[MiriMaran]

As the subject says - how old is your oldest hen?  Mine is a sprightly 4 years old.

[BadgerFace]

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. 

[sagehen]

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! 

[BadgerFace]

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.

[MiriMaran]

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?

[doganjo]

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.

[CameronS]

i know someone who has a 11 year old laying, and still fertile Scots Dumpy,

[MiriMaran]

Good grief!

[Roxy]

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.

[MiriMaran]

Wow