How to in courage old hens to lay???

[Chicky Crazy]

My hens are two years old and their slowing down a lot. I'm wondering if there's anything I can do to encourage them?

 

[littlelizajane]

I have no idea but I'm following your post as I want to know what happens as the chickens get older... I'm a newbie just getting my first eggs.

 

[keesmom]

Are they beginning a molt?

 

[Chicky Crazy]

One has already molted. But the others haven't.

 

[Cindy in PA]

Do you add light? If not 2 year old chickens will probably not lay much from fall through December. They should pick up in January, but they will never lay as much as their first 2 years.

 

[RonP]

Agreed, if your nights are getting longer, your birds may slow down.

Do a little research, chickens need 12 - 16 hours of light, depending on conditions, to continuously stimulate their glands to lay.

 

[littlelizajane]

What do you do after the hens become so old they are no longer laying eggs? I understand it's a cruel world and some people kill and eat them.. LOL... is that the only choice? Can you take them somewhere and have someone ELSE do that part for you? At what point do you look at starting over with chicks so you have new ones to replace the old ones that are not going to continue laying eggs?

 

[littlelizajane]

What exactly is the lifespan of a chicken?

 

[Chicky Crazy]

I got chicks this year because my hen are two. So they can take over.

 

[enola]

I butcher and eat my hens after their second laying season.