Poultry Talk Ontario (pto.ca)

One thing that I don't like about older hens is how it can become harder to keep them just because they get so cranky with each other. For instance in my pens of young birds, everyone piles onto the perch and are happy to snuggle up together. On the other hand, in a pen of older birds, I just watched a four-year old, pounding everyone off the perches just because she can. There are three perches, six feet long and two feet apart, but this apparently is not enough space for this chicken diva. Finally when she settles, all the other old ladies bicker and peck over a spot. There is enough room for three times the amount of birds but not good enough for these old gals.

I'm thinking it's not because she's older ... it's because she's just gotten crankier as she's gotten older.
I have two older hens, one who definitely has her cranky moments, and one who is laid-back and has a "live-and-let live" personality. Ms. 'laid-back" is also head hen.

This is sort of the same mentality that is around my nesting boxes. The growling that goes on some days makes me wonder if they have fangs!

never had an issue with that. my issue is my old favorites are old enough now that they're dying on me from old age
my one roost, the highest in the coop has all 4 of my oldest girls on it, no youngsters allowed. it'll be 3 girls now....maybe they'll suffer to let a younger one join...but the rooster was up there this morning hanging out so i think the younger girls are out of luck. but they've never actually squabbled, not that i've seen or heard anyways. not like the pen of boys i have...those buggers quarrel over everything!

SkinnyR did your grumpy hens go from always being grumpy to sour, or were they sweet, and then go sour?
OC how old is old for a large breed hen?(to die of old age). Are chickens like other animals, the smaller/lighter ones tend to live longer?

Robbie, did you mean "WLLady", not "OC"?

I lost two nine-year-old hens last summer, one RIR, one Barred Rock. Both were horribly territorial with the younger girls. I could have provided a separate "retirement home" for them, apart from the general coop. However, I was reluctant to segregate them, as at that age, I thought it was better for them to have roost mates to keep warm (I don't heat my coop--too big), rather than complete peace and quiet in the population. They did still roost with the rest of the flock, after much disruption on their part.

The 3 old girls I have really don't squabble much at all. Lucky tends to keep order when the youngsters grumble.

Jaye wrote:Robbie, did you mean "WLLady", not "OC"?

OOps you are absolutely right! Sorry about that.

No worries! It depends on the breed really. A 3 year old production leghorn is pretty old. In my experience anything over 5 is pretty respectable. My oldest girl is almost 9 now....she is a rir x br mix. A lot of production breeds if they are going to die early do it at either about 22 weeks or 2 years....i find if they make it past that they do pretty well till 5 or beyond.