What will you do when they are too old to lay?

[RiverBendPol]

OK, you guys all talk about 'culling' or 'eating' or some other word that signifies the fact that your chickens no longer exist but I want to know HOW. How do you get them from clucking and scratching around your door yard to lying on a platter on your kitchen table.

We have 3 Buff Orps, 3 years old next May (they were my 33rd anniversary gift from my hubby so I can easily keep track of their age!) Egg production is waaaaay off, as to say non-existant, and my hub says he's done with girls who don't pull their own weight. (Yikes, I'd better never sit still or what will happen to me??!) So I remind him that the girls are busy all day every day consuming all the Japanese Beetle larvae and ticks and scratching up the compost heap for him but he says he wants FARM FRESH EGGS and nearly chokes on store-bought.

So please, tell me exactly what has to happen for my girls to cross the Rainbow Bridge safely, quickly, humanely. I've told my hub he has to do it himself if he wants them dead and he'd D@^^ well better do it with care and respect but he doesn't have a clue. Our daughter, a vegetarian for the past 18 years, an Animal Science major has done it and has said she'll come do it for her dad if she has to but he says he'll just turn the girls loose and let the local Coyotes or Fisher Cats come dine. AAAAAAARRGH, I won't allow that, don't worry, but jeekers. Give me a lesson, a diagram, a text book, ANYthing!

 

[Mak]

Mine are pets, but we got them for a purpose= eggs. When they no longer serve that purpose, they will be taken to the farm where we currently get our eating chickens (already processed) and he will kill, clean and dress them for us. They will be either stew or stock. I love the girls, but I'm also realistic. If we want a constant supply of fresh eggs, the older, not laying hens will have to go, as I have limited space right now. The younger, laying hens can do just as good a job at gardening, bug eating and composting.

Funny thing is, until we started getting fresh eggs from local farms, buying local beef and pork and chicken, I was always one who thought I couldn't see an animal I "knew" turned into dinner. I always figured I'd be too attached. Now I can go to the farm where we get the beef, and pet and talk to the cow that is going to be turned into our beef order next week without a problem. And I am attached to the chickens. But they are here for a purpose, eggs or meat. I understand those who can't/won't, but I'm ok with it now.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I still don't know yet about our hens, we have processed our extra roos, but I'm not sure yet about our hens.

 

[trunkman]

I bought a small flock last January, 6 hens and 3 Roos, I've culled the roos, they were mean to the hens. Anyway the hens past on one by one over the past 6 months and I have one last hen that was always picked on by all the others, ironic if you ask me. But she is a butterball and is also about to pass on and has looked sickly for the past couple months, I know she is about to go so I'm giving her special care, I wouldn't think of putting her on the table but I'm not sure of the others, I will probably let them live to a ripe old age too..

 

[Up-the-Creek]

Does anyone keep their older hens just for brooding purposes?? That is if they will go broody. I have two hens right now who is almost 3 and not laying, but one of them is a good brood hen. They are cheaper to keep than buying a good incubator!