they get older, they generally succumb to one thing or another that causes me to have to cull them. And I do not consider them pets by a long shot. I kill everything myself .

 

[KentuckyRooster]

I keep chickens as pets and breeding animals not for food so they stay their entire lives. I don't suppose serama would be very good anyway

 

[Crs1]

I started with 4 chicks in 2014 and I am now up to 50. 3 chicks 16 pullets 29 hens and 2 roosters.
My problem is I see chicks I want more so we have decide to process in the 3rd year. So processing these hens for food will be new for me. Although in the past we have processed Cornish cross.
I am now hatching my own chicks and staying out of stores when they have the chicks
I don’t name my chickens they are all called momma for the reason they become more personal. I would never be able to keep the names right either oh the roosters are called big guy

 

[Beer can]

I process old and young. Hatch some in the spring and any cockerels or pullets I don't plan on keeping for breeding purposes or eggs get processed. And any older birds to keep the feed costs in control and to keep down on excessive eggs (I don't sell).
Doesn't make sense to me to spend too much on feed have to many eggs and buy chicken in the store.
Any old bird is cooked tender in about 20mins in a pressure cooker.

 

[KentuckyRooster]

I don't kill my hens. They gave me eggs. I don't have too many that don't lay here and there. And I don't check who is laying or not laying either. (That is work) My chickens are totally natural as far as i have had the flock for 10 years in the one place. No artificial light in the winter. The birds really slow down when the days get short. But I think that lengthens their productivity. High Protein food with oyster shell on the side. I have 4 that are broody right now. When I hatch, i eat the cockerels. I kill roosters when I get a better one, I think the old hens are important to the flock. As they get older, they generally succumb to one thing or another that causes me to have to cull them. And I do not consider them pets by a long shot. I kill everything myself .

Allowing the natural cycle of egg laying does prolong the hen's laying life. I've never used artificial means to force laying and had an 8 year old polish who still gave me 4 a week right up until old age took her

 

[rosemarythyme]

My current chickens are pets so they'll live out their life here, but I'm not against the idea of eventually branching into meat birds or at least processing some cockerels. My husband doesn't "see the point" so it's something we'll have to revisit in the future.

 

[BlackHackle]

My hens are normally all sold after every year so I can continue improving lines. If they don't sell, then I just give them away

 

[Birds of a Feather]

I don't eat my old hens, and some have lived to be 8 - 10 years old. Then again, they are mostly pets (and there have never been more than 30 at a time). Some of them have actually kept laying for quite a while (4th - 8th years). I think multiple ages in a flock keep the flock in order. The happiest I've ever seen them is when there were multiple ages in the flock, a rooster, and baby chicks!

 

[RWise]

My oldest girl is 8 YO and still lays, though not every day, or even every other day. I sell most of the older birds with a few youngsters and a roo. A starter flock if you will, so far this has worked to get rid of extra roos that are good birds. Bad roos are not sold or given away, they are processed for me.
BTW The calf was named T bone, or burger, the pig pork chop, bacon, sausage, etc.,,, I was raised on a farm. Livestock with or without a name was eaten!

 

[Birdsong 82]

I guess not using artificial light in the winter in doing it naturally is why my Rhode Island Reds are still playing strong after over three years. Since they spend their lives here I only get a certain amount each year so I always have ones laying. I figured they produced eggs for me to eat into sell And in return I give them a home to live out their old age. My husband said well then they will be useless and then we should just cUll them. So I asked him when I get old is that producing eggs well I’d be useless and you will cull me. Lol. He said I have a twisted way of thinking