Okay, me practicing for a conversation.
Mother: We can't keep more chickens, they might be too old to even lay! No chickens that don't pay for themselves!
Me: We will not know if they lay until we catch them.
Mother: Why not just look for eggs where they are?
Me: Do you know how many hiding places there are over there?! Look for yourself, look at all the bushes!
Mother: And if they are too old to lay, then what?
Me: Then we can give them away! Everyone is desperate for chickens because of the virus.
Mother: Who would we give them too?
Me: Dad's friend who has a big flock and takes old chickens.
Mother: What if they got our other flock sick?
Me: Quarantine them in the unused dog kennel.
Mother: How would we introduce them to our other flock even if they do lay?
Me: We have the whole other coop that shares a fence with our in use coop!
... (what else?)