How long do chickens live?

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I wouldn't keep old hens.When chicekns  get old,they sometiems catch things that old humans get when they reach elderly age.

My old chickens haven't caught anything but bugs in the field. What things are you talking about?

 

[samantha LW]

Guys - I have a problem. Regarding aging chickens. I won't eat them, I don't eat meat BUT my husband does and he wants to "retire" them when they stop laying. I take care of our chickens and I don't want to lose them, especially by human hands. My husband says he wont support chickens that are not producing. This makes me sick. I have argued and argued. My 9 chickens are going on 2 years old and laying great but I dread the day they stop. Aside from going to the store and planting eggs in the coop for the next 15 - 20 years (which is what I had planned, LOL), is there such thing as a real sancuary for chickens to go? I have no problem keeping mine but I'm worried about what my husband might do.

Here is what I do. Although, my husband would kill a human before an animal. But when he won't give in to me I have this wonderful trick. I sit down all calm at the dinner table with him then I calmly explain if he does not do (or does do) "X" he will be cooking and cleaning for himself and will be "servicing" himself for the rest of his natural life. Then I smile sweetly and get up to leave him eating by himself so he has time to process the implications of my displeasure. Works every time.

 

[Leisure105]

I like to think of myself as a good ole fashioned farm girl...practical when it comes to animals and pets. Make no mistake I get VERY attached to my animals but there does come a time for me when quality of life supersedes all. For example last year I had to put down my beloved friend (horse) of 28 years. He had lost a pile of weight and he looked "unhealthy" to say the least. I poured geriatric food down him and did what I could. I agonized over the unenviable and tried to convince myself that I could nurse him through another Alberta winter and I'm sure I could have.....but this is where life gets tough and unfair for humans. I finally put my foot down with myself and said "enjoy your last summer bud" and so I spent quality time and said my goodbyes. It was a very tough and emotionally draining summer for me but when the snow flew I did what I had to. The vet came to my house and did his thing. I was on my knees and weeping uncontrollably but I held that old boys head in my arms to the end. (Ps. Im wiping tears as I write and it's been 2 years). After it was done I "checked him over" and found that he was missing or had worn down most of his teeth and as a result he was not processing his food properly and probably would have basically malnourished himself to death(he had a very low body score according to the vet) In hindsight I made the right desision not that it helped my aching heart and I would do it again. This was a quality of life decision for a pet I loved very much and I will continue to apply that logic to all my pets when the time comes. No one likes to see something suffer and sometimes we as the caregivers must make the right call regardless of our emotions....it doesn't make you cruel to be kind. just food for thought

 

[kstaven]

What Tiki said is more or less true for production type birds. Good heritage breeds are consistent much longer, but tend to lay fewer eggs annually than their commercial counterparts in their early years.

Nothing unusual to find a ten year old heritage breed that is still an egg every second or third day bird.

 

[suebee]

Well darn! My rooster will turn 8 years old this spring and he's already asking for Viagra....Oh the humanity!!

 

[hot-hen]

Guys - I have a problem. Regarding aging chickens. I won't eat them, I don't eat meat BUT my husband does and he wants to "retire" them when they stop laying. I take care of our chickens and I don't want to lose them, especially by human hands. My husband says he wont support chickens that are not producing. This makes me sick. I have argued and argued. My 9 chickens are going on 2 years old and laying great but I dread the day they stop. Aside from going to the store and planting eggs in the coop for the next 15 - 20 years (which is what I had planned, LOL), is there such thing as a real sancuary for chickens to go? I have no problem keeping mine but I'm worried about what my husband might do.

You tell him "no". And no means no.

Or, better yet, send me your address and I will come and do it for you.

 

[gigelus2k13]

OK, but beside the posturing, what is a practical way of dealing with this? Just keep them until they die of old age or sickness or predator? After a certain age (be it10 or 15 years), it's a matter of quality of life for them, not just of sentimental attachment from the human owner.

 

[missypebble]

You tell him "no". And no means no.

Or, better yet, send me your address and I will come and do it for you.

I Totally agree with "hot-hen"! I will keep mine until they naturally die on their own, for whatever the cause will be and I will never EVER eat them. Well, it's a given also because I'm a vegetarian by choice. I read many chickens owners enjoy chickens, play with them, care for them, but consume them at the same time....Don't get me wrong here, I respect everyone's opinions, but somehow that's just cruel for me!

 

[missypebble]

we have 1 rhode island hen left of a batch of 25,,,we got them as day old chicks in 2005,,,in the summer and fall of 2010,,the owls,,,the coyotes,,,and the foxes desimated our flock and Red was the only one left,,,she spent the entire winter alone in the chicken house ,,,,we don't have a heated barn and no electricity out there at the time,,,she slept with the goats and occasionally with the geese,,,,every morning she would make her way over the snow drifts ,,which that year were about 4 ft high,,,and come up to the house to let us know it was food time,,,then she would sit in the sun,,,huddled against the warm backdrop of the dark siding of the porch,,,,she made it thru that long lonely winter,,,and in the spring we got a new patch of white leghorns,,,she taught them everything she knew and when the roosters got big enough to crow she kicked their asses and let them know who was boss,,,,she is 8 years old now ,,,she has never had any disease,,,she is a free range chicken who eats bugs and seeds and has never had an antibiotic ,,,,,she is an inspiration to me,,,I keep every feather she drops for she is my hero!

That's SO SWEET!!!

 

[centrarchid]

Older birds for me more likely to drop out from worm burden and sometimes even heat stress although free range birds seldom succumb to either. As the birds get older they do become more vulnerable to diurnal predators free-range.