This article on Chicken old age is so helpful and explains exactly what we are seeing. We will let her die peacefully and bury her under some new trees we are planting.
Thank you very much for this wisdom and bit of knowledge! I found this very comforting and helpful. I am a new flock owner just inheriting 17 chickens 3 months ago. About 10-11 weeks ago we lost one of the older chickens and I was completely beside myself because I thought she was ill. But she exhibited EVERY “symptom” or act that you explained. That put my mind at ease that it was maybe something I had done wrong with it the first weeks I had the flock. I’ve grown to absolutely LOVE these birds and when my one lady fell ill I brought her into and huge dog crate filled with fluffy chips and kept her warm until she passed the next day. Unfortunately I hadn’t had her long so I just assumed she was sick and I didn’t see it. THANK YOU soo very much for this narrative 
Hi. My name is Vicki and I haven't had this girl or the rest of the flock/remaining rooster, their whole lives. Rather, I've just been around them for the last year-and-a-half. Though they are fed freely, they choose to be hand fed by me on a daily basis throughout everyday. This is something very new to me and apparently new to them. People that own them and this property, either laugh at me or call me the "Chicken Whisperer" (& somewhat ''crazy') for doing this ("who in the hell hand-feeds chickens anyway?!)
Me. I DO.
To date, I've been allowed to bury one of the two roosters and one of the hens, both being close with me, as are the rest of those remaining; one rooster and four hens.
Albeit most of this message is mere venting (much gratitude for that opportunity) I do have one question: Would it make her more comfortable if I brought her in the house OR left her where she's at? If I did bring her in the house, I have a cat and a dog, however both are accustomed to them all and can walk amongst them; everybody gets along. Being said however, I would not have them around her if I did bring her in, I would have them in a separate room. Not wanting to neglect anyone, WHAT SHOULD I DO? Better yet, what would YOU do?? I'm tough emotionally, but not so much with these girls, as I didn't even realize hens and roosters had the ability to bond as much as they do, let alone be quite supportive emotionally, nor have I had any real experience even being around them before!
I've attached a picture below. Thank you for your time, unfortunately for BLONDIE, time is of the essence at this point. I thank you all, I really appreciated what everyone has had to say, as it has helped tremendously already.
My sincere support to those going through the process, and my deepest sympathy for those who already have.
Respectfully,
Vicki Madsen
[email protected]
Me. I DO.
To date, I've been allowed to bury one of the two roosters and one of the hens, both being close with me, as are the rest of those remaining; one rooster and four hens.
Albeit most of this message is mere venting (much gratitude for that opportunity) I do have one question: Would it make her more comfortable if I brought her in the house OR left her where she's at? If I did bring her in the house, I have a cat and a dog, however both are accustomed to them all and can walk amongst them; everybody gets along. Being said however, I would not have them around her if I did bring her in, I would have them in a separate room. Not wanting to neglect anyone, WHAT SHOULD I DO? Better yet, what would YOU do?? I'm tough emotionally, but not so much with these girls, as I didn't even realize hens and roosters had the ability to bond as much as they do, let alone be quite supportive emotionally, nor have I had any real experience even being around them before!
I've attached a picture below. Thank you for your time, unfortunately for BLONDIE, time is of the essence at this point. I thank you all, I really appreciated what everyone has had to say, as it has helped tremendously already.
My sincere support to those going through the process, and my deepest sympathy for those who already have.
Respectfully,
Vicki Madsen
[email protected]
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Hi - thank you for your excellent article. We lost Ginny, our oldest hen today - she was 12 yrs and 8 months old. She followed the steps you described exactly (first thing we noticed was how light she was) and her passing was peaceful. I found your article so very helpful and comforting - just what I needed to see today (I came online looking for info about chickens dying of old age). Again, thank you very much for writing it. We have one hen left, Becky - she is also 12 yrs old, but a few months younger than Ginny. Someone we know takes in older hens and she offered to give us one of her older hens to be a companion for Becky. Or maybe we'll get pullets and start our flock anew... Here's a photo taken 12 days ago (Ginny on the left and Becky on the right).
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I feel heartbroken just to think about the leaving 
