What is your oldest living flock member?

[CluckerFamily]

Wow! That's so cool! Do you have any security measures you'd wish to share? My mother always lost some here and there....and before long there were no original flock members left (she gave away her last remaining chickens) She started afresh with some bantams this year and so far so good. She's still had losses but the flock is thriving. She doesn't let them out to free-range. I know that free-ranging can be done properly and read on article on it on this site, but it seems to me a good dog is required for that and unsure where to find one or how to train one and besides they're not my chickens and I doubt she would want another animal, especially one that would likely have to be housed outside for losses. She lives next to a major road and though none of her chickens crossed it (save for a couple predator attacks that scared them to death and caused them to scatter) a dog might.

I don't think I am doing any security measures that are different than others. I do live on a County Road. I do let my flock free-range. I have a rooster to help the ladies watch out for predators, he also keeps them within the area running range to the coop if he spots a predator. I built my coop under two large trees and I have half an acre of perennials (my dream is to have no grass on 1.5 acres, little by little), the flock loves hanging under the trees and in the perennials. When I built the coop I made sure to install hardware cloth under the entire run plus the cloth comes out two feet from the run, I also have my run covered with a roof. All my predators that I have seen have all been caught in the detached garage because the coop is attached to that garage. I also have an amazing neighbor across the farm field that takes care of other predators that come through his yard.

 

[Folly's place]

Our oldest birds have been ten years old; a Belgian d'Uccle hen, and two small Jersey Giant hens. Some of our birds are rehomed, some have been killed by predators, and some just fail before getting that old.
The older birds are valued here, egg laying or not, for their smarts and abilities to teach the youngsters. Hatching their eggs is important, promoting longevity, almost lost in most flocks in the USA.
Mary

 

[LaFleche]

Hatching their eggs is important, promoting longevity,

That is what she did this year: hatching some of her own eggs along with La Flèche and Marans.

 

[CluckerFamily]

Our oldest birds have been ten years old; a Belgian d'Uccle hen, and two small Jersey Giant hens. Some of our birds are rehomed, some have been killed by predators, and some just fail before getting that old.
The older birds are valued here, egg laying or not, for their smarts and abilities to teach the youngsters. Hatching their eggs is important, promoting longevity, almost lost in most flocks in the USA.
Mary

That's wonderful Mary!!!
All mine are named and egg laying or not, they will be around as long as they can.

 

[birdlover2]

I don't think I am doing any security measures that are different than others. I do live on a County Road. I do let my flock free-range. I have a rooster to help the ladies watch out for predators, he also keeps them within the area running range to the coop if he spots a predator. I built my coop under two large trees and I have half an acre of perennials (my dream is to have no grass on 1.5 acres, little by little), the flock loves hanging under the trees and in the perennials. When I built the coop I made sure to install hardware cloth under the entire run plus the cloth comes out two feet from the run, I also have my run covered with a roof. All my predators that I have seen have all been caught in the detached garage because the coop is attached to that garage. I also have an amazing neighbor across the farm field that takes care of other predators that come through his yard.

Do the perrenials help the chickens to hide? Can the chickens eat them? I know chickens can eat grass. Trees are great because of shade. And they give the chickens a place to fly to to get away from predators and also they seem like they would deter airborne predators, do they? That's great about your roo! Good roos are indespensible. That's an interesting setup with your coop being attatched to your garage, how exactly does it look and how is that acheived? I've heard things about hardware cloth on here. What exactly is it and how do you use it? It's good to have good neighbors lol.

 

[CluckerFamily]

Do the perrenials help the chickens to hide? Can the chickens eat them? I know chickens can eat grass. Trees are great because of shade. And they give the chickens a place to fly to to get away from predators and also they seem like they would deter airborne predators, do they? That's great about your roo! Good roos are indespensible. That's an interesting setup with your coop being attatched to your garage, how exactly does it look and how is that acheived? I've heard things about hardware cloth on here. What exactly is it and how do you use it? It's good to have good neighbors lol.

The perennials provide extra shade. The only perennial they seem to eat and LOVE are my hostas but I have so many that it doesn't bother me if they eat some. They love to scratch at the ground around the perennials to eat any bugs, plus they scratch at some roots which helps the plant in the long run.
I built a lean-to chicken coop up against the east side of the garage since I get west and northwest winds all year long, it withstood straight lined winds a couple years ago when I lost almost all my trees on the west side of the garage. The only thing that was damaged on the coop was the corrugated panels I install around the run for the winter.
Hardware cloth is a small, wire mesh that comes in rolls, it is sturdier than chicken wire. I use hardware cloth instead of chicken wire to help prevent predators or at least deter them.

 

[BDutch]

My 2 oldest bantam Dutch chickens are 6 now. These are the 2 ladies from the year I started with chickens. In 2014. And I have 3, 5 year old Dutch from offspring (2015). Dutch are known as a strong breed that can get old. Up to 12 years or so.

Because the old ladies don’t lay many eggs anymore I sold one mother from 2014 last year with 2 cockerel chicks. I kept 1 pullet chick. I don't want to cull my chickens but have to avoid overcrowding and this was a good opportunity for maintenance.

I never lost an adult chicken so far to sickness, old age or predators. But I did loose a lot of chicks in the first year I had chicks. To sickness (coccidiosis in the first batch), escape through the fence and unknown reasons. The second year I lost 2 chicks to a rat who got into the run. I could rehome all my cockerels until now.

My chickens have a run with hwc/2” chicken wire and covered with cat netting which has proven to be safe for small bantams. There are only a few predators where I live.

The chickens free range often when someone is at home. I think this is good for their health : against stress, natural and fresh food.

Cats from the neighbourhood are no problem. For dogs they are really afraid and flee (fly) into trees, on the run and over the hedge to the neighbours.

Because my oldies don’t lay much anymore and stop laying completely from oktober - april now I plan to get new chicks again next year (buying fertile eggs). And I hope there will be someone who likes to buy the chick surpluss with the chick-mom.

 

[CluckerFamily]

Because my oldies don’t lay much anymore and stop laying completely from oktober - april now I plan to get new chicks again next year (buying fertile eggs). And I hope there will be someone who likes to buy the chick surpluss with the chick-mom.

I think selling chicks with a chick-mom is a great idea! The mom will show the chicks everything they need to know and easily help a first time chicken owner out.

 

[CaroleW]

I started out in 2010 with 4 Golden Comets, 2 Black Stars and a RIR - all pullets. This year I still had 2 from that original flock and then one died a couple months ago. So I have a Black Star named Floppy still. I moved her up to a cooler location during the intense heatwave about July, she and her flockmate were living under the porch free-ranging and in a dog crate/coop at nite, then flockmate died. Floppy isn't integrated into any of my new flock so I now have her building compost in a newly started greenhouse bed along with 4 Polish (divided pen).. you can see their setup here... www.backyardchickens.com/threads/arizona-chickens.31227/post-23523051

 

[CluckerFamily]

I started out in 2010 with 4 Golden Comets, 2 Black Stars and a RIR - all pullets. This year I still had 2 from that original flock and then one died a couple months ago. So I have a Black Star named Floppy still. I moved her up to a cooler location during the intense heatwave about July, she and her flockmate were living under the porch free-ranging and in a dog crate/coop at nite, then flockmate died. Floppy isn't integrated into any of my new flock so I now have her building compost in a newly started greenhouse bed along with 4 Polish (divided pen).. you can see their setup here... www.backyardchickens.com/threads/arizona-chickens.31227/post-23523051

I am so sorry for you loss. Floppy is 10 years old! That is amazing!!
The greenhouse was a good idea!