Whats old hen who does not lay called?

[A.T. Hagan]

"Spent hen" if still alive. "Stewing hen" back in the day you could buy them in the grocery store.

 

[aoxa]

It is spent.

I wouldn't get rid of my chickens after they stopped laying. I'd wait until their life was up. They will probably have their own retirement coop

 

[al6517]

Am I the only one who won't keep a hen because it quit laying, it's not producing egg's for eating or hatching, it is consuming feed without any return. I don't think it's out of the question to do this is it I mean, culling and consuming it will at least provide one last bit of value to you and your famliy and honor her service to you by not letting her go to waste.

 

[kuntrygirl]

"Retired Princess"

 

[bustermommy]

Quote:
I'm with you. I can't just keep increasing my flock indefinitely so I can keep getting eggs, and waiting for them to die of old age or disease seems wasteful. But I'm not into replacing them all once a year to keep max production either.

 

[RedDrgn]

Quote:
No, but not everyone keeps them for food/eggs/breeding/showing/profit. If someone regards them as pet/companion animal, then they live as such. People generally don't generally cull their parakeets or macaws when they stop laying, or their cats or dogs when they hit menopause. A different purpose simply yields a different end.

 

[BasicallyHeather]

Quote:
I think it's just a personal choice. Many people consider their laying hens as pets and raise a separate flock of broilers, like myself. I view each flock with a different mindset: each are treated wonderfully, but I do detach myself emotionally somewhat from the broiler flock (we don't name them, but do name the layers), knowing from the start that they will be dinner.

I respect your perspective, and my husband feels the same way that you do. He's much more analytical in his approach and views it all as either an economic gain/loss. Although he and I are both quite resourceful and don't like to waste *anything*, he knows that I just couldn't bear to process my laying girls.

 

[frostbite]

I am not to the point of deciding what to do about elderly friendly chickens. I have a few years to figure it out. I don't have a problem with eating chickens in general, but chickens I've named might be a problem for me. I think those who understand "spent" as meaning "dinner" are practical people, not uncaring. I would prefer to be that brave when the time comes, but in the meantime, I will enjoy eating chickens that don't look like animals, that only look like meat, that I can find wrapped in saran wrap with labels that say "sale".

Chicks still 4 and a half months away.....

 

[Judy]

Quote:
I think this is a great example of people having different opinions, yet neither is "right" or "wrong." I see nothing wrong with stewing them OR keeping them. Everyone's situation and feelings are a little different. In the end it's a personal choice, IMO.

 

[gmendoza]

Names for an old hen who doesnt lay anymore;

Spent
Old
useless
barren
finished
washed up
done
dead meat
soup
tommorows leftovers
dense mass taking up space

good names for old hens:

sweetie
old lady of the coop
retired
princess
friend
golden girl
blessing