What to do with older laying hens???

[LaPineEggs]

I'm doing research in preparation for the purchase of a few laying hens (my first). I'm not buying the birds for pets but just for egg laying. So, after a few years when the 'egg laying slaves' are not producing at high levels what do people usually do with the birds? I know some make it to the Crock Pot but for those owners who don't wish to eat the birds but want high egg production what do they do with the older birds?

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[LaPineEggs]

I'll ask more specifically. Is there a reasonable market on Craigslist for say..., 3-4 year old hens?

 

[bobbi-j]

I'll ask more specifically. Is there a reasonable market on Craigslist for say..., 3-4 year old hens?

That could depend on a couple of things. Are you planning to charge a fee for these hens, or give them away? Are you going to let them go to their new homes without asking questions, or are you going to make sure Martha and Fluffy go to a home where they will be assured to live out long, nonproductive lives? I'm not trying to be snarky - there are people who no longer want to feed their nonproductive hens themselves, but do want someone else to do so. I just bought a dozen 2-year old hens at $2 a piece last month with the intent of letting them finish the summer, laying eggs, maybe feed them through the winter - depends on how busy my fall is - and eventually butcher and can them. (Canned chicken is delicious and oh, so handy to have on hand!)

 

[LaPineEggs]

That could depend on a couple of things. Are you planning to charge a fee for these hens, or give them away? Are you going to let them go to their new homes without asking questions, or are you going to make sure Martha and Fluffy go to a home where they will be assured to live out long, nonproductive lives? I'm not trying to be snarky - there are people who no longer want to feed their nonproductive hens themselves, but do want someone else to do so. I just bought a dozen 2-year old hens at $2 a piece last month with the intent of letting them finish the summer, laying eggs, maybe feed them through the winter - depends on how busy my fall is - and eventually butcher and can them. (Canned chicken is delicious and oh, so handy to have on hand!)

Cash value aside, I'm just wondering what people do with low-production layers??? I don't care what folks do with them after they leave my coop..., I'm just trying to learn what the majority of folks do with older layers?

I haven't been around chickens since my youth on friends or grandparents farms so this is basically all new to me at 57-years old.

 

[bobbi-j]

Cash value aside, people either eat them, re-home them, or let them live out their lives right where they are. I can't say what the "majority" does. I can only say what I do. I usually keep them around a little longer than I should, if I want to be efficient in my finances and not feed nonproductive birds, then we process them and I pressure can the meat.

 

[BantyChooks]

i craigslist the non- pet ones. they get snapped right up!

 

[donrae]

I have a decent CL market for them here. I usually change my birds out at the end of their second year (hatched in say spring 2015, start laying in Oct 2015, lay through until Oct 2016, molt and take a break for the winter, start laying again in spring 2017, are scheduled to molt and take a break again around October 2017) but before they stop laying. In the example in parentheses, I'd start selling those birds in late July or August 2017, while they're still laying so the new owner gets some eggs before they take a break for the winter. For 2 year old birds I charge $10 and don't have much problem getting that.

I'd say check your local CL from time to time and see what's advertised there, and what the prices are. You don't always have to go with what other folks are charging, though. I have folks selling birds at insane low prices....point of lay pullets for $7.....but I hold my prices firm and always sell my birds, sometimes it just takes a week or so.

With your user neme, LaPine--is that LaPine, Oregon? Central Oregon has a thriving backyard chicken population so selling hens shouldn't be a problem there.

 

[LaPineEggs]

Okay, thanks folks.

 

[sideWing]

I have not read all the replies, but I see them on my local classifieds for $10 and they are gone in hours. They are typically 2 1/2 years old and producing 1-3 eggs a week.

 

[enola]

I put a notice up in the local feed store. A Mexican couple usually calls me and I meet them at Wal~Mart. If they want 5 or more of them at $10 a piece, I usually give them a young rooster. I don't know what they do with them, but if they are not butchering them, they must have one heck of a flock now!