Hi, I'm new to this flock.I have ?, how old does a chicken have to be to stop laying?
It depends on the breed and the individual hen. Most of them are past their laying prime after 3 years, but some of them can still lay fairly well up to 4-5 years, and a few of them will still lay the occasional egg at 7-8 years. The world's oldest living hen just made made some more history by squeezing out two more eggs at 17 years of age (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...tain-squeezes-eggs-THIRTEEN-years-last.html); I wouldn't count on any of ours doing that though. )