Old Chickens

[JWChickens]

Question about flock management:

I have a flock of 2 black sex links, 1 buff orpington, 2 easter eggers, 4 rhode island reds, and 1 rhode island red rooster. The hens will all be three years old in the spring, the rooster will be one year old. I'm thinking of moving to a flock of cochins or maybe olive eggers, but I don't want to just butcher my hens (they are kinda like family, even if their laying has slowed down quite a bit). Are there pros to keeping old chickens around? Would adding new hens be a good idea (I have drastically expanded their run and am expanding their coop)?

 

[OtherRaptor]

Question about flock management:

I have a flock of 2 black sex links, 1 buff orpington, 2 easter eggers, 4 rhode island reds, and 1 rhode island red rooster. The hens will all be three years old in the spring, the rooster will be one year old. I'm thinking of moving to a flock of cochins or maybe olive eggers, but I don't want to just butcher my hens (they are kinda like family, even if their laying has slowed down quite a bit). Are there pros to keeping old chickens around? Would adding new hens be a good idea (I have drastically expanded their run and am expanding their coop)?

This decision is up to you! There are pros and cons of keeping old hens around. I personally have an 8 yr old BO named Twinkie.
When they are young, they're super rowdy! (I have some kiddie hens right now) They jump around, fly like crazy, absolutely do not want to be held (start off a habit by holding them as chicks), want to get out of the yard, and lay wherever the heck they want.
When they're middle-aged (your age chickens) they calm down considerably. They partially stop going out of the yard, settle down a laying spot (by now they should be trained to laying in the coop), flap less (unless they're excited), and now is when you can pick them up a little more easily.
When they get older (about 5-10 (or however old they get)) they stop laying, set around more, don't fly the fence, don't flap, and if you practiced them in being held, they will actually want to be held now. Twinkie's my lap chicken (or I'm her rocker, either way), older than 4 of my brothers, and super bossy.\
So It depends!

 

[rosemarythyme]

If you don't mind feeding the extra non-laying mouths, no reason not to keep around the older gals. One nice thing about older hens is they can show the ropes to the younger birds, which can make things like roost training, nest box training, a lot easier (conversely, with a rushed integration or a too small set up, it can be a lot worse!)

 

[Mrs. K]

I like a multi-generational flock and add new chicks each year. But I would not keep all of them. Pick some favorites, and let the others go. In the future, if you struggle with culling, sell some of the hens at 2 years of age. A lot of people want adult birds, not to mess with chicks.

Mrs K

 

[Trish Brew]

I like a multi-generational flock and add new chicks each year. But I would not keep all of them. Pick some favorites, and let the others go. In the future, if you struggle with culling, sell some of the hens at 2 years of age. A lot of people want adult birds, not to mess with chicks.

Mrs K

How do you let them go? Seriously?

 

[Mrs. K]

How do you let them go? Seriously?

I like chicks, I like a young hens, however, I also am comfortable with culling birds, a lot of people are not. You have to make some tough decisions, I can do it. I keep a flock, not individual birds for the most part. I have one or two favorites, and the rest I enjoy, but can let them go.

 

[Northernskies]

I like chicks, I like a young hens, however, I also am comfortable with culling birds, a lot of people are not. You have to make some tough decisions, I can do it. I keep a flock, not individual birds for the most part. I have one or two favorites, and the rest I enjoy, but can let them go.

I admire this strength. I wish I could cull my 8 year old tyrant to restore harmony.
I wish they offered a class on culling, where I could try it on a dummy, like CPR, for us hobby farmers.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I wish they offered a class on culling, where I could try it on a dummy, like CPR, for us hobby farmers.

I have actually seen butchering classes, though you'd be doing it on a live bird. It's probably not a very common thing though.

 

[Mrs. K]

I admire this strength. I wish I could cull my 8 year old tyrant to restore harmony.
I wish they offered a clas

Do know I was not always this way. The first ones, a neighbor came over to help me and picked up one and chopped the head off, and I was like "WAIT"

"Oh my God, was that the wrong one?" I was "No...I just need time to get ready." Boy did she laugh at me.

The second time, years later, me and my sister in-law, respectable ladies in our 30's and 40's giggling like teen agers because we were so nervous, and had watched videos and WATCHED videos using the cone method.

For years, it was a determinations, then I got more experienced, and now, I am confident. It does not happen over night, you were not there when I was learning how.

Mrs K

 

[Acre4Me]

Agree to keep the favorites or even all 9 girls if you have space, and don’t mind feeding them. Multi age flicks really helps flock dynamics.

We have kept 4 from our original flock - those girls are 4 years old. They stay till they die. We get batches of chicks usually 2 or 3x per year. So, we’ve raised a lot, we sell many at various points. Some we sell are 9 months old, some are 1.5-2 years old. We often reduce flock size in Oct/Nov and get first batch of chicks in Feb. so, we don’t butcher them, we sell at a livestock auction. You can advertise on Craig’s list or similar type site. Not on Feb though - no selling animals on fb.

To watch a young male cockerel getting schooled by the older buddies…priceless!