Old Hens

[D-tiny-chicans]

Hi everyone,

I have a flock of 7 bantam hens and some of them are approaching 4 years old. The old ones are laying less that 3 eggs a week. I want to replace them with full size hens. What should I do with the old ones?

 

[21hens-incharge]

Are any ever broody?

I keep my old (10+ years) broody to raise the new large breed birds.

 

[chickens really]

Advertising them will get rid of them. I buy 2 year old Bantam hens to use as breeding stock. Pet homes who don't care about eggs will like non layers.

 

[Shadrach]

Hi everyone,

I have a flock of 7 bantam hens and some of them are approaching 4 years old. The old ones are laying less that 3 eggs a week. I want to replace them with full size hens. What should I do with the old ones?

I also keep the senior citizens. With my keeping arrangements they more than make up for their lack of egg laying in flock teaching and flock stability.
If my keeping arrangements were different, I would probably kill and eat them rather than pass them on to an unknown fate at the hands of an unknown person.

 

[aart]

I eat my older hens.

 

[Shadrach]

I eat my older hens.

Do you pressure cook them @aart ?
I think I may have asked you before.

 

[aart]

Do you pressure cook them @aart ?
I think I may have asked you before.

Yes.
I also rest the cleaned carcass for 3-4 days, makes world of difference in meat texture(tenderness). Since starting this the meat is tender enough to slice for a sandwich rather than just chopping it up small for stew/soup/etc.
I pressure cook for about an hour, remove all the meat then everything else back in the cooker for at least 2 hours for bone broth.

ETA: my 'old' hens are usually 2-3 years old.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Hi everyone,

I have a flock of 7 bantam hens and some of them are approaching 4 years old. The old ones are laying less that 3 eggs a week. I want to replace them with full size hens. What should I do with the old ones?

I eat my older hens and roosters, cooking the tabletop parts in the crock pot (thighs, drumsticks, breast, and wishbone. Then I save the bones and liquid from that, add wings, back, neck, gizzard, feet, and heart to make broth. After making broth I pick the meat after straining the chunks out of the broth for great cooked meat that is good for salad, tacos, soup, stew, or sandwiches. Little is wasted. Since yours are bantam you might just want to go straight to broth and cooked meat.

You can try to sell them but more likely give them away if you don't want to eat them. I don't know where you are, if you are in the US Craigslist is a good way to try to find someone to take them. Maybe chat at your feed store and see what they say. Maybe they will let you put an ad on a bulletin board. Maybe find your state or country thread in the "Where am I? Where are you" section of this forum and see if any of your neighbors will take them or have suggestions. Once they belong to someone else you no longer have any control over what happens to them.

Maybe contact a zoo or raptor rescue if they have one near you. They may take them as food for their animals.

 

[Folly's place]

I value the older ladies, and try to hatch their eggs. Longevity is great!
Everyone had good suggestions above, and you do have choices.
some of my birds go to new homes, some are dinner, and some stay forever. My oldest hens have been ten years old. The laying hens have earned their retirement!
Mary

 

[aart]

The laying hens have earned their retirement!

That's great if you have the space and resources to feed them.
My birds are for food.