how many years do you keep your egg layers?

[Beekissed]

I just cull any hens who are not laying every day or every other day each year. Depending on the numbers left or number of chicks produced by my own flock that year is how I determine if I order chicks or not. Usually, I would just let my girls replenish their own numbers but this last time I wanted a few different breeds in the mix.

It all really comes down to how many you wish to maintain in your flock. I like to keep around 30 chickens at any given time, so if my culling puts me down to the low 20s, I either let a broody go to town on her clutch or, if I want to introduce new breeds, I will order some chicks in time to slip under a spring broody.

ETA: I have quite a few hens that are 4-5 years old and still producing like spring chickens!

 

[3chimama]

I feel the same way!!!!
Quote:

 

[gryeyes]

Eggs were third on the list of why I wanted chickens, and not all that important to me. Eggs are a bonus, gifts from the girls for taking care of them. I got 'em for the excellent fertilizer (got tired of always buying fertilizer and amendments for the crappy clay soil here), their bug reduction abilities, and oh, yeah, I guess I'll get eggs, too.

Then I discovered each chicken has its own personality, which actually surprised me.

I will eventually be running a home for elderly chickens in conjunction with raising more of 'em. The oldsters will have earned their retirement years.

 

[g&h farm]

I dont cull unless there is something wrong with the chicken that is a threat to its life or maybe a really nasty roo. If you eat your chickens then ok but to cull because your hen is not producing anymore is a little harsh to me. They provide us with eggs, in my eyes they deserve to have a happy retirement. Just my thoughts on things. I know not everyone shared the same views on this and everyone needs to do what works for them.

 

[petunias212]

Quote:
I couldn't have said it any better.... sniff, sniff

our girls run right up to us if we happen into the yard, they hang around us chit-chatting in chicken I suppose....giving us the latest gossip - then off they go their own way....

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I'm selling off my one year old flock over this summer/fall. I'd keep chickens two years but with four girls around culling for food would'nt go over too well, and would have a hard time getting rid of two year old chickens.

This year were hatching out, the 2 and 4 year olds really got a kick out of week old chicks last year so am showing them the cycle of chicken life. Even the 13 and 10 year olds love of chickens faded once the fuzzy butts turned into chickens. So this way, plan of cycling out every year, the kids have wee chicks running about spring and summer, I get eggs and we'll try out a rooster this year so I can work on improving the breed. Win win situation. The buyer of one year olds gets a few years of eggs for a mere $10 to boot.

We may keep Pot Pie, our BR, she's definitily the most friendly, extremly productive for a Rock and can breed right into the Blue Rocks I'm getting soon. It depends on the hatch rate and hen ratio I suppose. With a family of 6 we need 5 to 6 hens to meet our consumption rate.

 

[Luvroos]

I must agree with their retirement home situation regardless of my being a complete vegetarian and refuse to eat animal of any type. I also, cannot see taking their life after all happiness, joy, stress relief and eggs that they provide for me every day and I'm not one to predict an animals death date unless it's due to health reasons.

I have a 4 year old EE that still lays a green egg every and or at least every other day along with a red sex link. I'm leaning towards how they are raised as to weather or not they will lay for a long time.

Btw, I'd take your 2 yr olds off your hands for $1.00 each since there's not telling how much longer they'd lay and the more the merrier for me. They can eat all the bugs in these woods that they can get their beaks on, that's ok by me lol.

 

[Fred's Hens]

We raise a batch of 12-25 new chicks, every 6 months, as the flock is constantly rotated and renewed.

Hens are sold, as the opportunity arises. We get more requests for laying pullets and young hens than we can meet, while we retain a laying flock to meet the needs of our egg customers.

 

[aussieheelr]

Fred's Hens :

We raise a batch of 12-25 new chicks, every 6 months, as the flock is constantly rotated and renewed.

Hens are sold, as the opportunity arises. We get more requests for laying pullets and young hens than we can meet, while we retain a laying flock to meet the needs of our egg customers.

That's how we're doing it too. The oldest we keep a bird is to 4 years old (haven't had them that long but started with some two year olds and sold at 4 yrs old). Since we're hatching so frequently and don't eat much chicken we give the extra roosters to the neighbors to butcher as kind of a contribution/thank you for all they help they give us through the year on things.​

 

[old geezer]

.my girls are only 2 yrs oland and younger---

...even if the stop , their my girls and here for the duration ,

...if it come to the point of no lay--guess i'll order new chicks and build a 3rd coop and run...

.

.

.

.