How old when a hen stops laying

A hen can lay until the day she dies, but the quality and quantity will decrease as she ages. I have a friend who just lost a 10 year old hen that still laid several eggs a week, but this is likely an exception. I know of others who might lay one a week by the time they are five years. They peak in their second laying season. Most people who are looking for production butcher after that.

It would depend on the hen and the breeding. After two or three years, production really falls off. Some hens are really done and shut off, others will lay an egg every so often for a while.

Right now, if a hen isn't laying, it might be more likely because of declining light and/or wintertime temperatures, depending upon where you are at and your management methods.

I have some hens that are old enough to vote and they still lay... maybe once a year. Seriously, though. After about 3 or 4 years they are not worth keeping except for olde lange syne... However, feed costs are far more than the value of the eggs right from the get go unless you grow your own and feed the hens what would go to waste anyway. Buying feed is not cost effective but I do it anyway. :(

I have some that are 8 and still lay occasionally. They would be better at making dumplings than eggs but they are lucky that I'm lazy!

If my hens are good layers the get to live 2 laying cycles if not they are gone after the first. Answer to your ? like others have said many years but little production.

Like your attitude Nora! How are my hens doing?

Oh, Rod! They are now cooped up and not liking it. I get green trimmings from my grocery store and they really like those. Today I gave them a slightly rusted head of lettuce. A sure hit! So are end pieces off the loaf of bread. Had some leftover oats from reseeding the pasture so I've been throwing that around the coop for them, too. Another sure hit! Warm water in a large jello mold. Ahhh... chicken heaven!

They're happy, Rod. Much happier than I as I go slip 'n' sliding down to the coop twice daily to give them mental and gastronomic stimulation. Twenty-eight hens and I got 2 eggs yesterday and 3 today. Not a single blue one in the bunch! Ungrateful fowl, mine included! But wait until spring... I hope you are improving?

We cull our three year old hens. They are all free-range. Even though feed costs are low during the spring and summer months when they get lots of bugs and worms , they are just too costly to feed during the rest of the year. Layers need about 16 % protein in their feed and when nature doesn't provide it , feed costs go up.

Our 3 year olds won a reprieve this winter, so we won't butcher until spring, when this summer's batch starts laying. We sell eggs, and I need every one I can get right now. We have 57 hens (plus some odd roosters) currently, with about 30 of those of laying age. We are averaging about a dozen eggs a day right now. I have to find a fridge by spring to store the eggs in. My current fridge won't cut it!

During the growing season, we feed very little. About 2 quarts a day for all the birds, as they free range and forage for most of their needs. The little bit of feed ensure good laying and keeps them returning to the coop. Of course, we make up for it in the winter!

What about ducks? The same? I picked up 50 khaki Campbell hens cheap and they're laying like gang busters while the chickens have all but quit for low light & cold. I assume they run 2-3 good cycles like a chicken does?

We are preparing to raise ducks. I will respond based on the "books," which claim average commercial productive life of 3years, though in home environments, many keep them until 5 years or longer. I'd love to hear from anyone with actual experience as well.

We also have 16 French Rouen ducks and while they were laying quite nicely in spring and summer, now they are not productive at all.

Interesting. These girls are 1 or 1.5 years. Came from a flock of 1500. I've heard Khakis are good layers. I've actually been doing better selling duck eggs than chicken eggs and was thinking of getting 50 more ducklings from Metzer now so they're ready come spring. I wonder if I should wait a cycle?

The light comes on in the henhouse at 4:30. I only have 9 hens and average 6 eggs a day. The timer and light more than pay for themselves. I only have one hen that I would consider a production hen and she is old. Food quality makes a huge difference in production. Free range only makes up around a 1/3 of what a hen needs to produce well, even in the summer.

I'm technically challenged, lol. What kind of light are you putting on a timer? Incandescent heat lamps? I just put this on the to do list - Christmas being a good time to pick up light timers

I keep a heat lamp on them when it gets too cold. In low daylight hours I have a fluorescent light that comes on in the morning. Gets them out of bed and going. If comes on around 4:30 and goes off about 8:00. I didn't get it in the coop early enough this year and my hens stopped laying altogether. After two weeks with the light coming on in the morning, I'm getting an average lay rate of 70%. Not too bad for heritage breed hens.

Have been using Hyline Leghorns for years. This fall, got a new line of Leghorn pullets. Don't recall the name, but they are bigger (still small), eat more (feed is cheaper) and supposed to lay more and larger eggs.

Have to admit, the pullets are starting to lay and even the pullet eggs are mostly medium. They do eat more. Hope this strain of Leghorns is as advertised.