Official BYC Poll: What Do You Do With Your Old/Retired Hens?

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

Culling and disposing of their bodies?? I don't see how anyone could raise a bird for so long and then simply dispose of them.. their life is worth more than that surely.

I had to do this. My hen had some really bad health issues and was suffering so much. We had to cull her. I buried her because she was so incredibly skinny by the end, and with her health issues we weren't sure if she was okay to eat. And also, it was my first hen death and culling. She was my first and favorite as well and that may have also contributed slightly to not using her for soup.

I 100% agree that it's probably more respectful to eat them if you can, but in some cases, it's not worth the risk if they were a sick hen. Mine had a ton of swelling on her backside. I wouldn't put my fork anywhere near that. And besides, she wasn't meaty at all - just a frail old lady. But since we buried her in the yard, she will become part of the earth in our yard, and essentially fertilizer for all the growth that will nourish the chickens and our family. So it's not a life wasted

 

[BrandonsBirbs]

I had to do this. My hen had some really bad health issues and was suffering so much. We had to cull her. I buried her because she was so incredibly skinny by the end, and with her health issues we weren't sure if she was okay to eat. And also, it was my first hen death and culling. She was my first and favorite as well and that may have also contributed slightly to not using her for soup.

I 100% agree that it's probably more respectful to eat them if you can, but in some cases, it's not worth the risk if they were a sick hen. Mine had a ton of swelling on her backside. I wouldn't put my fork anywhere near that. And besides, she wasn't meaty at all - just a frail old lady. But since we buried her in the yard, she will become part of the earth in our yard, and essentially fertilizer for all the growth that will nourish the chickens and our family. So it's not a life wasted

A sick chicken is different to an old chicken, I agree with not eating sick birds and do the same! It's the culling at old age and not eating I can't wrap my head around.

 

[BrandonsBirbs]

Some people can't bear to eat a chicken they knew personally and so they plant them under rosebushes, etc.

Is it not more respectful to eat them? A meal for you rather than a meal for maggots and worms?

 

[3KillerBs]

Is it not more respectful to eat them? A meal for you rather than a meal for maggots and worms?

It's my preference.

But some people just can't manage it.

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

A sick chicken is different to an old chicken, I agree with not eating sick birds and do the same! It's the culling at old age and not eating I can't wrap my head around.

Yeah, I just shared my story to show that some old hens that need to be culled are sick hens. That may explain why people responded that they cull them and dispose of them. Many people do not cull older hens until they are sick and suffering too much. And like others mentioned, some struggle to eat a pet bird they were really close to.

Whether it's feeding yourself, or the earth, I think both are reasonable. I hope to use most of my culled hens in the future for soup, but if they are too sick, burying them or composting them will be the route I go. But at the end of the day, to each his own.

 

[BrandonsBirbs]

Yeah, I just shared my story to show that some old hens that need to be culled are sick hens. That may explain why people responded that they cull them and dispose of them. Many people do not cull older hens until they are sick and suffering too much. And like others mentioned, some struggle to eat a pet bird they were really close to.

Whether it's feeding yourself, or the earth, I think both are reasonable. I hope to use most of my culled hens in the future for soup, but if they are too sick, burying them or composting them will be the route I go. But at the end of the day, to each his own.

Yeah you're right, everyone's own choice at the end of the day. I couldn't imagine composting a healthy but old bird myself, but you're right maybe some people just can't.

 

[BethReed]

I’m trying to improve my birds with each spring’s hatches, so there’s a lot of variation in what I do with older hens.

1. If she’s still laying fairly well but my growout pullets are significantly better, I sell her to someone just wanting backyard layers, with full disclosure of age and where she falls short of my breeding goals. I have a 13 month Bielefelder and a couple 20 month Silkies leaving the flock this weekend for this reason They’re still good birds, just not of a quality to forward my goals.

2. If laying is slowing but she’s a good broody, I move her to a broody pen to raise incubator hatched babies. I have several older Marans ladies that are incredible mothers and they’ll be here pretty much forever.

3. If they’ve stopped laying completely but are healthy and maintaining their body condition but not interested in chicks, they go on tick patrol until cold weather. At that point they are humanely slaughtered for dog food.

4. If they can’t maintain their weight or otherwise seem to be struggling, they are humanely slaughtered. If healthy , they become dog food. If not, they’re disposed of in the woods at the back of property, allowed to feed the wildlife and the land.

 

[MotherofOrpies]

I had one of my favorite hens in the freezer for a year, when she turned 8, she started getting breathing problems, her heart wasn’t up to the job anymore, I let her run with the others until I felt, she wasn’t enjoying life anymore, then I got somebody to humanely turn her into meat, but I couldn’t eat her, didn’t feed her to the dog so she wouldn’t get any funny ideas about chickens and I couldn’t give her away, at her age, nobody would have wanted her anyways, but I just couldn’t throw her away either. Then, thanksgiving came up, I always cook the base for the community soup, so in she went , what a perfect solution ( don’t worry, she was accompanied by lots of beef bones and meat!)

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

The buff Silkie Fluffy. She was hit by a hawk at age 7+ but was still healthy. We miss her!

As sad as any loss is... Being killed by a hawk (which I think is quick and instant as I assume they don't want the hen flapping around while they fly with her in their clutches) at age 7, still healthy seems an awesome life for a chicken.

I assume the hawk then fed her to its babies and now a little bit of her is inside those spring birds... Nice way to go (assuming immortality is not an option).

Congratulations on keeping her that long! You are an impressive chicken-momma

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I guess I don't really consider mine to ever retire. They still lay eggs, and the two that don't are so old I'd rather they don't honestly.

One is my flock master's favorite and is set to go with him if he ever retires to a seperate pen, and the other is good for giving day Olds to be an Auntie to. No clue why, but she doesn't need to be broody to do so