the truth about how long chickens live...looking for answers.

[4ladies]

Well my super sweet silkie just died. And now I have 4 that have died over the years of various different things and 3 that are alive. I expected them to live between 5 and 10 years but my oldest is about 2 1/2 years old. Farmers who regularly kill their birds during the winter always give advise about how easy they are to raise, but if they only live to be a year then that advise is pointless for someone who intended to keep them as pets even past their egg laying years. Anyhow.

Can people please post, the number of hens they have had and how many have lived to what ages. I and I think others would find it to be wonderfully informative.

Thanks in advance.

Ame

 

[Gullygarden]

I have one 8 year old hen going strong. There were three in this group that made it to seven. I also had a banty rooster that was fine at 8 but got eaten by a dog, which is why my current batch lives behind an electric fence.

 

[JodyJo]

someone on here said hers was still laying eggs at 13! mine are only 32 months, but I have high hopes!

 

[4ladies]

Quote:
Thanks for your answer. How nice that you have an 8 year old lady! How many did you start off with?

 

[4ladies]

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I certainly had high hopes too! but am not interested in the rare anomaly. I've had a goldfish, a parakeet and a ferret that lived guiness worldbook record lives but also goldfish, parakeets and ferrets that lived normalish lives. I am wondering what the normal death rate/lifespan is of backyard chickens. It's just too heartbreaking to not know. : C

 

[aoxa]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=522611

This may be helpful. My oldest is a 2010 hatch.

 

[Gullygarden]

Quote:
Thanks for your answer. How nice that you have an 8 year old lady! How many did you start off with?

I got a group of three older ladies from a friend in 2009. Before that I had several singles that just arrived and lived free in my yard. Now I have built a real coop and got 4 pullets As babies in May. They are laying now! The old hen is bossy so although she ranges with them in the daytime, she is kept separate at night.

 

[Imp]

I've had 1 live to be over 5yo. Several have lived to 3+ yo. A couple died mysteriously at about 1 yo.

Imp

 

[AinaWGSD]

The truth is, it depends on genetics. Chickens do have the potential to live 5-15 years. However, if people are not breeding for longevity you are not going to see it. Breeds bred for super high egg production are extremely likely to develop ovarian or other reproductive cancers by the time they are 2 years old and are practically guaranteed to have it by the time they are 3 or 4. Most hatchery birds I would not be surprised if they did not make it past 5 because they are bred for egg production and the genetics that have led to a high rate of production have also led to a high rate of cancer and other reproductive problems. Birds bred by a serious breeder who is breeding only the healthiest birds in their flock and looking for a self-replacing flock with more than one or two years of reasonable egg production are less likely to have health problems caused by high volume breeding with emphasis on one or two production traits.

 

[4ladies]

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ok interesting. I skimmed through this and it looks like only 1/3 to 1/7 survive into late age (7 years +). so, that means 2/3 die before 4 years and 6/7 die before before 6 years. I just did a very rough skimming. But yes this was helpful. A complete survey would be great.