Is it time to put hens in my freezer???

[WisconsinGardenChick]

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That's great! What breed are they?

 

[WisconsinGardenChick]

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Same here, gsim. I never had a pet or livestock animal in my life until now, although I've gardened my whole adult life. Just got serious about raising as many vegetables as I can because (propaganda about "green shoots" notwithstanding) we believe the economy will continue to worsen and not improve for years.

Anyway, back to chickens - got ours as livestock, but the little stinkers have really clucked their way into my heart. Still, I am a pragmatist. We're giving them a great life and if circumstances warrant, they will be humanely dispatched and eaten.

 

[Zoopathy]

I've got five girls in my little urban flock. Plan to maybe add three more next spring. I got them with a three-fold plan in mind: 1) poop for the garden/compost, 2) eating garden pests and weeds, and 3) eggs. Still waiting impatiently for the eggs to turn up (the girls are only 20 weeks old and the nights are long), but they've more than excelled at their other two jobs, and will, I'm sure, long after they cease to lay. My daughter has them all named. Can't imagine eating them (or the dog or the cat or the budgies or the hamster); they're all pets. But for that's just us!

 

[TriciaHowe]

I have never killed one of my hens. I have one that I bought as a 2yr old at an auction 5 yrs ago. She is a red sex link and just a doll. I doubt she has layed many eggs over the past few year, if any, but she is a favorite of mine and the kids. If you decide to process hens at 2 or 3 yrs old I wouldn't feel guilty about it. It's how you choose to manage your flock....
Good luck with whatever you decide