What do you do when your chickens stop laying?

[Hopperkiller]

My flock basically was, the slower production birds from a friend's egg sales hobby. There job now it's insect control and entertainment. Insect control experiment worked fine but they showed how much fun they around the house. Even have a noisy blue rooster. just sit outside and watch them, good for my heart rate!

 

[Folly's place]

Some of my birds stay for life, some are sold, and some go to the freezer. I hatch some chicks every year, and buy some hatchery chicks about every other year. Almost all the cockerels either are sold or go to the freezer. In summer there's room to raise youngsters, but for winter, flock size matters a lot. I may have 75 birds in summer, and reduce to 40 to 45 for winter.
Mary

 

[lazy gardener]

I carried 30 through the winter. I think in the future, I'll be a bit more selective, and cut down to 15 - 20. It's hard, b/c they're all good.

 

[Folly's place]

I have some older hens who are just staying for life, and now three breeding groups rather than two, which added some extra... It's 'chicken math' at work!
Mary

 

[Sublight]

'Pets' have lifetime rights. Others become stew, soup, dog food, or chicken stock.

This 100%!!!
Our first chickens have "Lifetime Rights" as declared by my wife.
I told her im ok with that, but any new chickens get ate when they no longer lay.

Its really funny that there are other chickens that have pardons, and are safe. HAHA!

 

[aart]

Random question: Why does everyone seem to say they make stew out of the chickens they process? Doesn't anyone roast chicken anymore?

As far as I know...even a young layer bird might not roast well, not like an 8 week old Cornish Cross Hybrid.
I slaughter my extra cockerels before 16 weeks, still tender enough for the grill, anything older gets pressure cooked.

Do you have some cooking secrets to share with us?