life span and egg laying

[ThePRfan]

I have saw questions about a chicken lifespan,people think they can live up to maybe only 3 years,yeah,no.

A chicken can live to ve 12 or 13 years,depending on its care and environment.
They normally almost stop laying at 3 or 4.This also depends on breed.

Egg laying.
They don't necessarily stop laying.They just don't choose to at elderly age,which is 4 and older.

 

[sourland]

I was absolutely unaware that egg laying is a 'choice'. On what do you base this opinion?

 

[sourland]

Well,they make the eggs,they lay em...

I'm not certain what that means. Every hen is born with X amount of ova in her ovaries. Some lay almost constantly and eventually deplete their given supply (hybrid egg layers) others lay through out their lifetime and in the case of many extremely broody breeds die while still carrying hundreds of undeveloped ova in their ovaries. Development of ova/eggs is controlled by feed, environmental factors, hormonal factors, breed characteristics - but I never have been made aware that it is a choice.

edited to add 'hormonal factors' which for the most part are controlled by day length one of the environmental factors.

 

[alibabba]

Good to know Al! You must take good care of them!

Weasels are my worst fear....

 

[TXchickenchick]

My mother is down to...oh I think she said 5 chickens now. Her youngest is about 6 her oldest about 9. She has been gettung 2 to 3 eggs most days. Her oldest hen is also her only green egg layer and she lays most days.

My adult hens are almost all around the 4 year mark and strangely enough it never occurred to me that maybe it's abnormal that they still lay constantly. Thankfully I got (and hatched) a bunch of chicks this year because I am sure my ladies will eventually slow down.

 

[enola]

There are many folks on this site that have hens that are 7 years old and still laying. Of course, they lay fewer eggs as they age.

 

[ThePRfan]

Well,they make the eggs,they lay em...

 

[b.hromada]

I'm not certain what that means. Every hen is born with X amount of ova in her ovaries. Some lay almost constantly and eventually deplete their given supply (hybrid egg layers) others lay through out their lifetime and in the case of many extremely broody breeds die while still carrying hundreds of undeveloped ova in their ovaries. Development of ova/eggs is controlled by feed, environmental factors, hormonal factors, breed characteristics - but I never have been made aware that it is a choice.

edited to add 'hormonal factors' which for the most part are controlled by day length one of the environmental factors.

That's great info. Thanks for posting.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

I've heard this age,~6 years, is about the normal age a hen will lay to if all is well with her, egg breaks taken and the such.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Ditto what Sourland said. Hens do not "choose" to lay or not lay eggs any more then a human female chooses whether or not to ovulate! It's a function of the body and can be affected by many factors. As far as lifespan? Could be anything. I've known people with teenage hens. I've had birds stop laying and die of reproductive problems before their 2nd birthday, then there are others who are around 6 years old and older and still laying. It's just extremely variable due to so many, many factors so it's really impossible to predict or give an average lifespan of how long any particular bird may live or how long she will lay eggs.