Old hens that no longer lay

[Erin80]

What do you do with your older hens that have stopped laying? So far we keep ours and let them live out their golden years. Our oldest are only 3 though.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

At 3 years old a hen should still be a decent layer of 4 eggs a week. What breed are your hens?

 

[Acre4Me]

What do you do with your older hens that have stopped laying? So far we keep ours and let them live out their golden years. Our oldest are only 3 though.

what breeds do you have have stopped laying by 3 years old?

 

[Erin80]

what breeds do you have have stopped laying by 3 years old?

I didn’t mean mine have stopped laying. They still lay lots! I’m just wondering what people do with hens that have stopped laying.

 

[Erin80]

At 3 years old a hen should still be a decent layer of 4 eggs a week. What breed are your hens?

I worded that badly. No one has stopped laying yet. Haha. We WILL keep ours and let them live out their golden years. Everyone is still laying though.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

I didn’t mean mine have stopped laying. They still lay lots! I’m just wondering what people do with hens that have stopped laying.

Some people sell them once the hens stop laying, others eat their non laying hens, and others just keep them until they pass away.

 

[darkbaysfordays]

I only have chicks at the moment but I plan on keeping all mine for life, regardless of their egg laying abilities

 

[Mrs. K]

Well there really are only three things you can do. Keep them, cull them, or sell them or give them away. However, in my experience, death rate generally takes care of this too. While some people have very long lived birds, it is rather rare. It is not uncommon for chickens to have a pretty high death rate around 3-4 years of age.

People on here, enjoy chickens - some keep pets, some keep flocks. Neither is the right way of doing it. Do the best you can, good food and water, be realistic about the possibilities of loosing birds. If you have to cull, do it as well as you can. Always solve for peace in the flock.

Good luck

Mrs K

 

[aart]

My birds are for food, eggs and meat.
I hatch new layers every year.
Extra cockerels and older hens go into the freezer.

Not that I don't enjoy their presence as pets of sorts,
and take very good care of them,
but bottom line it's about my food and how it's raised and harvested.

 

[Severne]

My birds are for food, eggs and meat.
I hatch new layers every year.
Extra cockerels and older hens go into the freezer.

Not that I don't enjoy their presence as pets of sorts,
and take very good care of them,
but bottom line it's about my food and how it's raised and harvested.

I agree completely, all mine exept my favorite bantam and hen go into the freezer unless they are very good broody moms.