Hybrids or not Hybrids ??

[BigFuzzball]

Hi,
Yesterday we sadly lost our oldest 'hybrid' Speckledy Hen - Dixie
She was approx 3yrs old but after a really heavy 'colour changing' moult she never really seemed to get back to 100% no matter what we did.........
Harder is that she's the 2nd we've lost in 6wks, Zoe was our beautiful 'hybrid' Blackrock who just succumbed to old age (sadly died very suddenly of what 'felt' like a heart attack whilst in my arms unfortunately with our 9yr old daughter watching ).
Reason I mention all this is can anybody tell me if the 3yr + mark is 'acceptable' or average for hybrids ??
Beautiful, funny birds full of character and excellent layers but this has knocked us all for six so seriously considering changing from hybrids and paying 25-35% more for 'genuine' single breeds ?
Thanks
John.

 

[biophiliac]

Hi,
Yesterday we sadly lost our oldest 'hybrid' Speckledy Hen - Dixie
She was approx 3yrs old but after a really heavy 'colour changing' moult she never really seemed to get back to 100% no matter what we did.........
Harder is that she's the 2nd we've lost in 6wks, Zoe was our beautiful 'hybrid' Blackrock who just succumbed to old age (sadly died very suddenly of what 'felt' like a heart attack whilst in my arms unfortunately with our 9yr old daughter watching ).
Reason I mention all this is can anybody tell me if the 3yr + mark is 'acceptable' or average for hybrids ??
Beautiful, funny birds full of character and excellent layers but this has knocked us all for six so seriously considering changing from hybrids and paying 25-35% more for 'genuine' single breeds ?
Thanks
John.

So sorry for your loss. From what I hear 3 yrs is a very typical life span for these birds tho some individuals live longer.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Hi,
Yesterday we sadly lost our oldest 'hybrid' Speckledy Hen - Dixie
She was approx 3yrs old but after a really heavy 'colour changing' moult she never really seemed to get back to 100% no matter what we did.........
Harder is that she's the 2nd we've lost in 6wks, Zoe was our beautiful 'hybrid' Blackrock who just succumbed to old age (sadly died very suddenly of what 'felt' like a heart attack whilst in my arms unfortunately with our 9yr old daughter watching ).
Reason I mention all this is can anybody tell me if the 3yr + mark is 'acceptable' or average for hybrids ??
Beautiful, funny birds full of character and excellent layers but this has knocked us all for six so seriously considering changing from hybrids and paying 25-35% more for 'genuine' single breeds ?
Thanks
John.

If you are asking if most Hybrids die around 3 years old----No----some live many years, BUT In My experience 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, etc year old chickens die more often(not trying to be funny) than younger. I rarely see one of my chickens die, because usually by 2 1/2 yrs of age----they are sold and new ones take their place. I know a lot give their chickens a for-ever home and in doing that---you will see them all die in time. Sorry for your Loss!!

 

[chickengr]

Hi,
Yesterday we sadly lost our oldest 'hybrid' Speckledy Hen - Dixie
She was approx 3yrs old but after a really heavy 'colour changing' moult she never really seemed to get back to 100% no matter what we did.........
Harder is that she's the 2nd we've lost in 6wks, Zoe was our beautiful 'hybrid' Blackrock who just succumbed to old age (sadly died very suddenly of what 'felt' like a heart attack whilst in my arms unfortunately with our 9yr old daughter watching ).
Reason I mention all this is can anybody tell me if the 3yr + mark is 'acceptable' or average for hybrids ??
Beautiful, funny birds full of character and excellent layers but this has knocked us all for six so seriously considering changing from hybrids and paying 25-35% more for 'genuine' single breeds ?
Thanks
John.

sorry for your loss.

for the very same reason I don't want hybrids any more.

 

[BigFuzzball]

Hi guys, Thanks for those replies, guess it's a case of risking hybrids and losing them 'earlier' or pure breds and having them longer and thus being even more attached.....but then also risking the egg-laying dropping off so having purely pets since we simply haven't the space to just keep adding birds just to keep the eggs coming whilst waiting for some birds to pass away.....

 

[Kelsykin]

Don't worry about the length of life, but the quality of the life. Often the ones we enjoy the most leave much sooner than we would like. And hybrids live as long as any other bird. Although Hybrids tend to lay for a longer time.

Sorry for your loss.