The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: MiriMaran on March 18, 2010, 09:11:38 pm

Title: Who owns the oldest TAS chicken?
Post by: MiriMaran on March 18, 2010, 09:11:38 pm
As the subject says - how old is your oldest hen?  Mine is a sprightly 4 years old.
Title: Re: Who owns the oldest TAS chicken?
Post by: BadgerFace on March 18, 2010, 09:18:10 pm
My oldest is the 9 year old ex-batt. We once had a Pekin bantie cock that lived until he was 12 !! He was buried with full chicken honours, under the magnolia tree in the garden.  :chook:
Title: Re: Who owns the oldest TAS chicken?
Post by: sagehen on March 18, 2010, 09:20:06 pm
I was told that ex batts rarely live longer than 3 years, because of the stress of their earlier lives, so hearing about a nine year old ex batt is fantastic!  ;D
Title: Re: Who owns the oldest TAS chicken?
Post by: BadgerFace on March 18, 2010, 09:23:09 pm
I think she must be super hen - all the others (19) that we re-homed at the same time, died long ago. Some to the fox, but mostly just dropped off their perch during the night.
Title: Re: Who owns the oldest TAS chicken?
Post by: MiriMaran on March 18, 2010, 09:26:08 pm
We had 15 ex-batts 2 years ago and now have only 2.  The same really, fox, unexplained deaths, dog attacks.  Its not a good record is it?
Title: Re: Who owns the oldest TAS chicken?
Post by: doganjo on March 18, 2010, 11:38:53 pm
I got six in October 2008, then another four last year, only got 7 now, one died, hester got another, a third disappeared.  Wonder if they keep a frecord at BHWT, maybe they won't give me any more :'( :'(  So mine aren't old, but I have a duck aged 9 still laying too. ::)
Title: Re: Who owns the oldest TAS chicken?
Post by: CameronS on March 19, 2010, 07:05:32 pm
i know someone who has a 11 year old laying, and still fertile Scots Dumpy,
Title: Re: Who owns the oldest TAS chicken?
Post by: MiriMaran on March 19, 2010, 07:34:44 pm
Good grief!
Title: Re: Who owns the oldest TAS chicken?
Post by: Roxy on March 19, 2010, 10:20:20 pm
Some of my ex batts are over 3 years old, so I consider them to be doing well.

Until recently I had three bantam hens, a mother and her two daughters.  The mother lived until 16, and the daughters 14 and 15.  I had one called Betty bantam a few years ago and she too made it to 16.  They all carried on laying until they were about 11.
Title: Re: Who owns the oldest TAS chicken?
Post by: MiriMaran on March 20, 2010, 08:53:36 pm
Wow