old ladies vs new girls

[NycGrlTrNCuntry]

I am new to raising chickens, my hubby and I bought a 2 acre property that came with seven hens, one recently died(not sure what killed her and left the body) then I bought an 11 month old rooster, my husband didn't cross breeding so I had to find him a new home (the rooster not my husband),now I bought twenty white leghorns and ten brown laying hens is it safe to say putting 8 week old pullets with my two year old hens is safe? I'm new to this hen raising thing and my husband doesn't want part of it, he said his raising chicken days back where he grew up are over. would like some help here

and one of my leghorn pullets seems depressed she seems lighter in weight and isn't eating or drinking, she has no problem when someone reaches to grab hold of her and is always in a corner and alone in the coop.

 

[Mrs. K]

don't mix the babies with the older hens, the older hens will be mean to the smaller birds, and may kill them.

As for the quiet one, you might lose her. Perhaps she has a heart problem.... or something. I think I would pull her from the flock.

Good luck.

Mrs K

 

[NycGrlTrNCuntry]

Thank you Mrs.K, and we did lose her last night My 13 yr old daughter and myself are heart broken, thank you again

 

[Mrs. K]

It can be a little upsetting at first, but chickens are not generally a long lived animal. There will be posters on here with stories of hens that are more the 7 years old, but they are exception, not the rule. Take good care of them, give them a good life, but go into this knowing that you are going to loose some often. Generally speaking a chicken is getting rather old by 3 -4 years of age, but it is not uncommon to have them die for no real apparent reason before that.

If it upsets you or your family too much, this might not be the hobby for you. I myself, think of it as a flock, not so much individual chickens. I like having a flock, I like getting eggs, I like having a chore that gets me out of the house each day, and I like to talk and watch my girls and roos. However, I have chickens coming into the flock or leaving the flock several times a year.

Mrs K

 

[NycGrlTrNCuntry]

You sound like my husband,lol, he seemed upset cause I called him to inform him on what was going on,my daughter was upset cause I put the pullet with her two baby silkies,when she came to me and informed me the pullet wasn't moving,I guess I have alot of work to do with making sure they stay alive long enough to produce the eggs I need,so I have to keep chickens and Muscovey ducklings alive. A mother's job is never done.
Thank you again