EIGHT YEARS NO PROBLAM, NOW......

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Chuck Graham

Chuck Graham

Chirping
9 Years
Apr 14, 2015
9
0
65
Have had six Chickens for eight years. Four otherwise healthy birds have dropped dead over last four months. Is eight years normal life expectancy? No disease, parasites, poisons or any other cause found. Remaining two look and act fine. Picked up six three day old chicks last week are in brooder in house. Have cleaned coop. Am concerned that new chicks when released to coop/run will be in jeopardy. Any suggestions?
 
A necropsy is always the best course of action when more than one bird dies in short order. Your state lab can do it at minimal cost or free depending on the state. Call them and be prepared to send it if you lose another.
Eight years is getting toward the end but they can live much longer. My biggest concern is that you lost 4 in as many months after having them for 8 years. Seems too coincidental.

Something that comes to mind is that birds with kidney damage will die suddenly with no symptoms. That kidney damage occurs if one feeds their hens layer feed throughout their life, even if they aren't laying as during molt or winter break.
Most people don't realize it because when they have a chicken die with no symptoms, they shrug and go on without the all telling necropsy.
 
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Hello there and welcome to BYC!
frow.gif


8 years old is pretty old for most chickens. While some breeds live longer than others, the standard hatchery breed has an average life span of 5 to 8 years of age. So you must be doing something right!

However you never do know what they died of unless you did a necropsy on them. Some vets will do this as well. You would have to bag up a freshly dead bird and put them in the frig. (do not freeze) and make an appointment to have a necropsy done on this one.

But I would say you are doing ok over there! When I mix in new chicks to an existing flock, I like to keep them in an enclosure within the run and coop for a few months before they are ready to mix in. I start them with the flock at 6 weeks of age. I use sand in my coop and run. So I put in brand new clean sand for the first few weeks and then let the older sand come to the surface so the new chicks become accustom to the dirt the flock is on. This helps them slowly to become immune. When they are 3+ months of age, not only have they all been seeing each other, but the chicks hopefully have become immune enough on the same floor and environment.

Good luck with all your poultry adventures and welcome to our flock!
 
Thank fort the feedback. Am too far from any lab to have necropsy. Birds buried already. After six week will transfer chicks into 4'L x 3' D x 2' H cat cage and into coop to introduce birds I suppose in a few weeks I will release chicks into coop at night when birds are relaxed. I HAVE been feeding layer ration for over seven and a half years with the occasional head of cabbage, pumpkin, bread, ect. Have been with poultry community.com for years but can't figure out to log in these days.
 
Welcome to Backyard chickens. Chicken Canoe has raised many valid points. Personally, I don't know anyone who has chickens that got to be 8 years old

My last four dogs were 14 or 14.5 when they passed. , so it wasn't unexpected that they died of different old age issues (kidneys, heart or cancer issues) within about a year of age each. It was just tremendously hard to loose them all in a short(to me) period of time. They were getting appropriate meds and regularly seen by a vet.

I would imagine it is the same with chickens, and with hens possibly reproductive issues.
 
I have a tendency to retain and enjoy old things. My old tabby B Cat almost made it to 20 years before he had to be euthanized. I've been driving the same Ford pickup for 27. My Chickens have been well cared for and I was rather stunned by the four dying within several months. I saw no signs of Chicken grief or mourning. The two survivors actually seem rather relieved as the were on the low end of the pecking order. I suppose since they were all hatched the same day and shared the same environment it's not a shock the would have similar life spans.
 
I forgot to add that except for the first to go, "Trooper Jeff", who died last winter, they all were laying eggs right up to the end. Trooper Jeff got her name because I thought she was a rooster at first. Named them all after female cops I work worth. Trooper Jeff was the first to lay an egg.
 

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