Ziggy Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 Hello everyone, I was just wondering, how old is old for a gingernut ranger? I searched on here, and find that many people seem to mention 3 years old is quite old... We have just lost our first gingernut ranger, Nugget, last week (much to DD2's huge distress), and I was a little surprised at losing her so early, aged just around 3, as I'd been under the impression that their life expectancy was somewhere around 4 to 5 years (I realise this wouldn't have been a 'guarantee' of any kind and any animal can develop one or the other problem and die sooner, but somehow, must have read it somewhere, it was the lifespan I had in mind). I have no reason to think there was anything wrong with her, no obvious sign of illness... just wondering if 3 years of age is young, or fairly normal, for a gingernut to die... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheilaz Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 Sadly, I think 3 years is fairly normal. There'll be a few hybrids that go at 2 years, a few at 5 years, and a few either side of those. So, I think 3 or 4 years is the average for the majority. I was just chatting about this myself. Chuckles is 5 yrs & one of my original Omlet pair still going strong. But she's seen several others come & go, at 2-4 yrs. It's so sad when they go, the time's gone so quickly, but they've had a great little life, haven't they? Best wishes to your daughter, it does hurt when we care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poached Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 well i have 3 of my original girls which will be 6 in september they are still going strong and bossy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clootie Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 My Becky was 8 when she went to the coop in the sky !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poached Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 wow cloots was she a hybrid or purebreed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clootie Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 She was a Rhodie Josh - the boss of the lot. She keeled over on the lawn after 8 years of free ranging. The best life a chook could hope for !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 When did they go into eggie retirement? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 Sorry to hear about Nugget, Ziggy - but sadly I think that's quite normal. I have one 'original' Omlet gingernut left from Feb 07, but she's not laying any more - her sister died earlier this year, as did both the gingernuts that I adopted, of a similar age. I think that the hybrids, which are bred to be reliable layers, get worn out with all the laying and tend not to live as long as pure-breeds which don't lay as often - of course there are exceptions to that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ziggy Posted September 1, 2009 Author Share Posted September 1, 2009 Thanks everyone... Mac and Nugget haven't laid much at all since last winter, we've only had the occasional egg in the last 6 months or so... From all I read a short life is quite common, but some can live much longer... I've been explaining to DD2 that it seems that some gingernut ranger die as young as 2 or 3, somehow I think it helps when it is perceived as not so unusual... It's quite odd isn't it, trying to figure out all those life expectancies and averages... when I read up about bunnies, I often read that the average life of a bunny is much lower than their expected life expectancy because they tend to come up with some or other disease or cancer, rather than die of 'old age' (or old age related issues)... we've had a cockatiel (or three) who were expected to live in their 20s (I thought that was so wonderful), but died before 6 months of psittacosis and gave hubby pneumonia in the process, we have a little rat who's now past two and half years old, and has looked like he was at his last breath for the last six months, but holds on valliantly... Pets!!! I was blaming the kids for my greying hair, but the more I think about it the more I find the menagerie is responsible for a lot of the stress!! Nugget is sadly missed... Our flock is now down to 3 (from 5), and as I could never imagine ever being without a chicken again (or quite a few chickens), and as we are having a WIR built hopefully very soon to give the feathery members of the family more room, we are now looking forward to having a few more... Not to replace Nugget obviously, but we have the room and the time is ripe... Nugget, you won't be replaced, but being one of our first two chooks, you sure have started something!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 Well I always think that replacing a pet is a way of saluting the one that you've lost, because they have left such a gap in your life - after all, if they had not been such fun and brought you so much pleasure, you wouldn't want to replace them. I am down to 3 (only 2 laying), having had six layers at one point, and I really miss the eggs! Like you, I'm plotting a WIR and then I'll get some more, and my plan in the long term is to probably get two new POL hens each year, assuming that in the nature of things there will be some vacancies in the Penthouse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spott Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 hi, my two girls are coming up to 4 yrs old. they are purebreds, though. but (don't get jealous) are still laying . one of them is laying 5 eggs/week, the other is laying thin shelled eggs at about the same rate. they look perfect, but when i try to pick them up my finger goes right through the shell. i am going to try some cod liver oil. but, the point of my post, what is the difference between pure and cross breeds, cos i don't believe the laid-out story. mine would be laid-out long ago, or maybe they are just super chickens? love, spott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quickcluck Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 I think that PB lay and live for much longer than Hybrids, they also stop laying over the winter time whereas Hybrids continue throughout the year.... AS for soft shell, a bit of extra calium might help, some limestone flour in with their pellets...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 Well, I think my bluebelles are old. Muddles is now roughly 4 years old and four months and Starlet is four years old and 3 months. I had a blackrock and she unfortunately only live to the age of 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 I lost 3 gingernuts at 2 and a half, whereas my pepperpot was an early Omlet chicken like Sheilas - she is coming up to 5 years old and still laying like a good'un! I must admit though that she is beginning to look 'old' now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
