Poultry Talk Ontario (pto.ca)

Not everyone on here, but some of us for sure, have hens that are older, not laying much, but are going to be part of the scenery until they aren't. I did have one Marans hen sort of hung around here til she was nine. Found her stiff and cold below the perch one morning.

I tried to find some serious information on older chickens in the flock, and couldn't find a scientific article on things, but I did find this one that is readable and informed in some practical ways. I did like the point that having a mix of ages in your backyard flock is a good thing for the group.

https://justfowlingaround.weebly.com/ch ... tric-years

Oh I loved this article. My oldest turkey hen was 8 last year and still raised babies! My "biddy coop" or "Full Service Retirement Community" has hens and a rooster that have earned a comfy retirement. They still perform a job in that they scratch around in the vegetabl patch and remove pests, young seedlings etc. I have a rule that I will euthanise if a bird is ailing and there appears to be no prospect for improvement. If they are in pain it isn't fair. I also treat arthritis and the like with glucosamine supplements or with one hen metacam when she injured her hip.
SOme hens I have rehomed when they became unpleasant to some of the others ans I just heard of one who is still doing well, the change of environment helped her. What it all comes down to is Personal Choice so don't judge other peoples decisions. SOme may not have the resources either emotional or financial to manage elderly birds. It can be very hard to watch one decline. Last year Frank at 5years still had it in him to get one of the girls fertile!

Great article! I have a few 'old girls' one of my banty's is a RIR and is about 9. The other day, when it was -23 she was on the ground with her eyes closed....I thought Oh, no! I thought I was going to say goodbye to her. I brought her into the house. Gave her food and water. Covered her up and went to bed. Next morning she was up and looking for breakfast! If I would have left her outside, she would have died, I'm sure of it. They surprise me everyday.

We have 2 BSL out of our original 10 that are 6 yrs old. We had to euthanize our rescue Cochin; after bringing her inside, and after a few days, she stopped eating and drinking. Turned out she had a huge growth, probably a tumour, on her neck right below her beak. Poor old girl could not eat or drink. We think she was about 8 or 9 yrs old.