What to do when chickens age out of laying?

[kborio]

Howdy all! I wanted to query the group about what people are doing when their birds stop laying due to age. We are new to this and just started our flock, so I won't have to worry about this for a little while, but I want to prepare myself and my family for what will be next. We started our flock for eggs, but these birds have very quickly become family members (my daughters had them named before we made it home from the feed store). If space were not a consideration, I would keep every bird until their natural life ended, but we live in a area where chickens are not allowed, and I am not sure how I would fit more in to maintain egg production. I have no interest in eating these birds, and it doesn't seem like anyone suggests that anyway. I'm curious if others find themselves in this situation, and what they do?

 

[fuzzi]

Howdy all! I wanted to query the group about what people are doing when their birds stop laying due to age. We are new to this and just started our flock, so I won't have to worry about this for a little while, but I want to prepare myself and my family for what will be next. We started our flock for eggs, but these birds have very quickly become family members (my daughters had them named before we made it home from the feed store). If space were not a consideration, I would keep every bird until their natural life ended, but we live in a area where chickens are not allowed, and I am not sure how I would fit more in to maintain egg production. I have no interest in eating these birds, and it doesn't seem like anyone suggests that anyway. I'm curious if others find themselves in this situation, and what they do?

I'm confused, you have chickens in an area where chickens are not allowed?

What will you do if the chicken ban is enforced?

 

[kborio]

Pay the fines....I live in an HOA where backyard animals are not allowed, but I live in a cul-de-sac with only one neighbor. No one behind me, or on the side of the house where the chickens are. I'm good friends with my one neighbor, so its unlikely she will report me, but if she did, or if the HOA found out, I'd get fined 20 bucks a month until I removed them....so they'd get 20 extra dollars a month.

 

[NatJ]

I have no interest in eating these birds, and it doesn't seem like anyone suggests that anyway.

Some people do suggest eating former-layers, and some people do it. They taste fine, but the meat tends to be tough. That is where the term "stewing hen" comes from-- they make good chicken stew or other dishes that are moist-cooked for a long time. People are less likely to suggest it when they know your hens are pets, which may be why you hadn't seen it.

Since your hens are pets, of course you would prefer a different solution.

I wanted to query the group about what people are doing when their birds stop laying due to age.... I am not sure how I would fit more in to maintain egg production.

For people who want to keep each hen for her entire natural life, but still want a reasonable amount of eggs, I think the most common thing is to get a few news ones every year or two. That gives you a mix of ages in the flock, with the younger ones producing more eggs than the older ones. How many to get each year would be based on how many hens have died that year, and whether you were getting too many or too few eggs the previous year. If you had too many eggs the previous year, you might not add any the next year. But if you keep running short of eggs, it is definitely time to add some more pullets (but don't overcrowd the coop.)

Each hen will lay fewer eggs per year as she gets older, but it is not a really abrupt cutoff. When a hen stops laying in the fall to molt, she does stop abruptly, but then she typically starts up again in the spring at a slightly lower level than she did the previous spring.

Hens do die for various reasons-- predators, reproductive issues, sickness, injury, etc.

Those two points mean you may not have quite so many old hens, or quite such low production, as you might expect from reading about chicken lifespans and about old hens ceasing to lay eggs.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Some people do suggest eating former-layers, and some people do it. They taste fine, but the meat tends to be tough. That is where the term "stewing hen" comes from-- they make good chicken stew or other dishes that are moist-cooked for a long time. People are less likely to suggest it when they know your hens are pets, which may be why you hadn't seen it.

Since your hens are pets, of course you would prefer a different solution.


For people who want to keep each hen for her entire natural life, but still want a reasonable amount of eggs, I think the most common thing is to get a few news ones every year or two. That gives you a mix of ages in the flock, with the younger ones producing more eggs than the older ones. How many to get each year would be based on how many hens have died that year, and whether you were getting too many or too few eggs the previous year. If you had too many eggs the previous year, you might not add any the next year. But if you keep running short of eggs, it is definitely time to add some more pullets (but don't overcrowd the coop.)

Each hen will lay fewer eggs per year as she gets older, but it is not a really abrupt cutoff. When a hen stops laying in the fall to molt, she does stop abruptly, but then she typically starts up again in the spring at a slightly lower level than she did the previous spring.

Hens do die for various reasons-- predators, reproductive issues, sickness, injury, etc.

Those two points mean you may not have quite so many old hens, or quite such low production, as you might expect from reading about chicken lifespans and about old hens ceasing to lay eggs.

I gotta second this. It's winter now, but heck, I had two 10 year old hens laying decently last summer. I have other birds far younger that struggle to come close to them.

 

[kborio]

Some people do suggest eating former-layers, and some people do it. They taste fine, but the meat tends to be tough. That is where the term "stewing hen" comes from-- they make good chicken stew or other dishes that are moist-cooked for a long time. People are less likely to suggest it when they know your hens are pets, which may be why you hadn't seen it.

Since your hens are pets, of course you would prefer a different solution.


For people who want to keep each hen for her entire natural life, but still want a reasonable amount of eggs, I think the most common thing is to get a few news ones every year or two. That gives you a mix of ages in the flock, with the younger ones producing more eggs than the older ones. How many to get each year would be based on how many hens have died that year, and whether you were getting too many or too few eggs the previous year. If you had too many eggs the previous year, you might not add any the next year. But if you keep running short of eggs, it is definitely time to add some more pullets (but don't overcrowd the coop.)

Each hen will lay fewer eggs per year as she gets older, but it is not a really abrupt cutoff. When a hen stops laying in the fall to molt, she does stop abruptly, but then she typically starts up again in the spring at a slightly lower level than she did the previous spring.

Hens do die for various reasons-- predators, reproductive issues, sickness, injury, etc.

Those two points mean you may not have quite so many old hens, or quite such low production, as you might expect from reading about chicken lifespans and about old hens ceasing to lay eggs.

Thanks so much for the info!

 

[kborio]

I gotta second this. It's winter now, but heck, I had two 10 year old hens laying decently last summer. I have other birds far younger that struggle to come close to them.

That's really awesome to hear! I didn't realize they could lay that long. I'm am trying to make sure we are not over taxing them. We aren't adding light right now, or doing anything else to try to extend their laying.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

I have 3 OG's (3-3 1/2 yrs old) left that will have a home till their journey ends, the rest are all up for debate. I add pullets every Spring to be sure I have eggs through the winter, usually only 3. Once Spring comes, I evaluate the pullets and decide who is staying and who isn't. I always keep the birds that jive best with me and my flock, and sometimes they offer other bonuses (I kept a pullet from 2022, not only because she is gorgeous, but because she is an excellent broody and will raise 2-3 clutches a year). How many do you currently have? How many can your coop house? You could use supplemental lighting in the winter to ensure you get eggs and skip adding new ones if you don't have the room. Lot's of options, and since your flock is new, you'll have plenty of time to find out what will work for your family.

 

[kborio]

I have 3 OG's (3-3 1/2 yrs old) left that will have a home till their journey ends, the rest are all up for debate. I add pullets every Spring to be sure I have eggs through the winter, usually only 3. Once Spring comes, I evaluate the pullets and decide who is staying and who isn't. I always keep the birds that jive best with me and my flock, and sometimes they offer other bonuses (I kept a pullet from 2022, not only because she is gorgeous, but because she is an excellent broody and will raise 2-3 clutches a year). How many do you currently have? How many can your coop house? You could use supplemental lighting in the winter to ensure you get eggs and skip adding new ones if you don't have the room. Lot's of options, and since your flock is new, you'll have plenty of time to find out what will work for your family.

So I have a dozen now...6 laying, and 6 that we started recently (probably a few months before they lay). I should have started slower but didn't . I can probably get 15 to 18 in my coop/run without crowding, but it would be more than I would want to keep long term. I am trying to avoid supp. lighting to extend their laying over a lifetime. Thanks so much for the info!

 

[Auntiejessi3]

So I have a dozen now...6 laying, and 6 that we started recently (probably a few months before they lay). I should have started slower but didn't . I can probably get 15 to 18 in my coop/run without crowding, but it would be more than I would want to keep long term. I am trying to avoid supp. lighting to extend their laying over a lifetime. Thanks so much for the info!

https://the-chicken-chick.com/suppl... is no evidence of,some muscle and fat stores.

Give this a read, it may change the way you see things. Not sure how old your kids are, but later down the road maybe they would be willing to part with a few hens so they could get some new chicks Just a suggestion. I look forward to following your story! Enjoy your ladies, they are some of the neatest dinosaurs in todays time