when it's all over

[ebonykawai]

Just curious what people do when their hens are no longer laying eggs. I'm planning on starting a small flock for the eggs, but I'm afraid I'll get too attached to them and I'm not sure what I'll do when they don't lay anymore. Do most of you keep chickens as pets, or are there some who are strictly production-minded? I need to solve this so I can move on, lol.

Thanks!

 

[HobbyChickener]

In all honesty I hadn't really thought that much ahead. I have been in this but about 9 months so I am long from that problem. I suppose I will have to cross that road when I get there. Not much help, sorry

 

[ksacres]

Your chickens will lay for many years if they are a dual purpose type.

My first chickens, Henny and Penny, were EE's. Good layers, I had Henny until she was seven, and she was still laying eggs shortly before she died. She went from about 5-6 a week to 1-2 a week, but she was still going.

Hens bred specifically for egg production will give you all the eggs they have faster, but they should still lay for several years. Eggs get bigger each laying cycle.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

It depends upon your mindset. Some people plan that after 2 years of egg production then they will "harvest" their old hens. If you set out that way, you shouldn't have any problem when the time comes. Some of us didn't start with that mindset and probably will have a bunch of oldsters kickin' around.

 

[mudhen]

I have an EE that is 10 months old. Started laying in July, quit in August.
Of course, she is still there with the rest of them, and I have no real plans to get rid of her.
Can't advice you on what to do since I'm not sure myself!

 

[ksacres]

mudhen, she's young, she's probably molting. She will go back into production in the spring.

 

[mudhen]

Hope so, I miss the green eggs!!

 

[Poison Ivy]

I had one Hen who was a Christmas present to my daughter from Santa. A friend of ours had bought her and she was already around 2 when she came to live with us. She just died a few months ago at the age of 8. She hadn't laid a egg in years but she was my favorite and I just couldn't see culling her for being a non layer anymore. She always was last to leave the coop in the morning and would always talk to me while I cleaned the coop. The mornings now are just not the same without her and it's so quiet in there now.

 

[speckledhen]

They'll be here till they pass on, no matter how many eggs they lay or dont lay.

 

[ebonykawai]

Yeah, I'm not sure what I want to do yet. In one way, I'm in it for the eggs. In another way, we have lots of pets and I can't imagine getting rid of any of them, so...

Yikes. Didn't think I'd have to contemplate something like this. :|