Ode to Old Hens... Pictures of the Seniors in Our Flock

[Waves]

Thank you, that's a nice picture. I sure miss her today. When you have a hen for over 12 years, it's like losing the family dog. I'm happy that she was still ambulatory and didn't have a really bad day. Loved that girl. She was one of three chicks that grew up together-my lavender bantam Cochin hen, Shadow, and my Gold Laced Wyandotte, Vada. Vada died just over a year old of egg issues. Shadow lived to be about 4 1/2 and that left Panda to live on for 8 more years after that.

I had a chicken named with a name similar to your Panda..
She was called Panta. Because it was the abbreviaton of Pantaloncina, and Pantaloni in Italian means "trousers". I called her so cause she always used to peck at my trosuers..
She was very friendly and smart,but the smallest of the Flock.
She died at about 5yy old from a reproductive issue after three weeks of fighting so strong and nothing i could Do. She was an ISA Brown.
It was so sad, she was a true friend.
Another victim of the super-layers breeding

Really close to you, i cant imagine how it is difficult to lose a so old hen 

 

[speckledhen]

Five years is a good long life for a hybrid layer. I'm sure you took the best of care of her. Sorry for your loss.

 

[Sapphire Sebright]

I have four ISA Brown hens that are in their third year... they're all still going strong, and I hope that they stick around for a while. I love them very much.

 

[Waves]

I have four ISA Brown hens that are in their third year... they're all still going strong, and I hope that they stick around for a while. I love them very much.

With a bit of luck they will be fine! I think that they are very very strong regarding all the other things. And reproductive issues dont involve all chickens. Only three of Seven in my originary Flock! For example, my Mari is a 7,5 years old ISA! Im praying for her to be forever healthy
Im sending lots of good vibes to your cuties

 

[speckledhen]

@Waves you're right. It's not automatic, just very prevalent, but not only in hybrid layers. It's in all the very common feed store breeds. Some of mine were worse off than others. The worst were actually the Wyandottes and I've heard so many offer the same type stories about their hatchery Wyandottes. My personal feeling is if they take any breaks from laying such as going broody as one of my hatchery Buff Orp hens did twice, they may live longer. She lived the longest of all my original flock, 6 1/2 years. Of course, being a hybrid layer is not an automatic death sentence. Just pays to be prepared and realize what may happen.

 

[MixedFlock23]

Such a beautiful tribute to your lovely birds, @speckledhen. I had tears running down my cheeks for most of the 27 pages. I’ve had chickens for just over five years now (2 of my original 8 are still living). My older birds are hatchery stock. I hope someday I’ll have stories of long-lived chickens too.

 

[speckledhen]

I hope someday I’ll have stories of long-lived chickens too.

I hope you do, too!

 

[speckledhen]

Emily passed away overnight. She was 11 yrs 8 mos old, hatched at the same time as Tiny the Terrorist we lost earlier this year. Emily was a black Plymouth Rock, hatched with the blue girls, Neela and Alice, also gone to that Great Roost in the Sky. Good hen, never a problem, never ill a day in her long life. June, my 13 yr old EE, is probably quite bereft today as she is now alone with the three remaining Belgian D'anvers who are almost as old as Emily was. RIP, big girl. We'll miss our Emmy. There will be more to follow as Emily's half sister, a year younger, Gloria Jean, a splash Rock, is also ailing and most likely at the end of her life as well. Emily's famous "don't mess with me" broody glare. She was broody a few times, yet never ended up with a chick, sadly.

 

[speckledhen]

I just buried Gloria Jean tonight. It's too late to find a picture of her, but she was obviously not going to last long as I checked on her throughout the day. So, all the birds I hatched from halo in Florida over the years are now gone including Maretta, Neela, Alice, Emily and Gloria Jean. All lived long lives. @halo Kathy, hope you see this.

 

[SusanMc]

I enjoyed your post very much, your hens are lovely !Have a great day