Help -- Really struggling with culling older hens

[bobbi-j]

I'm sure I'll have a hard time with this. I already know when and who is gonna go, but I just recently started my birds, and this was the game plan all along, but when the time comes I know it's gonna be tough.

It helps to go into it knowing it's part of the game plan. Sure, it's hard, but in my opinion part of responsible chicken keeping. Better than hatching, hatching, hatching and over crowding birds because you can't do the subtraction part of chicken math. Overcrowding leads to all kinds of problems including disease, parasites and cannibalism.

 

[Louisa Suggs]

I'm glad I got back to this site, because this is my problem, too! I have never had to cull; it always happened naturally--old age, predators, sharing with a friend. But now I have 29 3-yr old mixed breed hens, who are rarely laying. I also have 10 new pullets who will start laying in a month (but I think one is a roo!), so my coop is too crowded. What I did, was ask a friend if she knew of someone who wanted older hens. I put zip-ties on the legs of the few girls left who seemed to be laying. My friend brought someone to my coop who wanted 6 of the hens (to eat). I had intended to charge, but he really needed them for food--not much income.
Finally sharing "my" solution. I told friend not to pick zip tied girls or young buffs. Then I left. I couldn't pick which ones had to DIE! It worked well for me.
But NOW I need to go to another thread, because the last three or four days, I have only gotten ONE egg!!!

 

[Sara Ranch]

I know that after the great "Feather Event" (the girls are molting) that I will probably sit my chair down between the exit door and the nesting boxes. Girls who lay an egg will get zip tied. Some girls may only get one and some girls may have seven zip ties. After a week, I switch colors, switch legs, and continue on. That way I can tell who is laying and how often.

It's a bit of work, but worth it.

I can check them to see if there is a problem that might be prevent laying.

I have one flock that is basically senior citizens. They even have the white colored feathers! (They were not "white" chickens....but I have noticed over time that as they age, they tend to get lighter colored and during molting, they tend to go whiter as they loose feathers.)

 

[Louisa Suggs]

I know that after the great "Feather Event" (the girls are molting) that I will probably sit my chair down between the exit door and the nesting boxes. Girls who lay an egg will get zip tied. Some girls may only get one and some girls may have seven zip ties. After a week, I switch colors, switch legs, and continue on. That way I can tell who is laying and how often.

Those not laying will be harvested.

It's not going to be easy. I will probably cry. But it's what needs to be done for the health of the flock and my bank account.

My boys are free of that concern. They don't lay eggs. They free range. They go for walks with me. They eat bugs. Lots of bugs. Some protect the girls. They discourage some animals from coming near the girls and the house. They don't cost me nearly as much to maintain. They are safe.

Glad you zip-tie too!!!

 

[Sara Ranch]

Lousia Suggs - the reduction in eggs may be the drama of the flock changing. My girls sometimes stop laying when they experience change or boyfriend drama. (Yes, there has been boyfriend/girlfriend drama here. *insert eye roll*)

Give it a week and see if things settle down and egg production goes back up.

Edited to add - my scrappiest looking girls are my best layers. I have one that I adopted that has a permanently broken half wing. I have another that is model skinny and always wearing a bikini. I am really hoping that she does a complete molt with the girls and gets some feathers back!

Looking at my girls, it's hard to tell who would be laying and who wouldn't. Thus the zip tie method.

Hope your egg production goes back up!

 

[bobbi-j]

I'm glad I got back to this site, because this is my problem, too! I have never had to cull; it always happened naturally--old age, predators, sharing with a friend. But now I have 29 3-yr old mixed breed hens, who are rarely laying. I also have 10 new pullets who will start laying in a month (but I think one is a roo!), so my coop is too crowded. What I did, was ask a friend if she knew of someone who wanted older hens. I put zip-ties on the legs of the few girls left who seemed to be laying. My friend brought someone to my coop who wanted 6 of the hens (to eat). I had intended to charge, but he really needed them for food--not much income.
Finally sharing "my" solution. I told friend not to pick zip tied girls or young buffs. Then I left. I couldn't pick which ones had to DIE! It worked well for me.
But NOW I need to go to another thread, because the last three or four days, I have only gotten ONE egg!!!

That sounds like a good solution for you! It's hard to decide sometimes.

 

[bobbi-j]

Lousia Suggs - the reduction in eggs may be the drama of the flock changing. My girls sometimes stop laying when they experience change or boyfriend drama. (Yes, there has been boyfriend/girlfriend drama here. *insert eye roll*)

Give it a week and see if things settle down and egg production goes back up.

I agree - chickens don't do change well. The upheaval in the flock may have thrown them off a bit. Give it time, and they may start back up again soon.

 

[Louisa Suggs]

I agree - chickens don't do change well. The upheaval in the flock may have thrown them off a bit. Give it time, and they may start back up again soon.

Well, I didn't want to totally rat on the girls, but they haven't been laying well for quite a while--hence, my zip-tie designation. Then the snakes would spook them and eat eggs. But they are still way behind expectations! (I know--Expectations lead to disappointments....!)

 

[Morrigan]

It could also be the time of the year, as the days start shortening and the chickens start molting. Many of my older hens (2+ years) stop laying in August. Even the very best of my older layers usually stop in late Sept/October.

 

[Sara Ranch]

It's figuring out what your goals are.

I have two sides of my ranch. The adopting animals for a forever home. The raising animals for eggs/meat. (Sometimes I fall in love with the animals intended for eggs/meat and they move into the pet zone.)

Do you have a limit on the number of chickens you will keep?

Do you have a monthly or annual budget limit to stick to when providing for your animals?

What do you want to achieve? Eggs? Meat? Pets/retirement home? Ambience?

What do you want to do with chickens that die? (Eat them, burying them, throw them in the trash?)

How will you handle predators? Dispatch them, move your girls, try to block the predators access, let nature take it's course?

How will you handle losses? Sadness? Anger? Acceptance?

Will you replace your losses immediately? The following year? Or let nature takes its course?

How will you handle injuries and diseases? Would you put an animal down to save it from suffering? Or would you put every effort into trying to save the animal?

Do you keep records? I document when my guys molt, when they have an injury/illness, birthdays, temperament, odd quirks, etc. An example of an odd quirk is that I have two cockerels that will bite (not hard, but still!) my toes if I wear flip flops around them. I don't know why - maybe my little white toes look like fat sausages to them - who knows?? But I know NOT to wear flip flops around them!!! An example of an odd quirk is I have one cockerel who will bite and tear at a pair of gloves that have a red latex covering. I don't know what it is, but the red sets him off. And it's only the red on the gloves, on the fingers and the palm. Red anywhere else on the gloves doesn't set him off.

** Yes, it appears that my chickens dictate how I dress! I guess flips flops and red gloves aren't my thing! LOL!

It's a lot of thinking about. Most people don't think about it ahead of time...and just deal with it when it happens.

I am glad someone helped you with the culling. Keep in mind why the egg production may be down. Molting, shorter days, snake visits, rat or mouse visits, change in flock, change in feed, PMS'ing, you wore the wrong colored shirt, age of the chickens...