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Original poster

At what age did your chickens stop laying?

23 replies

soda1234 · 13/05/2011 12:58

We have 3 hybrids (came from omlet with the cube 2 years ago) , so guess they are about 2 1/2 years old. Have had no eggs for several weeks and before that very few. They seem healthy, are wormed regularly etc. Is it just their age or am I missing something? Thank you.

OP posts:
Original poster
soda1234 · 13/05/2011 21:27

Just bumping, I would be amazed if there were no replies to this question

OP posts:
Punkatheart · 14/05/2011 20:34

Yes, with hybrids they could be slowing down or have stopped entirely. Mine girls slowed down - one poor girl died of a prolapse and the other just wore out. They only a finite number of eggs in them. If they just give up, it is much better. Sometimes their systems produce strange eggs that make them ill or cause peritonitis. If they are pets it is better for them to gently retire. Pure breeds tend to live and lay for longer, although not over the winter like the hybrids.

SybilBeddows · 14/05/2011 20:36

if you have a Cube you will have room for more, why don't you expand your flock with a few more layers?

(assuming you are not ruthless enough to cull....)

MaryBS · 14/05/2011 20:39
mummymeister · 15/05/2011 11:36

OUrs have usually tailed off laying by around 2 and a half as well. We just keep them to look at and make sure we regularly introduce new birds so always have an egg supply.

vjg13 · 21/05/2011 11:54

How long do hybrids usually live? My oldest was under 3 when she died and has not laid in the six months before that.

cadelaide · 23/05/2011 11:53

I'm shocked. I was under the impression that they live for about 10 years and only stop laying a few years before their demise. Wherever did I get that from, I wonder?

I'd better prepare the DCs. Sad

vjg13 · 23/05/2011 17:09

Pure breeds do live longer. Does anyone know how long?

LaurieFairyCake · 23/05/2011 17:34

My White south American chickens (forgotten what breed) were still laying at 6 and hadn't slowed down before they died.

JuggleBum · 19/05/2012 06:13

Ah so maybe pure breeds next time then. Mine are 3 and yes, one had a prolapse and the other two have been delving soft eggs or no eggs for weeks now. I don't want to kill them off and tbh not sure how to but they are definitely not happy ladies.

TheFowlAndThePussycat · 19/05/2012 06:47

I have three hybrids who are 3.5 and we still get 2 eggs most days. I think one of them might be giving up but I feel pretty lucky now, reading this thread! Time to introduce a couple more young'uns though by the sound of it.

boomting · 19/05/2012 09:17

The general guidelines are that a hen will lay 80% of the eggs that she laid in the previous year. Of course, this is a bit of a textbook thing and it doesn't always work out like that. Hybrids are mean, lean egg-laying machines, and sometimes they go at it so hard that it eventually kills them.

However, I wouldn't give up hope of them ever laying again - sometimes they just decide to go on strike for no apparent reason, and then start laying again, so although I would agree that it is an unusual time of year to do that, it's far from impossible. Some of mine have taken 6 month breaks!!

Lizzabadger · 19/05/2012 19:23

My Pekin is still laying as much as ever at nearly 5. My ginger hybrid got peritonitis at 2 so she's now on a contraceptive implant and doesn't lay at all.

KalSkirata · 01/06/2012 16:55

my hybdris are still laying at 4 and 6. 5 hens and we get 2 to 3 eggs a day.

clangermum · 01/06/2012 16:57

still laying at 8!

alibubbles · 01/06/2012 21:23

I have 6,and got them with my cube and have had them getting on for over 4 years now,I get around 24 eggs a week which is more than enough for 2 of us!

crkm · 09/06/2012 17:41

My remaining omlet chicken is 4 now and has only recently stopped laying. such a shame. :(

Migsy1 · 24/06/2012 23:02

All my 7 hybrids are 2.5 years old and they have been laying very erratically lately. I've tried keeping them in the run to make sure they have their pellets and I have wormed them. I'm only getting 1-2 eggs a day and today I got 0 Hmm

Loshad · 24/06/2012 23:08

Little black hen, everybodies fave, lived until 9 years old but didn 't lay a single egg in her last 2 years, having tails off slowly before that.

freshfruitsalad · 07/07/2012 22:06

My hybrids are 3 now and stopped laying feb or march time, one carried on laying white only eggs; which was great for me as I'm not keen on yolks Smile
The 2 pure breeds are laying when not broody, but they take it in turns to be broody do we only get 1 egg a day, would like some heavyweights next but waiting til one goes so we don't upset the neighbours too much Wink

Migsy1 · 07/07/2012 23:50

How long do hybrids live after they stop laying? Mine have slowed down even more and out of 7 only one lays regularly.

ditavonteesed · 17/07/2012 08:15

mine all dies fairly shortly after they stopped laying, 4 and a half was the oldest i have kept a chook to, all my ex batts dies within a year of getting them from horrible things like prolapse. I would definatly go for a mix of pure and hybrids from now on to ensure eggs and a bit of longevity.

Migsy1 · 17/07/2012 09:36

I'm just about to take one of my ex-batts to be PTS as she seems to have egg peritonitis. She went downhill very quickly and was laying (I think) up until about 3 weeks ago. I have had her for 14 months so she has had a good innings since her rescue.

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