To kill a hen or to not kill a hen, that's the question...

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

I have a 5yo ISA Brown hen who physically is in fine health, but she rarely lays eggs anymore, and when she does, they have super soft shells, or the yolk is almost white in color; so I don't eat them. I know it isn't a food problem because my younger hens lay really good eggs. Along with not laying, she eats... A LOT, and she is rather mean to my pullets and other hens. I either need to kill her or give her away to someone who takes retired hens. If any of you want her, I live in Post Falls ID, you can take her for free. So, what would you guys suggest? Do I let her live a bit longer until she naturally dies or do I get rid of her this month? My thought is that A: She isn't paying her rent, so to speak; B: I don't want her soft shelled eggs that often break to create egg eaters out of my other hens; and C: She isn't a very nice hen, so she's not tempting me to keep her in that respect.

 

[DemeterAD9]

If you have to think that hard about whether to cull a bird, then do it. She has no redeeming qualities other than being physically healthy, which really only means she will be perfectly fine to eat.

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

If you have to think that hard about whether to cull a bird, then do it. She has no redeeming qualities other than being physically healthy, which really only means she will be perfectly fine to eat.

Would her meat still taste good? She is pretty old...

 

[FrostRanger]

Up to you, those are certainly valid reasons to cull her. You can try and see if someone wants her if you want but if she's mean, has reproductive issues and isn't earning her keep any one of those is a perfectly good reason to cull, especially if she has all 3 going on at once

 

[Mill Chick]

Are these chickens meant to be pets or egg layers? If for eggs then the sensible thing to do is get rid of her if you don’t want to keep her then don’t.

 

[FrostRanger]

Would her meat still taste good? She is pretty old...

The pressure cooker is your friend here

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

Are these chickens meant to be pets or egg layers? If for eggs then the sensible thing to do is get rid of her if you don’t want to keep her then don’t.

Many of my chickens are pets, but this hen is for egg laying because she has never been very nice.

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

Would shooting her be a humane way to kill her? I know someone who killed their roo that way and I'm thinking about sending my hen to him.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

At that age, I just let them retire and eventually pass. My high production breeds like her have never lasted beyond 5-6. But I don't have a real estate problem. If you really need the space to open up, putting "an older laying hen," on Craig's list or something like that will do the trick. I also have a Poultry processing drive through close to me and they'll take drop off, no pick up (cause I wouldn't want a processed old hen.)

 

[Livia Ammon]

Breaking the neck is fast, painless, and not very difficult. Just use a broomstick and hold it down over her neck with your feet. Pull up on her feet hard and fast. Her head may or may not come off, but the important part is that she won’t be in pain.