4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Steph101]

This is probably a contoversial question on a forum of hen huggers, myself included, but I have only been keeping chooks since Feb, and everything's great of course - loving the chickens, eggs every day.

But a question to the more experienced chicken keepers out there...

what do you all do when the eggs are no more?

I am so attached to ours, I already know that I couldn't have them culled.

Do you all just keep them as pets? Five is our limit with the garden space we have. Couldn't introduce young pullets to old ladies.

[Tessa the Duchess]

I guess as your chickens fly off to chicken heaven you should replace them so you've always got some chickens laying. I don't see why you couldn't put young chickens with older ones, as long as you do it very gradually and follow all the 'introduction' rules. When my chickens stop laying they will live out their retirement in my garden

 

Tessa

[Mutrix Farmers]

When we first talked about keeping chickens, I was clueless, just knew I wanted some. OH kept chickens on the school farm when he was a lad, so I asked him if the "normal-procedure" was to keep them for a year (ie when they are most productive) cull them and replace them. After he had finished laughing at my ignorance he informed me that no that wasn't the norm unless you are a battery hen farmer. I'm so ashamed I was that ignorant

 

But yours is an interesting point. How long before they die naturally of old age do they stop laying eggs?

[Snowy]

Mutrix I was also very ignorant of a lot of things before keeping chickens, so you were not alone!

My girls will live out their retirement once they have stopped laying, although I think in most cases (not all) they don't seem to live for very long afterwards anyway. Although if I end up with all eleven not laying I may have to rethink things a bit!

[Steph101]

I guess as your chickens fly off to chicken heaven you should replace them so you've always got some chickens laying. I don't see why you couldn't put young chickens with older ones, as long as you do it very gradually and follow all the 'introduction' rules. When my chickens stop laying they will live out their retirement in my garden

 

Tessa

 

The issue isn't with putting young with old, more my garden size.

I'm looking at the scenario of having five pet hens - but no eggs.

In order to get eggs I'd be needing to introduce young POL chickens to them, and, I wouldn't have room.

[Cinnamon]

In my experience,once they have stopped laying,mine have fluttered off quite quickly anyhow

I now have 2 hybrids who are getting on a bit,so am looking for a couple more to add now so I am not left eggless when the inevitable happens.

[Gallina]

I should wait to see what comes to pass. I regret to say that hens are not long-lived creatures, and some seem to die very easily and suddenly. It is therefore likely that you will lose one or two slightly earlier than you would have expected, and at this point you will be able to bring in two new young hens. Then if you continue this process as the hens die, you will always have a range of ages and some hens laying.

 

I don't think many people on this forum would have their hens put down if they stopped laying. Most would just use it as an excuse to squeeze in a few more or get a second run.

[Steph101]

For instance, a girl who I work with got me into keeping chickens and introduced me to the eglu has two Lohmann browns from a local farm. Up until two months ago they've both been popping out an egg a day, sometimes two each, for three years solid. Now, they've both stopped laying altogether, at the same time! She's now got zero eggs and wondering what to do.

[Egluntyne]

I've got three or four elderly ladies who are no longer earning their keep.

 

They bimble about with the others, having earned their retirement.

 

I have some new hens, and more on order to take over where the matriarchs have left off.

[StephanieSB]

She's now got zero eggs and wondering what to do.

 

Well, a lot depends on what you have chickens for primarily, I would guess. If it is primarily for food and an economically viable self-sustaining project, then there is a long and honourable, non-vegetarian tradition of 'retiring' the ladies to the stew pot. I personally have no problems with that in essence, but from what I have learned about chickens over the past year, the nicely feathered garden pet gals don't make very much a meal for the table, and their heart-tugging pet attractions are stronger than their culinary ones.

 

If they are primarily pets, then not laying eggs probably would be sad, but not too much a loss, no? They're still lovely in the garden and otherwise fun to have... I guess what I aim to do is let them live out their lifespan. I do intend to have a larger propertly one day and will have a flock of meat birds, but they will be meaty breeds that don't live in my immediate garden... my garden gals are for fun, family and a few eggs. Not laying will just mean store bought eggs for a while.

[Steph101]

She's now got zero eggs and wondering what to do.

 

Well, a lot depends on what you have chickens for primarily, I would guess. If it is primarily for food and an economically viable self-sustaining project, then there is a long and honourable, non-vegetarian tradition of 'retiring' the ladies to the stew pot. I personally have no problems with that in essence, but from what I have learned about chickens over the past year, the nicely feathered garden pet gals don't make very much a meal for the table, and their heart-tugging pet attractions are stronger than their culinary ones.

 

If they are primarily pets, then not laying eggs probably would be sad, but not too much a loss, no? They're still lovely in the garden and otherwise fun to have... I guess what I aim to do is let them live out their lifespan. I do intend to have a larger propertly one day and will have a flock of meat birds, but they will be meaty breeds that don't live in my immediate garden... my garden gals are for fun, family and a few eggs. Not laying will just mean store bought eggs for a while.

 

I totally agree. I was interested to see what everyone else thought; I'm rather hoping that they'll just stop laying a couple at a time, and I can gradually integrate new ones. Another colleague of mine who has kept hens for years for laying eggs told me to never take a chicken to the vet, it's not worth it. Just wring their necks!!!

Sorry, couldn't do that. It raised the question in my mind as I found a link from another website posted on here a couple of days ago. Very non PC!

http://poultryinyouryards.yuku.com/

[StephanieSB]

Another colleague of mine who has kept hens for years for laying eggs told me to never take a chicken to the vet, it's not worth it. Just wring their necks!!!

 

Well, that is just plain old animal husbandry and good economics. That's why you need to be clear within yourself why you keep chickens. If they are primarily pets, then you make entirely different choices than if they are primarily livestock. As long as we act humanely and think in terms of both the animal and human welfare issues, whichever way we choose, that's the most important thing.

[cathybc]

Most would just use it as an excuse to squeeze in a few more or get a second run.

 

my girls will be toddling around my garden regardless of egg production or not, I regard them as pets who have the temporary added bonus of producing eggs.

 

But squeezing in a few more.....now that is an idea

[jools+6]

my hens will live out there eggless days as pets . i think its a fitting reward for all the eggs they will lay until then . i do know that the freerange egg producer in our area , who shall remain nameless , does have her hens "disposed of " shall we say because the woman at the farm shop told us that ... but i suppose thats business .

[Faye&Ant]

We will also keep ours as pets and hopefully they will enjoy a long retirement and im sure we will get some more. Our girls have always been more as pets than for egg producing (they are not typical egg layers).

 

A friend of ours who keeps chickens for their eggs takes his after they have stopped laying to a lady in Kent who has a kind of retirement home for chickens. I heard they live out a lovely life and she evens plays music to them

 

I wondered whether that lady might be on here.....

[Karen Pimlott]

i would expect hybrids to live for 5 to 7 years with 2-3 years productive lay when kept & fed correctly after this time they tail off a bit until egg production ceases. We have had a hybrid of 5yrs still laying occasionally but the shells where very thin.

 

K.

[Steph101]

my hens will live out there eggless days as pets . i think its a fitting reward for all the eggs they will lay until then . i do know that the freerange egg producer in our area , who shall remain nameless , does have her hens "disposed of " shall we say because the woman at the farm shop told us that ... but i suppose thats business .

 

I suppose it's personal choice, but cats and dogs and budgies don't earn their keep at all, and we don't consider culling them, do we?

[JamesH]

Don't forget all the little boys!

[Guest]

Do you all just keep them as pets?

 

 

you're darn tootin' we will be

[Troy]

I was told that the pure breeds like Pekins can live about 13 yrs! Currently we are getting 6 eggs a week from our Lily and 5 from Mo. Believe it or not they both seem to have Sundays off

The thought of despatching these ladies after the pleasure they have given our children, what with their funny personalities and antics let alone their lovely little eggs just makes me feel all guilty. As for the hybrids??.... .....Nope could'nt do it.

Oh well. My grandfather use to say that you should never name your livestock. Now I see his point!

Troy