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How long do chickens live?

6 replies

Katymac · 07/04/2016 15:38

That's it basically?

Is 7 years long? or short?

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Chasingsquirrels · 07/04/2016 15:41

Upto 15 years (but that old).
Most of mine have been 2-4 years, but I have one that must be at least 6 (inherited from a friend where it was the last remaining bird and she didn't want more) and she is still going strong. Stopped laying around Nov and started again last month.

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Katymac · 07/04/2016 15:51

I have 2 bantams that haven't layed since the summer before last (well I got 3 last year)

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PhilPhilConnors · 07/04/2016 15:58

Depends what they are. Hybrids tend not to live as long, the oldest hybrid we had was 4.

We had a lovely silkie x Wyandotte bantam who got to 7 and was still very healthy and young looking, and still laying the odd egg, when a dog got her. We think she would have loved much longer.

I think bantams live longer than large fowl.

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Katymac · 07/04/2016 16:34

OK

It looks like we will be chicken owners for a while longer; we had predicted that we would have lost them by now.....but life happens

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joeythenutter · 17/04/2016 16:34

Sorry but no hen lives to 15 years old. That made me laugh. Average lifespan is from 3- 7 years, and 7 is pushing it. Ive been around poultry for 29 years.

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Saz12 · 29/04/2016 23:44

I'd agree at about 5-7 years average. You'll get the odd one who'll be reported to squeak into double figures.
BUT they will lay less and less as time goes on. Laying is partly light-dependent, so as they age they'll lay less in the winter and restart in the spring, so an elderly one will only lay the odd egg in spring and not much else.

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