Keeping Older Hens

[SilkiesnFrizzle]

I let mine live out thier lives, my big girls and my Silkies. I get attached to my birds and I can show my Silkies past thier egg laying year as well. I just enjoy watching them and want them to enjoy life. The oldest one I had lived to be 9.

 

[sehfergy]

Dealing with this at our house too. Ours girls are 3or 4 years, I forget, so definitely slow on production. Due to our zoning, I'm only allowed 4 birds, so no room for newbies until these move on. I'd have no issue keeping them around as long as we could have others that were laying, but not the case...

this is tough if you’re limited on the # of hens you can have. when i was an urban chicken fancier we didn’t cull & let our girls age out, we loved them as our pets. but coincidentally in our last urban flock each ended up killed by a predator at about 4 years old. then we moved to the country so we’re not limited like that anymore, we can still have young producers & let our grandma hens live the life. it would be hard to go back to store bought eggs, but if they’re pets, they’re pets. if they’re not pets maybe you could re-home them? i know we would willingly take a handful of older hens to live out their golden years if the alternative is them being culled, i think you might be surprised to find that there are people out there who would take your chickens-try craigslist? make sure you are clear about why you want to re-home them, of course.

 

[Dawnclucks22]

My chickens are my pets that come along with eggs. My oldest hen is 4 or 5 now, and still lays! Even when she stops she will stay with me.

 

[cluckcluckhens]

We started out in 2012 with a golden sexlink a talker. She was cool and if I had something in my hand and I didn't give her any she would cry. This was so cute to see and she didn't do this with my husband just me. We had a Rooster, 6 Australops, 6 Wyandottes. We don't have anything that could kill the girls since we've been here. We are Rural. I can't have any more Australops at the moment since my silver wyandottes were the ones that killed most of them. Not the one I have right now but still the breed. The three silvers we got at the same time and have one left. And, she tries to keep the gold wyandottes from getting anything special. No more silvers when it is her time to go.

 

[Chelsa'sChicks]

I do not have the heart to cull. I free range my birds so adding new birds is easier because they have the entire barn to run and hide away if they need to. Usually because they have so much space, my older hens are only mean-ish during meal time.. Even though there is more then enough for everyone. My oldest bird now is around 10 years old and she doesn't lay anymore, but she still sits in the nest and tries to or pretends to... She has been doing this for years. My other older birds do still lay about twice a week each and they are about 8 years old.

 

[woodmort]

My chickens were my retirement gift to myself. I never intend to get more than what I started with. Ok, I did get 4 more than what I started with but that's it! Seriously! Stop laughing...

At 67, I'm aware that my chickens could outlive me or I could become unable to care for them. It is my intent, however, that they continue to live their lives as ridiculously spoiled chickens for as long as possible.

I started when I was 50 figuring I'd outlive those first ones as well--now I'm 80 and just added 3 dozen more.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I don't cull any bird unless its hateful aggressive or mean. I've got a fella near 6 years old. White Leghorn still fertile and giving me a lot of new layers. If they still lay why cull? I adore my hens, have plenty of boys to process.
If your plan is for stew hens a heritage breed usually lays for years. What breed do you keep?

 

[Awtdaniel05]

Hi, I was reading the post about when to cull. I'm wondering if there's anyone out there that just keeps their hens and lets them live out their lives. If so, on average, how long do they live? I have a flock where the majority of hens have just turned 3. Egg laying has slowed for sure, but they're still producing. They aren't super friendly pets, but I don't think I have the heart to cull. That being said, I'd like to add some new birds and know i can't end up with too many! I have about eight 3 yr old hens and then some younger silkies that are laying good. Unfortunately I also have 3 silkie roos and one is actually really sweet. I guess I just want to know how many folks let their chickens live out their lives and if you do, do you also keep adding new girls?

I usually sell them once they hit 3 years and buy a new batch every spring. I only cull if th birds are severely sick, injured, or crippled. For my ornamental birds I let them live out their lives

 

[ClucksAndCombs]

I have two SLW that are nearing 10 years old (forgive me, I forgot.) I'm getting four of their pale light eggs a week (the rest are EEs lol). I saw a BYC post a while back on how their older hens were so vital to the flock. I can't agree more. Those two SLWs run the flock and are always mothering to chicks and pullets. I would never think of culling them personally.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I don't plan on culling (whether via selling off/giving away birds or via the stock pot). I have 4 currently, and I bought them to be pets. The eggs are a nice bonus, but I have enough chicken people in my neighborhood that I can buy eggs from once my ladies stop laying. Not a big deal to me. And they free range part of most days, so I spend a very minimal amount on feed/care - much, much less than on the dog or the cats!

That being said, I think it's a decision everyone must make based on his/her respective situations. I'm in an area where I can have chickens. There's really no limit. I will have to stop once my coop is full. When that time comes (this summer), I will have to make some concessions if I want to add more: either rehome some, stop adding new birds, or build a bigger coop. I am fortunate in that my paying for feed for a few dozen birds wouldn't be a hardship (still cheaper than the other pets - especially the dog who has medical issues). We'll see what happens...

So you do you. Lots of people send them to the stock pot, and I can't and would never begrudge them that. They are livestock, after all, and a source of food for many. Lots of people rehome them. Keep us posted! Hearing others' stories is how we learn.