How long on average do people keep their hens?

[nelli21]

Hi- it's been a long time (almost 2 years!) since my last post. My hens are 3 years old this May. I just lost my 2 favorite hens to a fox. (VERY sad, all my fault, I didn't shut the coop). I managed to save 1 that the fox dropped outside the coop (she was lying down and looked dead but YAY she wasn't!).

So now I have 5 hens. I am not really attached to these hens, would like to get rid of 3 or all of them and just start over with new baby chicks. So my thought is to get some babies, raise them up, and when it is time for the babies to go to a coop then say good bye to my older ladies. I am considering either having a broody hen hatch out new babies (easier) or buying day-olds (they end up friendlier cuz we can handle them more easily).

Part of this might just be emotional reaction to losing my favorites. Part of it is wanting new hens. All in all just would like some feedback/advice.

Thanks!

 

[hennyannie]

I get attached to them in no time flat, but I am selling the extra eggs to help with the feed bill. So I have made myself rehome them after about 18months or two years. A plus to this is I am able to get chicks every year. I have good luck also getting friend who want less eggs to take the older hens. Ihave 30+/- and only 7 are two years old.

 

[The Funky Chicken Dunce]

The only way my adult chickens leave me is if a predator gets them. They feed me for three + years, raise my chicks, and amuse my company my family and myself, I think they deserve a peaceful retirement right here.

 

[sonew123]

Quote:
Thats exactly how I am! I have some 4 year old biddies that still lay from time to time but I dont care-they are beautiful and have fed me brooded alot of chicks They can retire. Now if I had 50 of them that might be a different story but I only have 2-3 old ones now-with 100 others that are 1-2 years old.

 

[Bi0s]

mine stay with me till they die even if they stop laying they always have a home here

 

[happyhens44]

Mine will live in my coop until the day they die, if they stop laying because of old age so be it

I get new chicks every year (spring) so its like a cyle.

myself, I think they deserve a peaceful retirement right here.

agreed

​

 

[Fred's Hens]

I essentially keep two flocks. One is more eye candy and I enjoy them. Speckled Sussex, Barred Rocks, RIR, etc. I "gift" poorer families with hens and meatie roosters whenever I wish to. Sometimes, I enjoy helping someone get started with chickens. The economics with these birds doesn't work out terrifically, but just so I break even on egg sales or pullet sales, I'm fine with it.

My main flock is hybrids. These exist purely to produce for my egg customers. The numbers must crunch on those to show that half of every dozen eggs sold, or more, is profit. I am turning over this flock no longer later than every 18 months.

I brood in both spring and early autumn, both types; hybrids and conventional breeds. Each chicken flock keeper finds their own path.

 

[kuntrygirl]

I keep mine until they die.

 

[gryeyes]

Quote:
The only exception to this rule is that I have gifted some to other BYC friends, and now that I'm hatching all the time, I MAY - still undecided - start selling some chicks. Oh, wait, I DID sell three chicks to a gal who works at my favorite feed store (because the feed store doesn't carry Cochins and those I'd just hatched were not the regular all black that she owned). I may sell her a few more in a couple of weeks.

But other than spreading chickens out into the world - Mwaaahahahaaahaaa! - mine will stay with me until they die.

 

[nelli21]

Thanks for all the great feedback!

For those of you who keep your girls until they die, how long do they live on average?