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

[RiverOtter]

Depending on the breed, from 3-7, with most right in the middle around 5. My current oldest is a 7 year old hen, who is still a very good layer. She's my only one who lays a speckled egg, so I know it's still her

 

[Reiki Rooster]

I am wondering this also, I have some that are 6 months old and some that are 5 yrs. I'd assume a mix breed would live longer, mutts out live akc pedigrees in my experience. My lab mix is 11 and she climbs a 4 ft chain link like a monkey and still runs and does everything she did when she was 3 yrs. But I have no idea just guessing here.

 

[Chlady55]

My chickens are 5-7 years old right now. I've only lost 1 to a predator and it was a hawk that found a hole in the netting over their pen. He got in and got one but couldn't get out. I had to grab him and untangle his feet to get him out. He was a beautiful bird and I couldn't fault him for wanting a chicken dinner. I'm hoping my chickens will live a lot longer but they are not free range so they may not.

 

[Folly's place]

My oldest birds have died at ten years of age; two small Jersey Giant hens, and one Belgian d'Uccle hen.
Some of my birds stay here forever, some die from predators while outside, and some move to other flocks, especially roosters, who can't breed offspring forever.
Some birds don't survive more than a year or three, due to reproductive issues usually. Every bird gets necropsied, because I want to know what's wrong!
I do value my older birds, and want offspring from those healthy survivors.
Most poultry breeding is done using young birds, because it's most economical that way. There's no selection for longevity, or against causes of early death, after one year, or two at most.
Hatcheries tend to select for good egg production, but just for that one year.
Show breeders select for looks, and again, may not breed birds for more than a year or two, and may not care at all about egg production.
Mary

 

[meetthebubus]

@Peep-Chicken five years congrats! How are they laying? Or have they stopped?

 

[Peeps61]

@Peep-Chicken five years congrats! How are they laying? Or have they stopped?

One doesn't lay much anymore. She was attacked by my dog, but survived. She hasn't laid well since that happened. The other still lays about 3 eggs a week.

 

[Morrigan]

I had hoped to be in a position to talk about long-lived hens, but a bobcat got into my coop and killed 4 out 5 of my 5 year old hens. 2 of those killed were very lively, productive birds and some of the best layers (and mothers) in the flock last year (when they were 4). Those 2 hens still laid 4-5 eggs a week in the spring and summer with lovely dark, thick shells. Very, very sad they will not around to enjoy old age -- I was hoping for longevity for them. I still have a couple of offspring from them who survived the attack.

The 1 older hen left looks a little bit adrift with all her friends gone, but the good news for her is that she is the undisputed alpha hen now. Only the rooster is left from her generation, and she's never thought much of him, lol.

Of those that died for reasons other to predators, it seems like 2 to 3 years is when some start to have reproductive issues.

 

[AllenK RGV]

I had hoped to be in a position to talk about long-lived hens, but a bobcat got into my coop and killed 4 out 5 of my 5 year old hens. 2 of those killed were very lively, productive birds and some of the best layers (and mothers) in the flock last year (when they were 4). Those 2 hens still laid 4-5 eggs a week in the spring and summer with lovely dark, thick shells. Very, very sad they will not around to enjoy old age -- I was hoping for longevity for them. I still have a couple of offspring from them who survived the attack.

The 1 older hen left looks a little bit adrift with all her friends gone, but the good news for her is that she is the undisputed alpha hen now. Only the rooster is left from her generation, and she's never thought much of him, lol.

Of those that died for reasons other to predators, it seems like 2 to 3 years is when some start to have reproductive issues.

So sorry to hear about your losses. I sincerely hope you will manage to harden Ft Squaks going forward or was this a daylight attack?

 

[Morrigan]

So sorry to hear about your losses. I sincerely hope you will manage to harden Ft Squaks going forward or was this a daylight attack?

It was a dawn attack. The bobcat either leapt over the electric wiring on the fencing around the chicken yard, or squeezed through the gaps at the gate (which isn't electrified) and then got inside the coop when the automatic door opened at dawn. Since then: 1) bobcat has been eliminated; 2) 2 new strands of electric wiring have been added higher on the fence; 3) all gate gaps have been covered; and 4) I manually reset the chicken door to open an hour after dawn. I'm still nervous as all get out.

 

[K813ZRA]

I dunno. I only started with chickens three years ago and some of my hens came from my mother and they were already at point of lay. So I guess 4 years old would be my oldest and I don't think they are going to make the cut past three anymore. Yes, they could live longer but they don't lay me as many eggs as I would like so to the soup pot they will go.

Well, I do have one chicken that is a family favorite so she is safe but the others, not so much!

However, my aunt has been raising chickens for as long as I can remember, at least 30 years and she has said she has chickens that have made it to 7-8 years of age. At this rate all of hers are barnyard mixed hens from her hatching her own so I have no idea how the genetics play into that.