Grandmother chicken& Grandfather chicken
How old do chickens get? Natural life expectancy:
There are few reliable statements about the maximum life expectancy of chickens. In specialist books, you can sometimes find age estimates of up to 50 years, but this is extremely unlikely. According to most reports, domestic chickens live for around 6-8 years, in some cases 9-10 years. Hybrid chickens often die earlier than natural chicken breeds, which are not exposed to the stress of constant egg-laying.
Slaughtering chickens
From the age of two, the laying performance decreases noticeably, which is why many chicken farmers often slaughter their laying hens. If it is then a dual-purpose chicken or a meat chicken, the result is often a decent soup chicken. Whereas hybrids are usually so emaciated from all the laying that it is hardly worth plucking them.
Typical death of a chicken
Most chickens die quite quietly and secretly. Often these animals are found dead under the perch in the morning without much warning. Chickens often try not to let their conspecifics know that something is wrong with them. This often makes it very difficult for the owner to recognize illnesses at an early stage. It is often not visually apparent that a chicken has started to lose weight under its dense plumage. Chickens with high egg production in particular can have problems with their clutch after a few years. These animals then suddenly stop laying eggs and die within a few days. Death in childbirth or so you might say.
Fatal diseases in chickens
Of course, diseases can also severely decimate your chicken population. If several animals die within a short period of time for an unexplained reason (not a marten bite etc.), you should urgently consult a vet. Some diseases can spread very quickly and, in the worst case, can lead to the death of the entire flock. It is therefore important to react quickly to the health of your chickens.
Robbers in the henhouse
Probably the nastiest way to lose animals is a nocturnal fox or marten attack in the coop. In contrast to a bird of prey attack, not just one chicken is dead, but usually all of them. A picture of devastation and horror then usually awaits the shocked chicken owner. A secure chicken coop is therefore essential!