Lifespan?

[acarter26]

How long do hens and roosters tend to live?

 

[LarryPQ]

They can live a looooong time. Lots of people have chickens 12+ years old.

HOWEVER-- as chickens are curious creatures, they often find the most embarassingly stupid ways to die. I would say most have been naturally selected (in one way or another) by age 4.

 

[Chickie'sMoma]

if you are able to do a good job at protecting and keeping your birds healthy and happy they can live to be 12-15 years old!

eta: but the hen's laying could stop when they no longer have eggs available in their ovaries. production breeds will stop sooner than the heritage breeds so many production breeds become dinner sooner than the heritage breeds would.

 

[donrae]

I have seven year old hatchery ees and one red hen that are still laying. I've heard with better protection from predators it's not uncommon for a hen to live over ten years.

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

I had a Buff Orpington hen that was 13 y/o..sadly a preditor got her when she was roosting in a tree. There is no telling how long she would have lived.

~ Aspen

 

[acarter26]

That's awesome!