How long do chickens live for?

[afarrington2]

Hi guys i have alot of old hens and i was wondering how long they could possibly live for.

 

[Roosterlover5]

I've heard they can live up to 15 years or more, but ours haven't made it that far yet,i hope they do!

 

[gallusdomesticus]

The guiness book of records shows the world's oldest chicken to have lived 15 years. I've raised chickens for years and they get the best of care but anything beyond 7-8 years is rather exceptional. Usually predators or some disease does them in rather than old age. Enjoy them while you have them. Their life span is comparable to large breed dogs.

 

[Roosterlover5]

The guiness book of records shows the world's oldest chicken to have lived 15 years.

That's weird. I thought it was 20.

 

[gallusdomesticus]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matilda_(chicken)

Looks like the record was 16 years.

 

[Roosterlover5]

Cool.

 

[sumi]

I heard of one that made 17. And I heard about 10yo hens still laying.

 

[gallusdomesticus]

Chickens will continue to lay throughout their lives, albeit at a reduced rate. A Univ of Florida study showed chickens decrease their egg laying at a rather consistent 10% per year after their first year.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/ps/ps02900.pdf

Since they're birds and not mammels, they don't experience menopause and will lay up to the time they die.

 

[halfwaynowhere]

Chickens will continue to lay throughout their lives, albeit at a reduced rate. A Univ of Florida study showed chickens decrease their egg laying at a rather consistent 10% per year after their first year.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/ps/ps02900.pdf

Since they're birds and not mammels, they don't experience menopause and will lay up to the time they die.

really? My Australorp hen stopped laying completely right at the 3-year mark. Not a single egg from her in 2 years. I thought that was normal.

 

[sumi]

Mine's about 6yo and still laying very well. She hatched some chicks in February this year. Some chickens do stop laying sooner though.