Does everyone here kill their chickens after they stop producing eggs?

[lionpearl]

I got chickens for the first time in over 20 years for the eggs and fun of having them. Not to sound niave or anything but does everyone kill their chickens after they are over their prime egg laying age? I really don't want to do that. Please any input would be appreciated. Proud owner of new chickens. lol. lionpearl

 

[Kanchii]

You don't have too. If they slow down noticeably after a few years, you can probably find them a new home by putting an ad on craigslist or the newspaper.

 

[eggzettera]

The great thing is we can all do whatever we feel comfortable with.

Viva la difference....

 

[patandchickens]

Since this group is sort of centered on backyard pet chicken owners, it's not surprising that it seems like those who cull the flock for age are in somewhat of a minority. But there are definitely people here who do and people here who don't.

There is certainly no reason you NEED to if you don't want to, as long as you are willing to be buying feed and having the space occupied without getting much in the way of eggs. It's a personal decision.

Pat, probably heading in the direction of those with both sacrosanct 'pet' chickens and others who are expendible for efficiency, but I dunno really as I have not gotten to that point yet.

 

[ncgnance]

You don't have to if you don't want to. They are your chickens. I will, because that's why I got them, for the eggs and the meat. I love them and enjoy them. But I can't afford to pay for their food and get nothing in return. Besides, I love raising biddies, and I can't just keep building chicken coops. LOL Do what you want to do with your chickens, and don't feel badly about it either way.

 

[Buff Hooligans]

We don't plan on dispatching our girls when they slow down. We will convert the coop to a Clucky Ladies Retirement Spa and let them just be their cute, entertaining selves.

 

[Wynette]

LOVE IT, Buff Hooligans!!!

 

[thechickenchick]

When hubby first agreed to get chickens he said we would cull them as they got older to make room for more. Well it didn't take long after we got them to change his mind. I see an addition in our future to make room for our "Golden Girls"!

 

[twinlights]

Not here! We even send the extra roos down the road, can't bring ourselves to do them in.
We have our chickens for bug control first, so the eggs are only side benefit.

 

[scooter147]

First, I don't have any issue with culling/butchering. I do raise 25 cornish cross every spring for the freezer.

Keeping chickens for me is fun, relaxing and highly entertaining.

I do want decend egg production as I sell eggs to co-workers and friends to pay for the feed, I actually have a jar on the fridge I keep my egg money in just like in old westerns.

When I order 25 each spring I always order a couple of hens I want just because I want them.
This year I got 1 Eygptian Famyous and 1 Buff Orp just as pets. The rest were White Rocks, RIR and Barred Rocks. I simply don't make pets out of them and when the time comes to cull I don't have an issue with it. With many of the same breed running around it is hard for me to make a pet out of them.

I even sell some of the butchered hens as stewing hens to co-workers. I could sell more if I had them. Get people hooked on a "real" hen for chicken soup/dumplings and they don't want to go back to that store bought stuff.

This approach works for me. I have 1 Polish and 1 GLW that will be 10 next spring.