How many yearrs do chickens lay eggs?

[New Chick In The Backyard]

I really hope this isn't true.

Chickens live eight years on average, but hens only productively lay eggs in the first two, maybe three years of their lives. And on the commercial level, it’s closer to two years, and sometimes less.

I hope this doesn't mean that after buying 10 hens they are only going to lay for a few years and still be my pets but lay no more eggs? If so I really didn't do this the right way. Seems like you should buy a few chickens every few years. What have you experienced? Any info?

My chicken breeds:
Coronation Sussex
California White
Barred Rock
Silver Laced Wyandotte
God Laced Wyandotte
Lavendar Orpington
Ameraucana
Australorp
Blue Copper Maran
and my ISA Brown which I just recently found out could possibly only live a short 18 months.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

It means they only lay reliably on an average. I have 8 year olds still occasional lyaying, but not enough to sell reliably

 

[MTR]

I really hope this isn't true.

I hope this doesn't mean that after buying 10 hens they are only going to lay for a few years and still be my pets but lay no more eggs? If so I really didn't do this the right way. Seems like you should buy a few chickens every few years. What have you experienced? Any info?

My chicken breeds:
Coronation Sussex
California White
Barred Rock
Silver Laced Wyandotte
God Laced Wyandotte
Lavendar Orpington
Ameraucana
Australorp
Blue Copper Maran
and my ISA Brown which I just recently found out could possibly only live a short 18 months.

I don’t really get the chicken pet angle. To each their own but I’m not buying feed for dozens of unproductive hens. One or two favorites sure but it is way to expensive to feed a ton of dead weight hens.

 

[New Chick In The Backyard]

The eggs are only for me and I don't eat very many. I love my 10 chickens and wont get rid of them if they stop laying but I hope that doesnt happen. So they will they lay a little bit through their life?

 

[WonkierZulu]

I really hope this isn't true.

I hope this doesn't mean that after buying 10 hens they are only going to lay for a few years and still be my pets but lay no more eggs? If so I really didn't do this the right way. Seems like you should buy a few chickens every few years. What have you experienced? Any info?

My chicken breeds:
Coronation Sussex
California White
Barred Rock
Silver Laced Wyandotte
God Laced Wyandotte
Lavendar Orpington
Ameraucana
Australorp
Blue Copper Maran
and my ISA Brown which I just recently found out could possibly only live a short 18 months.

God laced would be awesome

 

[WonkierZulu]

https://www.mypetchicken.com/backyard-chickens/chicken-help/How-long-do-hens-lay-eggs-H76.aspx

 

[MTR]

The eggs are only for me and I don't eat very many. I love my 10 chickens and wont get rid of them if they stop laying but I hope that doesnt happen. So they will they lay a little bit through their life?

Probably not. Or not many past 3 years and continued decline. Heritage breeds lay fewer eggs longer though.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I hope this doesn't mean that after buying 10 hens they are only going to lay for a few years and still be my pets but lay no more eggs? If so I really didn't do this the right way. Seems like you should buy a few chickens every few years. What have you experienced? Any info?

Not 100% true, but not exactly false either. Layers are most productive their first 2 years. Most of them will continue to lay after that, but at a declining rate, or may start to suffer from egg quality issues.

Because of that I've built up my flock slowly and buy birds every few years to add in, this way I can keep all the older birds without having too many for my coop space. I currently have three 5-year-olds, three 3-year-olds, four 1-year olds. My oldest birds either don't lay or lay very infrequently (maybe 2 eggs a week total). One of my 3-yr-olds is also starting to slow down and only lays once in a while on and off.

 

[WonkierZulu]

I wonder if the myth about the death layer is true.

 

[Hermits Garden]

My neighbor has an Easter Egger she swears is twelve years old. This girl (the hen, not the neighbor) still lays every other day in the spring.