Okay before everyone says you put them in the freezer, I just can't bring myself to do it. We've eaten young roosters when we've had too many but I just can't bring myself to kill or eat my old hens. They look at me with their wise old hen eyes and I cave. So... how long do the dang things live if you don't help them into the grave? I think I have some that are 6 years old. I know I have some that are 5 and quite a few that are 4. My duck is 7 and my rooster "Roo" is 6. We've lost some to raccoons over the years and some to random deaths. My coop is getting pretty full and we hatched some chicks this year. I was unable to get rid of one pullet and one cockerel (even listed them for free! No one wants my "mutt" chickens). So I'm going into the winter with a few too many birds. And I'm such a softie for these old hens.... I know all the old timers are laughing at me right now but I grew up in the city in a non hunting family. I married a hunter and that was a huge step for me. Eating the roosters was a bigger step. But I just can't take this one...
Well, I grew up in the country, and still don't want to eat a hen that I have named and loved on for several years! If you don't want to cull them, then you are pretty much left with building a bigger coop, that's about the extent of what you could do! Good luck with your decisions, it's tough.
Trying to convince hubby to build a "retirement coop". He's really not so sold on the idea. He keeps saying "Do you know how many dozen eggs we could have bought..." Especially since I just bought a PulletShut chicken door However, whenever I do convince him to help me with a project, he goes above and beyond. So maybe... if I can figure out a way to get some materials for cheap... I can get a retirement coop for the old hens.
alot of scrap yards and such have free salvaged materials! try that! i wish i had enough room to build atleast 3 coops >.<