loumabel Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 I have been keeping hens now for about a year and in that time have had my fair share of illnesses and losses,and as a follower of this brilliant forum I know that I am not alone in this problem. Older Family members and friends always say to me, 'oh we kept chickens when we were young and they were never ill' This has been said to me many times and by various different people, so I am wondering, do you think chickens are more delicate now and they were bred hardier in years gone by or are these people just looking back through the rose tinted spectacles!!! Just wondering what you all think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yvonne Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 I do wonder if they are made to "live fast, die young" now and have too many eggs too quickly. We too never had one live much past 2 even though we treated them well etc. Interesting to hear what others think about this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 I think maybe they kept pure breeds, which in the main were/are more robust. Hybrids are bred to churn out eggs, and unfortunately they don't seem to have the same staying power. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 I agree hybrids would have been a new thing back then. We know more about diseases now so more likely why people think them crop up more often. Maybe they also didn't treat them if were ill and just dispatched so no antibiotics and it didn't drag on etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 This is interesting. My great aunt was always saying how her chickens 'lived for years and years' . I'd rather assumed that this was a case of looking back through rose tinted glasses and had not given much thought about what breed they might be. They were good egg layers and had sweet natures being easy for me to handle as a little child, but I don't think they were hybrids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patsylabrador Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 My chickens are hybrid bantams and will be three years around April. They look pretty robust still but I have wondered how long they should live. One had a period of laying soft eggs but that has passed and they look big and strong still. How long are they likely to last? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 My grans friend had loads all in a shed - they FR all day in a field - I'm sure she lost some - she had so many not sure if she knew if one was missing - as for treating for red mite i really dont know. Whose the bloke with the beard Patsy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patsylabrador Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 It's Gandalf Alis Girls, I got bored looking at my face. I can't stick with an avatar for very long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 Someone called by to collect one of my Cuckoo Marans as a replacement for one theirs which had died - it was 12 years old, and was still laying the occasional egg I try to breed hardy, resistant birds, rather than vaccinating them or treating any ailment which comes along - probably as they did 40-50 years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkysmum Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 My oldest ex batt lived till she was 4 Of my current hens 3 are almost 3yrs old & looking fit & healthy. Touch wood they stay like this. Apart from losing two of my beautiful sablepoots to Mareks, I've had no real health issues with my ladies.Fingers crossed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadietoo Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 I have been keeping chickens for a little while, and have lost 3 to foxes and two to illness so far. But I do have to say that my remaining three are all pure breeds because first and foremost they are pets(and very much secondly they give me the most delicious eggs I have ever tasted). I am told that the grandma of my current two dark brahmas lived to over nine years and so I have my fingers crossed that they have inherited those genes. My OH disagrees with me, saying that hybrids are born to do what they do and so if they only live just over two years so be it, personally I find this upsetting...hence my choice of breeds... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 I think it's our desire for pretty garden hens that's to blame - so many pure breeds today are selectively bred for the wrong traits (I am guilty of this!) back in the day birds were bred for their utility qualities, tough hens that lived on little yet gave eggs or laid down good meat, if stock showed weaknesses they were culled in favour of more trouble free birds- you can still get these birds but they are relatively rare Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkysmum Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 Got me wondering, which of the "old" breeds are the most long lived? Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoctorDoLittle Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 Could well be, of 4 pol chickens from Omlet in Nov 2010 only one pepperpot is still alive and non of the gingernuts !! Of 4 pol from a local supplier in feb 2011 one has already died and got 5 new pol's in nov 2011. So now have 9 altogether from a possible 13 in 14 months of keeping chickens !! No losses due to foxes as yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindafw Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 my Dorkings are about 4 years...the rest younger between 3.5 years and 2 years...Over nearly 3 springs of chicken keeping we have lost 3 Polands, 1 Welsummer and one Cream legbar, over the last 3 years On the other hand the others have done very well and continue to flourish we have 13 birds at present. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 My guess would be it's a combination of factors - possibly a bit of rose-tinted glasses! However as Egluntyne has said there were probably more pure breed hens then, who lay less often. Also, they may have been allowed to go broody and rear chicks, which again would reduce the number of times during their lifecycle that they laid. Finally, hens were more likely to free-range and probably had a diet including a lot of s"Ooops, word censored!"s, which was not nearly as good as our pellet-fed hens; that would have slowed down and reduced their laying cycle. My eldest hen is a Speckledy, she's at least four years old (I adopted her, so not entirely sure) but she still lays regularly in summer and looks fit and healthy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margaret Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 Dont like to tempt fate but this will be the Girlies 4th summer with me and no illness at all. Mable is looking a little frail these days, She may just be recovering from a harsh moult, and I dont think she is laying but she still jumps and runs around. I would imagine that something may happen this year and will need to replace them but cant bear to think about that yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 Margaret what breeds are your girls? I've read that Silkies are long lived chooks. I do hope so. I have a little silkie cockerel who is now about 5 years old. His silkie girls are only between 2 and 3. Does anyone know if Frizzles are long lived? and how about Polands? Someone on here has already posted about her Poland not being long lived. I do hope mine will live a few more years yet. She is only about 1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 Funny but a lot of our hybrids died young. However we have a 5 year old Black Rock who is still laying about 2 eggs a week. She is in tip top condition too. We have other hybrids from the same place that must be getting on too & also laying. I guess you get good & bad strains of poultry & I was just lucky with these? A lot of people in the olden days kept wyandottes, which would have been pure. I love ginger chickens, but they never last long - hence I've not had any more recently. Losing any chook is always upsetting. Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margaret Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 They are all Hybrids, Original Omlet girles and a some add on's throught 2009. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chortle Chook Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 Well done you, Margaret. Whatever you are doing it must be right Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margaret Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 Just spoilt rotten, just like the rest of you do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alis girls Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 Thanks Patsy - thought it was 'im indoors Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mum Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 My friend's mother has an Araucana who is about 12yrs old! Ok, so she doesn't lay well any more but she still pops one out very occasionally. I think I read somewhere that my Old English Game could live to around 14 years? In which case she'll probably out live me Silkies I've had less luck with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chooks Aloud Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 My Speckaldys are just over 6 years - one has just recently laid for a week and now she's stopped again, but she is nice and red and crouching so fingers crossed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
