how long do you keep your chickens

[cottagechick]

Quote:
So, if I am understanding this correctly, the first column (%of lay std) means that if you had 100 chickens at 18 weeks 2 of them will probably be laying, at 20 weeks 38 would be laying and so on. I am not sure about the 6th column (egg cum std) - is that the average eggs you are getting per day or per week per chicken or for all 100 chickens? Or is that the total amount of eggs you should expect for the whole flock. I'm unclear on that.
Thanks, Julie

 

[southerndesert]

3 to 4 years on average or until laying slows significantly, we then process and start a new flock.... We have 2 flocks so always have some laying when starting anew.

 

[Uzuri]

I have a very small flock, so I decide who goes and who stays by monitoring attitude, health, and production. I like to think of it as the pragmatic approach.

Unusually low production goes. A bad or violent attitude goes even faster (Ahem, evil miss java, I'm looking at you). Hens with laying issues or health issues that seem to affect quality of life go.

The only exception are hens who have earned a name -- right now that's 1 out of 7, the other named one dropped dead without warning. They will live out their natural lives, unless they are in a situation where there is poor quality of life.

 

[yinepu]

I buy and hatch out new chicks several times a year.. extra roos go to freezer camp.. and the pullets replace the older hens who are no longer doing their job.. I always make sure an older hen is not in moult.. then i check her to see if she's actively laying (pubic bone spacing).. if she's not.. she goes to freezer camp.. I have had some hens quit at 2 years.. and some quit at 5.. for me "quitting" is 3 eggs or less a week... at 3 eggs she isnt earning her keep.. and if a hen has any leg issues (like arthritis) she gets culled regardless of if shes laying or not.. I'm not going to keep a hen who is in constant pain. Any aggressive birds get culled.. the only time i will permit it is from a broody hen.. after all she has the right to defend her eggs and chicks..
I check each bird every few months for production.. and have color coded leg bands so I can tell at a glance what year she hatched.. and what her status was the last time I checked her for production.. I do take into consideration the time of year, weather conditions, moulting, and if a hen has gone broody or not