Where do you retire chickens if you don't want them killed?

[bobbi-j]

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I LOVE that!

 

[WoodlandWoman]

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That is a great photo!

 

[Smiles-N-Sunshine]

Enjoy your ancient pets, folks! I have an 18-year-old pet turtle that will probably outlast me

Just an impartial prediction - the increased popularity of pet chickens is going to create a change in veterinary circles, as most vets don't have experience with geriatric chickens.

For what it's worth, I love my FLOCK. Individual birds come and go, but the flock is forever. (And I freely admit I wimped out by having birds that all look the same, to reduce the chance of becoming attached to any in particular.

)

Bryan

 

[RedheadErin]

On a practical note, I got my last additions from a shelter. The lady who gave them to me told me that they have SOOOO MANY rosters, that they get spent hens from a local egg farm to keep all the roos happy.

If I had your porblem, I would search Petfinder.com or Animal place http://animalplace.org/rescues.html to find a farm animal rescue in your area. Explain to them what you want and then they can help you re-home your girls.


Oh, here is another good link:http://www.sanctuaries.org/

 

[Oregon Blues]

The only way to guarantee that retired chickens will be safe is to keep them yourself.

My opinion is that if you don't care enough to keep them yourself, you can hardly expect someone else to take over your responsibility for you.

 

[SycolinWoodsChickens]

The only way to guarantee that retired chickens will be safe is to keep them yourself.

My opinion is that if you don't care enough to keep them yourself, you can hardly expect someone else to take over your responsibility for you.

x2

Agree. Can't tell someone else to take over your responsibility and follow by your rules then walk away expecting them to spend the $ and take the time to do it. I'm betting for every rescued hen/roo there are 100's that are not that lucky. It's great if you can find someone else to take them but I wouldn't make that my plan unless you had that lined up before you got the birds.​

 

[Frost Homestead]

I plan on keeping mine forever. I got mine with the intention of having eggs and they ended up being more like pets. (heck they are barely laying right now due to molting & "winter"{hardly can be called a winter here in central Tx})

I don't eat meat & neither does DH so we don't have any reason to slaughter them, and considering we're pretty attached to them I don't think I could ever let someone else eat them. I've got plenty of coop space & all the birds free range all day everyday so I'm not too worried about running out of room. With them free ranging it doesn't cost much to feed them. I guess now all I have to do is hold off on getting any more for the next couple years while these mature and do their thing, I have some that aren't even at POL yet!

 

[goldnchocolate]

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My buff orp hen lived to just before her 11th birthday, last year. She spent her last winter in an area that I made especially for her....a pen within the big pen. She was able to eat, drink and sleep without the young hens bothering her but she was still in there with them. She spent most of the time sleeping under her personal heat bulb.

Before that, she used to sleep (in a nest box) with a silver laced wyandotte hen, who was the only other remaining hen from my very first flock. The wyandotte would sleep with her wing over the buff orp and would make motherly clucking noises to the buff

whenever I put some food in the nest for them. The wyandotte had trouble walking and I sort of think the buff couldn't see very well but after the wyandotte died then the buff was all by herself

.

 

[bendystar]

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My buff orp hen lived to just before her 11th birthday, last year. She spent her last winter in an area that I made especially for her....a pen within the big pen. She was able to eat, drink and sleep without the young hens bothering her but she was still in there with them. She spent most of the time sleeping under her personal heat bulb.

Before that, she used to sleep (in a nest box) with a silver laced wyandotte hen, who was the only other remaining hen from my very first flock. The wyandotte would sleep with her wing over the buff orp and would make motherly clucking noises to the buff

whenever I put some food in the nest for them. The wyandotte had trouble walking and I sort of think the buff couldn't see very well but after the wyandotte died then the buff was all by herself

.

This is kind of the response I was hoping for...Not sure about the quality of life for old chickens...Sounds like you made her comfortable, that's really nice to hear. In 10 years my children will be 11 and 15...maybe by then I can imagine taking the time to make sure the old chickens are comfortable. Right now, it's chaos here.

 

[zrossk]

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x2

Agree. Can't tell someone else to take over your responsibility and follow by your rules then walk away expecting them to spend the $ and take the time to do it. I'm betting for every rescued hen/roo there are 100's that are not that lucky. It's great if you can find someone else to take them but I wouldn't make that my plan unless you had that lined up before you got the birds.