No longer laying, but don't want to eat them...

[EggNV]

Hi all,

I'm curious as to what some of you do when you have chickens that are no longer laying but they've been fed like pets so the family doesn't want to eat them. As city-dwellers, we are limited in how many chickens we have, so keeping them throughout their lifespan means at some point no eggs but keeping caged "pets" in the backyard for years that require a lot of work and I'm just not sure I want to do that. I feel awful even saying this because I'm a huge animal lover and wonder, because of how I feel, if I should even have them in the first place if I'm not willing to give them a life-long home.

How do you go about dealing with this? Are there places to take them? Do people "rescue" chickens that aren't for food and let them live out their lives running around eating bugs and things? I know, that's a lofty dream. ;-)

Thanks for the help!

 

[Kiki]

Hi all,

I'm curious as to what some of you do when you have chickens that are no longer laying but they've been fed like pets so the family doesn't want to eat them. As city-dwellers, we are limited in how many chickens we have, so keeping them throughout their lifespan means at some point no eggs but keeping caged "pets" in the backyard for years that require a lot of work and I'm just not sure I want to do that. I feel awful even saying this because I'm a huge animal lover and wonder, because of how I feel, if I should even have them in the first place if I'm not willing to give them a life-long home.

How do you go about dealing with this? Are there places to take them? Do people "rescue" chickens that aren't for food and let them live out their lives running around eating bugs and things? I know, that's a lofty dream. ;-)

Thanks for the help!

There may be people around your area that are willing to take "older" hens, but they may be taking them to feed their family.
You may want to look around your state thread and ask if anyone knows of a "place".
California, Northern
California, Southern

I'd personally have to say if you aren't wanting them for life then maybe you should rethink getting them to begin with.
There are so many unwanted pets out there already.

 

[BantyChooks]

There may be people around your area that are willing to take "older" hens, but they may be taking them to feed their family.
You may want to look around your state thread and ask if anyone knows of a "place".
California, Northern
California, Southern

I'd personally have to say if you aren't wanting them for life then maybe you should rethink getting them to begin with.
There are so many unwanted pets out there already.

X2

Generally, if you don't want them, nobody else does. Sorry.

 

[Kiki]

Hundreds of people post here daily trying to find their unwanted roosters homes.
It's pretty sad when you think about it...
they could be feeding the hungry.

 

[Vampstorso]

I'm not sure about America,
But in Australia there are often people posting on Gumtree (our version of Craigslist) offering to give unwanted chickens and livestock homes rather than eating them.
Sounds too good to be true to some,
But they generally want them to keep the lawns and pests down, we don't have such a predator problem here so it's easily doable with less effort, perhaps that's part of it.
Infact, we have people begging on Gumtree to come shoot predators and pests on properties for free because our gun laws are so limited it's one of few opportunities for them to use them.

I'm sure SOME of the peoples intentions aren't good, but you can probably sniff them out.
I know two people who genuinely do let the animals live out their lives, and some day when we have a larger property, I'd do the same.

So don't give up home for these ladies,
However yes it would be worth considering if having more makes sense if you don't want to eat them or keep them after laying. I understand not eating them, I wouldn't either, but I don't have chickens lol (for reference, I'm waiting on emu chick's as pets, and this forum has one of the only ratite sections on the internet!)

 

[EggNV]

I am 100% with you on this. I just don't think I can keep them for 8+ years without getting eggs from them because we have such a limited number we're allowed to have. I can see it if you are able to have many chickens, in which case I would keep them until the end because they'd be part of the flock. I'm not one to just turn out my pets (I'm a rescuer, not someone searching for rescue), so perhaps I should rethink my chicken keeping since we are so limited here.

Thank you for your thoughts!

There may be people around your area that are willing to take "older" hens, but they may be taking them to feed their family.
You may want to look around your state thread and ask if anyone knows of a "place".
California, Northern
California, Southern

I'd personally have to say if you aren't wanting them for life then maybe you should rethink getting them to begin with.
There are so many unwanted pets out there already.

 

[Kiki]

You may want to look into getting some production type chickens.
They do not usually live THAT long.

 

[aart]

so perhaps I should rethink my chicken keeping since we are so limited here.

Just saw this again the other day... it's kind of harsh, but very realistic:
http://www.nwedible.com/you-absolutely-should-not-get-backyard-chickens/

 

[Cindy in PA]

I have had good luck over the years getting new homes for my 2-3 year old chickens. Just know you have no control over what happens to them after they leave your home. Easy to say to keep them forever, but I do not have the room to keep chickens that don't lay eggs. They live a good life here, but I have a dog for a pet. My last girls where sex links & they went to free range on an alpaca farm, really! They wanted them mainly for bug control. Win/win! I am always honest & tell people they are past their prime laying etc. Never try to pass them off as something they are not. Once lucked into a guy who took 2 sets of mine two years apart before he got out of chickens. I may fall into that with this dentist that took my last ones if I am lucky. Good luck!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Just saw this again the other day... it's kind of harsh, but very realistic:
http://www.nwedible.com/you-absolutely-should-not-get-backyard-chickens/

I remember reading this article along with one about roosters (basically that you have to keep in mind that it's a possibility you'll end up with one, and know what your plan is for a rooster before it happens) back when I was thinking of getting chickens and I found it very good food for thought. It's always best to plan ahead and be realistic with expectations when bringing any living creature into your household.

In the future I might consider taking in retired local layers once I have a bigger coop built. Only concern really is that I'd prefer to keep a closed flock due to concerns over disease or pest transmittal. I don't need more eggs but would like more chickens and have the room for them, so having hens that aren't regularly producing has a certain appeal to me.