ELI5 Why do so many ppl treat chickens expendable??

[JacinLarkwell]

Is this a massive farm setting? Are you living off of selling eggs? I mean if it’s a massive farm are you shoulder to shoulder in chickens?

No, but if you need a few dozen eggs a week, you need a lot more older hens than younger hens. I have some birds that laid 3 eggs this season before quitting. Not everyone can keep birds like that

 

[z3lda3]

I expect it would be more common in suburban situations, which often have limits on how many chickens a person can have. If someone is allowed up to 6 hens, and it takes 6 good layers to provide all the eggs for their family, then they can choose to keep older hens and buy eggs, or they can choose to replace the hens and have enough eggs. "Removing" the hens can be killing them or selling them, but if you sell old hens there is a very good chance that someone else will kill them later, so the only real question is who kills them.

It could happen on a big farm. But most people with big farms are too practical to keep non-productive hens. I think the only way to end up shoulder to shoulder in unproductive old hens is to have a big farm and a source of enough money to keep feeding the hens after they quit laying. Otherwise, the farmer goes broke, sells the farm, and someone else kills the hens to get rid of them.

Personally, I view all chickens as meat. The main question is how long they live before I eat them (longest life for the hens who lay well and otherwise please me, shortest life for birds with quality-of-life issues, followed by any bird with behavior that causes a problem. Most males have pretty short lives if they belong to me, because more than a certain amount of males will cause problems by stressing and overmating the hens.) I would rather make chicken soup from old hens, instead of keeping the old hens and then buying chicken meat or raising broilers. But if I want tender fried chicken, the old hens just won't do it. Fried chicken requires young tender birds if you want to be able to eat it easily. Young cockerels can work pretty well for that.

I personally wouldn’t know, but I’ve heard fresh chicken is fantastic! I KNOW fresh eggs are waayyy better than store bought. Most of my chickens are layers, except my bantams. They’re too small to eat (I wouldn’t anyway) and they lay tiny eggs. I guess they’re just looking at chickens.

 

[Nym]

The good people far out-number the bad. However, the bad people get more press. It's not worth giving your good energies to the bad news or ways of people.

 

[z3lda3]

No, but if you need a few dozen eggs a week, you need a lot more older hens than younger hens. I have some birds that laid 3 eggs this season before quitting. Not everyone can keep birds like that

3 whole eggs??? What will you do with such abundant riches?!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

3 whole eggs??? What will you do with such abundant riches?!

Nothing because she broke and ate two of them and the 3rd died during incubation. But if I needed the eggs, she couldn't stay because she is eating far more than she's producing.

 

[z3lda3]

agreed. it varies from breed to breed, and even individual to individual, but I've only ever had two chickens attack me, and some of my current flock like being petted! for the most part my birds keep their distance, but even watching them from a few feet away, it's clear that they are unique and intelligent creatures. I enjoy seeing the way they communicate, the intricate social groups and sub flocks......................... maybe because I'm autistic, but I feel like I know birds better than people.

I feel like I LIKE birds more than most ppl lol

 

[FrostRanger]

Chickens are a weird mixture of pets and livestock. They are used for food but they can be pets.


However, even though they can be pets, no one needs more than a few roosters for their flock at the most and it's downright unethical and irresponsible to rehome an aggressive roo unless the person you're giving him to plans on eating him. Culling an aggressive bird is the most responsible thing to do. As for older hens it depends on one's needs and management style. I think both approaches are fine as long as the birds are treated humanely

 

[The Birb King]

I feel like I LIKE birds more than most ppl lol

I definitely like birds more than people

 

[z3lda3]

Nothing because she broke and ate two of them and the 3rd died during incubation. But if I needed the eggs, she couldn't stay because she is eating far more than she's producing.

I wonder what makes a hen eat her eggs? Does she accidentally do it, then get a taste?

 

[The Birb King]

Chickens are a weird mixture of pets and livestock. They are used for food but they can be pets.


However, even though they can be pets, no one needs more than a few roosters for their flock at the most and it's downright unethical and irresponsible to rehome an aggressive roo unless the person you're giving him to plans on eating him. Culling an aggressive bird is the most responsible thing to do. As for older hens it depends on one's needs and management style. I think both approaches are fine as long as the birds are treated humanely

I agree culling an aggressive bird is fine, but I feel like its a little unfair to kill "extra" roosters without even giving them a chance. If they are nice at least try to re home them first