How long do chickens really live? How long have chickens in your flock lived?

[Lauren Kim]

World record is 10 years, I believe. Or 12.

 

[Chickassan]

16, her name was Matilda.

World record is 10 years, I believe. Or 12.

 

[Lauren Kim]

16, her name was Matilda.

Whoa! That’s even better!

 

[Walter D. West]

My chicken is 12 years older than me my parents raised ot

 

[Lauren Kim]

Whoa! That’s really old.

 

[Walter D. West]

ty

 

[Lauren Kim]

You’re welcome!

 

[RonP]

Not only breed, individual chickens may live longer than others.

I do not cull, my birds live out their lives.

That said, all are given equal treatment.

I maintain my flock numbers at around 12, depending on how many passed the previous year, I now replace with point of lay hybrids, minimum 2, max 4.

I have 1 of 3 Buff Orpingtons doing well at 13+ years, hatch mates gone for several years now

1 of 3 Belgian d'Uccle doing well at 13+ years, she just laid an egg, first in many months. Hatch mates also gone for several years. She gave me 26 eggs last year at 12…

1 of 2 Plymouth Rock doing well at 12+ years. Hatch mate gone 2 years now.

RIRs lived for 10 years, both died within 6 months of each other.

Several Hybrids at 6+, they seem to pass at around 5 years of age on average, but as stated, depends on the individual bird.

Hope this helps...

 

[Lauren Kim]

Not only breed, individual chickens may live longer than others.

I do not cull, my birds live out their lives.

That said, all are given equal treatment.

I maintain my flock numbers at around 12, depending on how many passed the previous year, I now replace with point of lay hybrids, minimum 2, max 4.

I have 1 of 3 Buff Orpingtons doing well at 13+ years, hatch mates gone for several years now

1 of 3 Belgian d'Uccle doing well at 13+ years, she just laid an egg, first in many months. Hatch mates also gone for several years. She gave me 26 eggs last year at 12…

1 of 2 Plymouth Rock doing well at 12+ years. Hatch mate gone 2 years now.

RIRs lived for 10 years, both died within 6 months of each other.

Several Hybrids at 6+, they seem to pass at around 5 years of age on average, but as stated, depends on the individual bird.

Hope this helps...

That’s a very long time! Hope that you will remain successful with mainting your healthy flock!

 

[Peeps61]

I just realized most of my flock will be five this year! I hope I have a long time more with them.

I looked it up on google but found a variety of answers. I assume age will very breed to breed? That bantams will live longer than large fowl, especially since they don’t lay as much.

So, BYC, who have had birds who have not died from a predator, how long have they lived? Why did they die?

I have two Buff Orphingtons that I bought in January of 2013 that are still alive and even laying an occasional egg. Most of my others get picked off by predators while free ranging. The hens that I still have tend to be pretty saavy and leery of things they don't trust, so the predators haven't gotten them. I live on 10 acres and lock them up at night, OR they roost in the rafters of the barn. I also have two roosters that each have their own favorites, so that may help as well.