Little did I know 10 years ago when I moved to a place that already had a chicken coop that I would become a chicken "mom". Sure, we'd have chickens, but never in my wildest dreams did I think they would actually be pets! A neighbor gave us 6 Rhode Island Red hens that I have no idea how old they were, but they were mature and laying. Henny Penny was the lone survivor of a fox attack that happened soon after we got them. I decided right then that I didn't want any more and when she was gone, that would be it. Next came my constant question of how long do chickens live anyway. Not long after that we came home one rainy night to find a pile of chickens on our dirt road that someone had dumped in the night. This was before Backyard Chickens, so not knowing any better we put them in with Henny Penny. We woke up the next day to find 30 banty roosters and 5 hens that were all young and healthy. As the roosters grew, it was plain to see we couldn't keep them all, so we kept one rooster and the hens and took the rest to the feed store. Henny Penny was like the jolly green giant of the chicken coop and was happy with the new additions. At this time, they were still just chickens. One day I found a problem with their feet. And then...I discovered Back Yard Chickens. The problem was mites, and I learned here how to fix it and the rest is history. I now buy special chicken yogurt , melons and other treats, oatmeal for the winter, frozen water bottles in their water when it's hot, clean the coop every weekend, and sit out there with them for hours. They really are fun to watch! There's not a day that goes by that they don't get some sort of treats. I've raised babies in the house when their Mom's wouldn't take care of them, I've carried a chicken around on my shoulder all day, just because. I even took a baby to work with me that was ill and needed attention during the day. I've nursed some back to health and I've lost some. I'm sad to say that I came home from work to find Henny Penny had passed away. I buried her under the shade tree in 108 degree weather and cried like a baby the entire time. She was the beginning of this crazy chicken obsession and will be greatly missed and I now have the answer to my question...chickens can live to be over 10 years old...
