In your flock, what is the average lifespan of your hens?

[Mother of Chaos]

I'm also curious about whether there is even such a thing as "production" BOs outside of the hatchery stock. To my understanding, proper orpingtons aren't meant to be crazy egg-a-day machines like mine were.

I certainly hope that there aren't, for the very reasons that you describe, but I'm pretty doubtful that hatcheries source their hens from breeders who are pursuing excellence. Or at any rate, maybe the breeders are offloading those who don't meet their standards, and we are getting the descendants of these weaker chickens.

 

[Apis mellifera]

I can't believe I have a couple hens that turned 9 this year. They can be a pain sometimes always getting under my feet, but I did get attached to them. Free ranging and a varietal diet in the winter I think keeps them going. Most here would disagree, but the all flock feed with a side of oyster shell and everything else is a treat that's often repeated is a poor long term diet.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

3 to 5 years for mine; I have a varied flock of hatchery hens. I'll be naming my birds that have passed, not my living birds which are all under 3 years of age.

Mostly EE. Plus:
Australorp (a coyote got 4 of 5)
Dominique
Speckled Sussex (1 remains of 4)
Brown Leghorns
Buff Orpingtons (culled due to broodiness)

Most stopped laying* after their 3rd year and were butchered for the freezer.
* not just seasonal, they didn't pick back up again and I had to make room for new chicks.

 

[dirkandlorie]

The black sex link is a dual purpose hybrid, established around 1950, and not a modern commercial laying hybrid.
This and providing them everything they need explains why your hens ate getting older than the laying hybrids they have developed for factory farming today.

And the gold sex links too?
You are so much more knowledgeable about these things than I am. I'm hoping you're going to say they're not production breeds also, as I just bought 3 more of them. Love how smart and personable this breed is.

 

[BurbCoop]

Current average is about 6-7 years. Our head hen is 9 now. She quit laying around year 2 and took on the rooster role, so maybe that has played into her longevity.

We too had a couple of hatchery hybrids that developed serious reproductive issues later on. While they made it to 4 and 7 years respectively, their issues seemed to be genetic.

 

[BDutch]

And the gold sex links too?
You are so much more knowledgeable about these things than I am. I'm hoping you're going to say they're not production breeds also, as I just bought 3 more of them. Love how smart and personable this breed is.

Such information is available on the internet. If you do a search you find several websites with info about such breeds. Dailychickens seems to have good info. Unfortunately they say the gold sex link are high production for eggs and their lifespan is 4-5 years.
https://dailychickens.com/gold-sex-link-chicken/