what breed of hen laying at 8 years old?

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what breed of hen laying at 8 years old?

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VM

Joined: 23 Nov 2007
Posts: 1748
Location: Lincolnshire

Posted: Tue Jun 23, 09 10:49 am Post subject: what breed of hen laying at 8 years old?
Really interested to hear about your hen, Treacodactyl, in the feeding thread, that you said still lays several eggs per week at over 8 years old. One of my reasons for wanting pure breeds when we started with chickens last year was because of them carrying on laying for longer than hybrids - but I didn't know they could go on as long as that. I'd been told maybe 5 or 6 years.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Tue Jun 23, 09 11:26 am Post subject:

I think she's closer to 8 and a half years old and she's a Buff Sussex. However, before you get your hopes up, I think the reason why she's still laying is that she's not laid much during her life. She laid reasonably well for the first couple of years but has often gone broody (three times a year some years) and hasn't laid over the last few winters. This year she only started laying a couple of weeks ago, so 3 to 4 eggs for the last couple of weeks and I expect her to go broody and day soon.

milkmaid

Joined: 04 Jan 2007
Posts: 551
Location: western isles

Posted: Tue Jun 23, 09 12:13 pm Post subject:
i have a light sussex the same

Andy B

Joined: 12 Jan 2005
Posts: 3920
Location: Brum

Posted: Wed Jun 24, 09 10:51 am Post subject:
Ours is a Rhode Island called Ruby. She is 8 and still laying but after a couple of months the shells are a bit thin and quite a few are broken.

lottie

Joined: 11 Aug 2005
Posts: 5059
Location: ceredigion

Posted: Wed Jun 24, 09 12:48 pm Post subject:
Some hybrids do lay at 8---I had a Speckledy that did---her sisters layed for several years as well--but she was the oldest.

goosey

Joined: 29 Apr 2009
Posts: 380
Location: Merry England

Posted: Wed Jun 24, 09 12:49 pm Post subject:
Aaaah nice to hear about these senior chooks . Just out of interest, do you think the eggs are fertile - providing there is a rooster of course. What is the oldest cock anyone has, and what breed is he? I am wondering what the record is for producing chicks from these older birds. And, which breed is longest-lived.

crofter

Joined: 11 Feb 2007
Posts: 2252

Posted: Wed Jun 24, 09 12:58 pm Post subject:
I have a cockerel hatched in 1999. "Shetland" hen. Still fertile. Also have a couple of geese which are nearly 30! My oldest hen is a black rock which I bought in 1998. Lays occasionally.

goosey

Joined: 29 Apr 2009
Posts: 380
Location: Merry England

Posted: Wed Jun 24, 09 1:07 pm Post subject:
Well I think you have some serious contenders there! Geese do live long, like parrots. I've heard of some geese in the States, which the next generation of the human family inherited from their family.

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