I have raised and cared for chickens for going on 5 years. We currently have 5 retirees of our original flock of 25 and they are going to be 5 years old this April (2014)
Last summer they had quit laying. No eggs for months and we were raising 5 chicks at that time. We subdivided the run and coop so that we could integrate them into the flock without mishap, allowing them to mix with the five old timers shortly before they began to lay.
We have been surprised and pleased to see that our 5 retirees have rejoined the work force and we commonly get 7 eggs a day from the whole bunch.
The eggs from the older birds are often a bit larger and have thinner shells, but are just as delicious as the ones from the newbies. The 5 of them had not laid an egg for well over 7 months.
I am well aware that keeping them beyond 2 years is a losing proposition financially speaking
, but it is more work than we want to kill and process the oldsters, and besides that they are more like pets to us anyway.
Unless we fall on really hard times, we will continue our policy of non-discrimination due to age at Cluckmore House and Gardens.
Anyone out there have a similar experience with the younger birds influencing the oldsters to begin laying again?
Gerry
Last summer they had quit laying. No eggs for months and we were raising 5 chicks at that time. We subdivided the run and coop so that we could integrate them into the flock without mishap, allowing them to mix with the five old timers shortly before they began to lay.
We have been surprised and pleased to see that our 5 retirees have rejoined the work force and we commonly get 7 eggs a day from the whole bunch.
I am well aware that keeping them beyond 2 years is a losing proposition financially speaking
Anyone out there have a similar experience with the younger birds influencing the oldsters to begin laying again?
Gerry
