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

[Carrie Lynn]

I'm directing this post to those who have pet chickens/backyard hens.
What will you do with your hens when they no longer lay?
Chickens can live a very long time when given good care and kept safe from predators.
Will your hens be kept on as retirees a decade or more from now? Just wondering, and would be interested to know what you think.

Carrie Lynn

 

[Sphinx]

I don't want to eat my pet chickens, but I also don't want them to be purely pets.

My black copper marans has only given me one egg since Sept. (She laid one the first week of Sept, and then nothing til 12 days ago, and then nothing since).

I'm giving her til next spring, and unless she picks up to at least 2-3 eggs a week, I'll get rid of her.

I see constant ads in our local classifieds offering to take chickens, so I'll probably give her to one of them. What they do with her is their business (unless they strike me as creepy, torturing types). I'm ok with them eating her, as long as they process her humanely. I just can't bring myself to do it myself.

 

[gritsar]

My big girls, my brahmas, will live out their lives on this farm. Of course I can't keep adding coops, so if and when I cull it will be from the second coop (second and future flocks).

 

[BirdBrain]

We love our chickens and make pets out of them around here, but everyone knows that the animals have to carry their own weight. Either they produce eggs or meat. One or the other, and eventually both. There can't be any freeloaders here, especially come winter. There just isn't room to accomodate them all in the manner that they would like to be maintained.

 

[Morgan7782]

I have a flock of 5 'laying hens' (not laying yet heh) but when they are slowing production I will keep them. I named them and got attached. I am not opposed to raising chickens specifically meant for the table but I want a laying flock/bug control girls around too

If I run out of room (which DOES happen as we all know lol) I will retire them to a friends ranch to do bug patrol and tick patrol around the property

 

[mboreham1]

sup kellie?!!!

I have 9 - 8 hens, 1 rooster, shouldnt be a rooster, but he is. Anyways, if i have space, they can live out their lives in peace, I am not a farm, they dont cost that much to keep, maybe $10 max per month, I spend more on Coffee, so as long as they are healthy, they can chill in my backyard. I am thinking of expanding, so future birds may end up in the pot if they dont pull their weight.

I talk a big game, I will probably end up with 20 geriatric chickens, no eggs and a mad wife!

 

[jennh]

My girls all know their names, and come when I call them. There's no way I could ever eat them. And I won't let anyone else eat them either. They'll just live here and eat my Japanese Beetles

When one dies, I WILL replace her, though.

Jen

 

[AJ666]

I would love to have them lie a retired life and grow old with me around here, but like others have said, they gotta pull their weight. I love them like pets, but I also know that they are farm animals. I will most likely end up getting rid of mine somehow when that time comes (Which I do NOT want to think about!).
No way in HECK am I eating my babies though!

 

[Tala]

My original girls will probably live out their lives as pets. The others, will probably end up in the pot. I haven't reached that point yet, but I think that's how it will end up.

 

[srodems]

My girls will be our pets forever....which means we might have to move to a larger property or slow down on our purchases...hard to resist those chicks though......