Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[featherhead007]

My ladies are not laying lately, I just want them to be happy and healthy. They’re not retired yet but they are tired

 

[featherhead007]

I have Coco in my house with me at the moment. She’s such a sweet Rock, I can’t help but love her!

 

[featherhead007]

I cooked up some scrambled eggs and cheese for Coco’s breakfast.
I even had a slice of deli ham I supplied for her too.

 

[TOMTE]

I cooked up some scrambled eggs and cheese for Coco’s breakfast.
I even had a slice of deli ham I supplied for her too.

That is one LOVED chicken!

 

[SimpleJenn]

Random question! I figured this is as good a place as any to ask since you've all been so helpful

Should I expect my girls to not live very long once they're done producing? Since they're all from a big hatchery and bred for production. I've read that chickens bred for production usually go downhill healthwise as they age and stop laying. But I've also read that, SLW for example can live 6-12 years. My dad would prefer to cull once they're done laying. I'm on the fence about that and would rather only cull if QOL isn't good anymore. His biggest concern is continuing to feed them ($$), but since they're going to be free range I don't think that will be much of an issue. They already prefer to forage in the garden rather than eat their feed 90% of the time

Anyway, it's not something I need to worry about for a while yet, but I want to be prepared!

Fluffy butt tax

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Generally production bred hens don't live past 4, with 3 being their average age in a backyard coop setting. They get things like ovarian cancer because of being bred to lay so many eggs.
I didn't know at the time about that and accidentally bought one, she was so mean though so we had to cull.
Some breeds will lay gradually decreasing numbers of eggs their whole life. Of course they molt and go broody on occasion, those breaks from egg laying can extend their life by a lot.

 

[SimpleJenn]

I’m just wondering, what kind of cuckoo are you Jenn?

The kind of cuckoo with a whole room for her hobbies! And a trailer park of chicken coops!

 

[TOMTE]

Generally production bred hens don't live past 4, with 3 being their average age in a backyard coop setting. They get things like ovarian cancer because of being bred to lay so many eggs.
I didn't know at the time about that and accidentally bought one, she was so mean though so we had to cull.
Some breeds will lay gradually decreasing numbers of eggs their whole life. Of course they molt and go broody on occasion, those breaks from egg laying can extend their life by a lot.

That's good to know, thank you. So letting them go broody might prevent some reproductive issues in the long run? Will a hen break her own broodiness after a while if no chicks hatch?

 

[RoyalChick]

That's good to know, thank you. So letting them go broody might prevent some reproductive issues in the long run? Will a hen break her own broodiness after a while if no chicks hatch?

Depends on the hen!
I have two at opposite ends of the spectrum:
- Piglet who gave up on her own after less than 2 weeks because she hates to miss her meals
- Tassels who I think would never give up
No predicting!

 

[TOMTE]

Depends on the hen!
I have two at opposite ends of the spectrum:
- Piglet who gave up on her own after less than 2 weeks because she hates to miss her meals
- Tassels who I think would never give up
No predicting!

Also good to know! Piglet's name really fits her then

 

[Ponypoor]

Yes blue cuckoo white crested polish. His half sister is a black cuckoo

He is going to be real eye candy when he is older, do plan to keep him?