How do you make a chicken live longer?

[oldhenlikesdogs]

My chickens live an average of 4-6 years, with some living as long as 10 years. It seems to be random as far as who lives longer than the others. Feed and house them properly. Some exercise helps, and just hope. Some breeds like sex links seem to be shorter lived, otherwise my older birds are of different breeds with no one breed being the best.

 

[peckpeckpeck]

Mine constantly stalk us through the patio doors & even jump up to check up on us through the kitchen windows.

I think it's admirable that you're trying to find ways to extend the life of your chickens! I think a lot of people take chickens for granted as disposable and that makes me sad.

Definitely breed - Stay away from production sex links bred for egg production and also Cornish crosses bred for meat.

I feed mine Scratch n Peck layer feed since all my ladies are laying.
I "ferment" it by mixing it with water in batches 1-2x per week & then feed as I go. They definitely like it over pellets because they like picking out the seeds. But the water helps bind the fines into a kinda paste so they get all of that goodness too.

Free ranging will definitely leave them more exposed to predators. But mine are definitely happier that way. They squawk loud & long enough to raise the dead when they're cooped up in the run on really bad weather days.

 

[Hyper_Chicken05]

Mine constantly stalk us through the patio doors & even jump up to check up on us through the kitchen windows.

I think it's admirable that you're trying to find ways to extend the life of your chickens! I think a lot of people take chickens for granted as disposable and that makes me sad.

Definitely breed - Stay away from production sex links bred for egg production and also Cornish crosses bred for meat.

I feed mine Scratch n Peck layer feed since all my ladies are laying.
I "ferment" it by mixing it with water in batches 1-2x per week & then feed as I go. They definitely like it over pellets because they like picking out the seeds. But the water helps bind the fines into a kinda paste so they get all of that goodness too.

Free ranging will definitely leave them more exposed to predators. But mine are definitely happier that way. They squawk loud & long enough to raise the dead when they're cooped up in the run on really bad weather days.

Eh.... I live in New Zealand, the only predator here would be hawks but I never see them. There are also cats that get onto our property but I’m sure a fully grown chicken can beat a cat, especially the bigger ones. The only problem is that I let my mother hen and chicks free range, which means they can get eaten by a cat. But mother hens are ferocious so like...yeah I have seen the mother hen attack one of our older chicks. And I’m sure that the bigger chickens will help protect.

 

[Zoomie]

@Hyper_Chicken05 just a reminder, you've also got dogs there. If you go to the Predator section you can find just all kinds of threads about dogs killing chickens.

Sounds like you have a good set-up though and here is hoping that dogs never find your flock.

Funny you said Barnevelder, I've got them too. And my first really promising cockerel fell over dead at the age of 6 months, from a stroke I think. I could not believe it... that morning he was perky and fine, hanging out and being a chicken, and 4 hours later he was dead and cold. It is not typical at all but it can happen. I sure had to scramble and change plans when that happened. Here is hoping nothing like that happens to you! You've gotten some great tips here, I know you will do your best.

 

[Chickassan]

The biggest factor in anything's lifespan is happiness! Feed them well, give them space and opportunity to be chickens and occasionally buy yourself a little chicken love with treats and you've got the formula for some happy old girls in the making.

 

[MillersFarm]

I think you are setting yourself up for failure. If you keep them with clean water, consistent nutritious feed, and dry bedding and wind protection, that is generally considered adequate care and will produce content, satisfied, active healthy birds. Happy is a human emotion.

I think hoping for birds to live 8-10 years is not real realistic, but I have heard of some birds living that long. If the average life span is 4.5 years, there are going to be lots of birds that live more than that or less than that.

Good luck

Chickens living up to 8-10 years is very realistic here. I've got around 14 chickens that are 8 and up. My oldest chicken is Princess a 13 year old black tailed buff Japanese bantam. She's currently living with my seramas and as happy as ever.

Eh.... I live in New Zealand, the only predator here would be hawks but I never see them. There are also cats that get onto our property but I’m sure a fully grown chicken can beat a cat, especially the bigger ones. The only problem is that I let my mother hen and chicks free range, which means they can get eaten by a cat. But mother hens are ferocious so like...yeah I have seen the mother hen attack one of our older chicks. And I’m sure that the bigger chickens will help protect.

Not true at all. I had a big tom cat kill one of my light Brahmas. Went straight for the neck. I also worked at a slaughter house who had a cat killing a lot of their meat birds just for the fun of it. My barn cats know not to attack my chickens because they've been raised with them since they were kittens and every time i'd catch one chasing a chicken i'd spray it with the hose. After that I haven't had a problem with them ever since.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Just like with humans, good health care is of top importance. This includes timely worming and lice and mite control along with vaccinations. While it is soothing to watch a flock of free range hens scratching in your backyard, free ranging has its own set of health problems. There are many more opportunities for predators to snatch your birds and for parasites like worms, mites, lice, certain insects, slugs and snails to infect your flock with all manner of diseases and life threatening internal parasites.

 

[Hyper_Chicken05]

@Hyper_Chicken05 just a reminder, you've also got dogs there. If you go to the Predator section you can find just all kinds of threads about dogs killing chickens.

Sounds like you have a good set-up though and here is hoping that dogs never find your flock.

Funny you said Barnevelder, I've got them too. And my first really promising cockerel fell over dead at the age of 6 months, from a stroke I think. I could not believe it... that morning he was perky and fine, hanging out and being a chicken, and 4 hours later he was dead and cold. It is not typical at all but it can happen. I sure had to scramble and change plans when that happened. Here is hoping nothing like that happens to you! You've gotten some great tips here, I know you will do your best.

How long will barnevelder hens live? I have heard that heavy breed roosters die of heart attacks and strokes more often than hens.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

My barnevelder haven't made it past 6-8 years, I haven't found them to live longer than other breeds.

 

[Hyper_Chicken05]

Thanks everyone for your advice