How can I find my old pictures?

[5fathens]

hi there,

 

I have read somewhere on here than 4 years is a good age for a hybrid hen, does anybody know what their average life expectancy is?

 

many thanks

[Space Chick]

4 years is seen as a good age, and is typically an average age.

 

Some buck the trend on both sides..... For example, I lost a hybrid at 24 weeks old and still have a 7 year old wandering around my garden

 

I think if we have our hybrids for over 4 years we can be very pleased

[Beantree]

The designed lifespan is 18 months. Anything more is a bonus. We've never had one over 3 years and have stopped buying them.

[Space Chick]

The designed lifespan is 18 months. Anything more is a bonus. We've never had one over 3 years and have stopped buying them.

 

That's not technically accurate.... The designed commercial lifespan Is 18 months. I.e. They go into "egg production" at 6 months and will lay at a high rate for 12 months... At 18 months they are viewed as "commercially spent" and go to slaughter. However, many can live for a good number of years after.

 

We currently have an ex batt who is close to her 3rd cage free anniversary, making her about 4 and a half. She's looking old now, but is still happy.

[Olly]

As Beantree says they are 'designed' to lay prolifically in the first year of laying and are usually culled in commercial chicken-keeping at around the end of that year.

 

Kept as domestic chickens I'd say the average is 2-2.5 years, of course it's an average and so some will live longer and some shorter than that. I've had one that lived to 7 and I have a 5 year old still laying.

[Blackrocksrock]

I have a blackrock who is 6 and 3/4 years old and still laying up to 5 eggs a week - they are reduced in size these days but she is still going strong and takes an age in the nestbox!

[SueChick]

Yes I agree it is variable - I have had them go at 4 due to old age but also live to 7! I have also had some go at 2 and 3 due illness.

[5fathens]

thanks that's really helpful, I was beginning to think maybe we had had a batch that weren't so good as we lost a 2 years old this year and another 2 year old is looking a bit peaky today-

we have started giving her tonic but she hasn't laid for a few days and I wondered if she may be egg bound but from what's been said she may not lay so much now anyway....will keep an eye on her.....

we still have a 4.5, 3.5 and two other 2 year olds.....

 

I guess they are all different, certainly in personality anyway

[gavclojak]

My ex commercial girls have just celebrated a whole year of freedom, that makes them around toe and a half

They have pretty much stopped laying now, out of the four I might get one egg every four/five days.

Lazy ladies.....but they are enjoying their retirement

[jimnpaula]

Your Hen Solo is still laying, although she did take a break for a while after she got here.

 

P

[gavclojak]

Your Hen Solo is still laying, although she did take a break for a while after she got here.

 

P

 

 

That's your gift for fostering her:)

[Juliette piesley]

I have a 4 and 4 months old hybrid who lives with 3 younger rescues. She has not been eating well lately and is very slow out and about. Is this old AGE?? Or is she poorly?? She has a soft crop and looks healthy enough. 

Has anyone  else had a hen this old with same symptoms??

[ajm200]

Ours managed 4.5 before the fox got them.  They were still laying just less frequently and they took a bit longer to recover from moults but were still healthy.  

[Patricia W]

The oldest hybrid I’ve had was about 5.  She was a rescue so typically 18 months old.  We had her for about 3 and a half years.  Conversely, the pure breeds we have live to over 10 years. 

[AndyRoo]

Ours are about 3 years now, so truthfully I'm expecting them to start popping off shortly. I'd always read that 3.5 - 4 years was pretty average. I think anything over 5 and they become a village elder.

[Juliette piesley]

Aaaaw I hope she sees the Summer through. She hasn't layed for over a year but has been an amazing pet. So friendly and always wants to be with us.

Thank you all for your help.

[Jen Garner]

Happy to read all of the above, our 3 hybrids are 2.5 and still lay every day, less in the winter. Was expecting this year to be their last but maybe not. Plenty more dust baths for them 😊

[Jen Garner]

My original girls were 3xhybrids, lost Phoebe at 3, now Rachel & Monica are 5. Rachel has been lazing around since yesterday morning, still looks well but they conceal ailments. Do I leave her to rest or? How happy is a hen on her own? I have 7 in another coop but when I tried to mix at night Monica was aggressive.

[Beantree]

She's most probably be fine on her own as long as she can see the others. We are in the same situation with a lone hen. She will go to the fence and sit with them, but we know that if we forced them together there would be fighting and no-one would be happy.