Official BYC Poll: How Old Is / Was Your Oldest Chicken?

[cooingdove]

I had a 11 year old EE, sadly she died last summer. she layed every other day till her death in august which I think is pretty amazing if you ask me.
#EEs forever

 

[theoldchick]

My 2 seniors are still going strong.

 

[CrazyChicken Lady]

Pollo the Golden laced Wyondoyte died a few months ago...... he was 9

 

[BarbaraJean67]

As Ursula got older, she became a little slower to keep up with the rest of the flock. So when we would go out front to free range. I would carry her out first and the call the rest of the flock out. In the mornings when they were let out to free range the back yard, Ursula was always last to exit the coop, which irritated the Rooster. He would go in and out of the coop clucking at her to hurry and get her butt outside.
Once when we were free ranging the front yard, I called all the chickens in and went back to get Ursula. When I got to the front, Ursula had crossed the street and was high tailing it for the service alley behind the empty lot.
She was running away from home! I guess she was sick of the rooster bothering her. I ran over and got her, gave her some extra love and a few treats and put her back in her favorite place. She never tried to run away again, but I don't think she was very happy that she didn't get away before I got to her.

That is a great story!

 

[Sycamore Hill Chicks]

For this poll, we are curious to see the age ranges of our members' flocks as well as get an idea of the "lifespan" of the older chickens in our community.

How Old Is / Was Your Oldest Chicken? Place your votes above and feel free to share his/her exact age and your experiences in the comments section below.

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(Check out more Official BYC Polls HERE!)

My girls are all under a year currently

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

My very eldest was an old mixed breed rooster who died at 11 years and 3 months or so old. That was about five years ago now. He was one of our very first chickens here and had lost all of his comb tips and a large portion of all of his toes to the early wintertime mistakes we made as first timers with chickens. He had fondly become known as Mr. Toes in his old age as a result. Not sure if I have any pictures of him anymore, but he resembled a Delaware even though he was definitely a mix of mixes.

Next oldest, still living, are Raven and Merlin, a Wyandotte and Easter-egger we picked up at Tractor Supply either late March or early April of 2010. I have confidence they'll surpass Mr. Toes' record at this point, and I hope to see them live much longer still than that.

 

[micstrachan]

My very eldest was an old mixed breed rooster who died at 11 years and 3 months or so old. That was about five years ago now. He was one of our very first chickens here and had lost all of his comb tips and a large portion of all of his toes to the early wintertime mistakes we made as first timers with chickens. He had fondly become known as Mr. Toes in his old age as a result. Not sure if I have any pictures of him anymore, but he resembled a Delaware even though he was definitely a mix of mixes.

Next oldest, still living, are Raven and Merlin, a Wyandotte and Easter-egger we picked up at Tractor Supply either late March or early April of 2010. I have confidence they'll surpass Mr. Toes' record at this point, and I hope to see them live much longer still than that.

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This gives me hope for my hatchery stock girls!

 

[micstrachan]

Of my original flock of four, only one remains, Bridge, my Barred Rock. She will be five this month and I don’t think she lays.

Two died from EYP and one died of fatty liver. I’ve been frantically trying to slim down my flock since. Of my next batch of six, who will be four in May, one has a laying disorder, so I keep her on hormones.

Because of all our predators, mine only get to free range with supervision. I’m sure they would be leaner and healthier if they could free range all the time, but I’m not willing to take that risk. Here they are free ranging yesterday.

This thread gives me hope that with improved husbandry, some of my girls can live to a ripe old age.

 

[Gallinarium]

My oldest hen I think turned four this spring. We kept her from our first flock to mother a batch of fifteen pullets, twelve of which have made it to adulthood.

Only one chick poking out:

Her chilling with her adult brood. The EE type in front of her was the exposed chick in the above photo.

She's an unknown breed mix that lays tan eggs, I think Orpington mixed with some kind of Mediterranean.

 

[gimmie birdies]

Marilyn lived to be 10 but got killed by a skunk.

My avatar, Greyslyn, is 8 and she still lays eggs and has babies...