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

[OzarkCountryGirl]

Here is my 13 year old girl, still going strong. She was hatched from a carton of refrigerated eggs.

 

[artbykarenehaley]

Here is my 13 year old girl, still going strong. She was hatched from a carton of refrigerated eggs.

You go girl! That chicken is older than my oldest kid. She has extra tough genes.

 

[MotherofOrpies]

Wow, so happy to read this! I thought my 11 year old hen was ancient, but yours is 13 and going strong, I’m now hoping my hens have a few more extra years left in them

 

[Loveshorsesandglee]

I just keep the older ones around don’t like the idea of killing them and they are so fun to watch and good company when I’m working in the yard.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

Just wanted to add this about my sweet Chanel. I've had her about 7 years now, but she seemed older when I got her, so no way of knowing her age. I believe she may be a Buff Delaware Brahma mix. She still surprisingly lays an egg once in awhile, but her greatest asset, aside from just being so plush & adorable, is being the best surrogate broody mama & auntie babysitter for other broody mama's, than any bird I've ever known. Everyone in the coop loves her, too, they all respect & look up to her. She has successfully hatched out several clutches of various breed Chicken eggs & Guinea eggs, raised the babies with gentle love & pride, plus she is just a joyful hen to share gardening or snuggling lap time with.

A few months ago, they were free ranging as I was pruning trees & picking bag worms nearby, and a young fox darted out from behind the evergreens, grabbed her & tried to haul her off. I was very grateful, that due to the young fox's lack of experience, her heavy weight (she's a big, full weight gal) & thick, lush feathers, there wasn't a mark on her. All the fox got was a mouth full of feathers. (No more free ranging unless right beside me now.) I love sweet Chanel, I hope my chunky girl will be around for many more years to come.

 

[BDutch]

Mine live out their natural lives here. They are pets and entertainment before anything else, so none of them go to the pot or up for sale.

I will say, it takes a loooong time before they completely stop laying. Yes, they slow down significantly to the point where if eggs are important to you then it's understandable not to keep them, but it's more of a trickle to a stop than a complete halt one year.

About the same here.
I have 2 , 8 yo Dutch that still lay about 3 eggs every week (not if broody, not in winter). My oldest Ini mini, who is 9 yo, only laid some eggs in spring and early summer.

Ini mini is great companion for the only pullet I have. I sold most chicks this year and kept 2. Unfortunately one went missing (unknown predator) and its great Ini mini cares for the little Abby as a sweet grandma.

I voted ’My hens die before reaching "hentirement" too. Because over the years just about 50% seem to survive to a point were they can be labelled as old enough to retire. For my Dutch that is about 8+. For other breeds and laying hybrids this might be 4+ (my guess).
Reasons not to make it are predation /lost (free ranging) and getting sick/sudden death before retirement.

4 flock members at teatime.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

Just wanted to add this about my sweet Chanel. I've had her about 7 years now, but she seemed older when I got her, so no way of knowing her age. I believe she may be a Buff Delaware Brahma mix. She still surprisingly lays an egg once in awhile, but her greatest asset, aside from just being so plush & adorable, is being the best surrogate broody mama & auntie babysitter for other broody mama's, than any bird I've ever known. Everyone in the coop loves her, too, they all respect & look up to her. She has successfully hatched out several clutches of various breed Chicken eggs & Guinea eggs, raised the babies with gentle love & pride, plus she is just a joyful hen to share gardening or snuggling lap time with.

A few months ago, they were free ranging as I was pruning trees & picking bag worms nearby, and a young fox darted out from behind the evergreens, grabbed her & tried to haul her off. I was very grateful, that due to the young fox's lack of experience, her heavy weight (she's a big, full weight gal) & thick, lush feathers, there wasn't a mark on her. All the fox got was a mouth full of feathers. (No more free ranging unless right beside me now.) I love sweet Chanel, I hope my chunky girl will be around for many more years to come.
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I love her toooooo! I had a fox grab a hen, but, i chased it and fox dropped her. That was a month ago and her recovery is astonishing. Still no roosting tho

 

[Old flock yet new]

I didn't get a say when I was a kid lol. Now that I have my own small flock the intent was pets with bonus of eggs. Then my husband told me as they start to age out we are going to eat them. That means I gotta do it. He is to lazy. He hunts I clean..go figure. Then I rescued Gracie may. She looked really bad...she layed 1 egg and for 8 months not a 1 egg. I didn't mind. Then all of a sudden she is laying 3x a week then almost every single day. I have never heard of this before. I just love on her make sure she gets plenty of protein ..Calcium. throw out table scraps. I throw cherry tomatoes to them and watch them make a game of chase running with iT hanging out of their beak. ( make sure none of the green plant is left on it and they are completely ripe).tomato plants are part of the night shade family so they have to be ripe and none of the actual plant on Them.