How long are red or black sex links going to lay?

[Folly's place]

I lost interest in production reds long ago because of their generally 'feisty' attitudes toward other flock members. I've never had sex- links, because I prefer heritage type breeds, and when ordering from hatcheries, most often get straight run chicks. I can eat or sell excess cockrels, always have some cocks in my flock, and am NOT a fan of what happens at some hatcheries with excess cockrels. That will include ALL sex- linked males at hatching. That's the point of producing sex- links in the first place. Okay, rant over! It's impossible to predict how long an individual hen will stay healthy and in lay, and that's equally true of heritage birds. It depends on husbandry, genetics, and luck. Mary

 

[gator75]

This is too funny. Maybe the question is too dumb to be answered, but I'm dying for someone who owns sex links to come on here and say, either my sex link laid into its 4th or 5th year occasionally, or, all sex links shut off like a faucet at 3 yrs old.

 

[Kiki]

This is too funny. Maybe the question is too dumb to be answered, but I'm dying for someone who owns sex links to come on here and say, either my sex link laid into its 4th or 5th year occasionally, or, all sex links shut off like a faucet at 3 yrs old.

Sit tight.
The experts might be out doing morning chicken chores still or sleeping in!

 

[aart]

This is too funny. Maybe the question is too dumb to be answered, but I'm dying for someone who owns sex links to come on here and say, either my sex link laid into its 4th or 5th year occasionally, or, all sex links shut off like a faucet at 3 yrs old.

You're probably going to hear both, I know I've read both numerous times, because both can occur.
There's no guarantee with live animals, especially high production hybrid cross breeds from different sources.

It's not a dumb question per se(tho maybe a bit naive) but,
just like a lot of chicken (or any livestock) questions,
there is no finite answer that applies to all animals and/or situations.

 

[junebuggena]

They can lay for as long as they live. However, peak production is at about 18 months to 2 years of age. After that, they start to slow down. How long they will lay, and how well they continue to lay after 2 years, is something that is highly variable and depends on a multitude of factors.

 

[gator75]

Thanks!

I'm curious, because I have three hens but only one sex link. As long as they lay even an egg a week, I'm fine. I just don't have a desire to house a chicken for two -three years with zero production. The other two are heritage birds. I don't plan on using artificial light, so hopefully that lengthens the duration of her egg laying.

 

[Folly's place]

That's why having at least some new birds every year (or two at most) is what most of us are doing. Your birds will slow and then stop egg production for whatever reasons, and unless you have a couple of younger hens too, no eggs. Having 'retired' hens who are healthy is fine, but you will want others to have the eggs. Mary

 

[gator75]

Yeah, that's ideal. But I only have room for 3. Since I don't want to introduce 1 to 2 or 2 to 1, once the last one stops laying for good, they'll all go.

 

[ChloeChicken]

I'm going to weigh in on this super old thread. I have 1 black and 2 red sex linked hens. They are 5 years and 3 months old. They all still lay, almost every day (not in winter). One is broody now, for the first time.

 

[Lorraines]

I have 8 young sex links who lay beautifully everyday. But every now and then I get a soft-shelled egg in the box. Is that normal?