Another chicken question

[GSF]

I had a friend tell me that chickens peak out laying eggs around 18 months and completely stop between 2 and 3 years. Anyone ever heard of this before? We both are still learning about having chickens and it's probably more like the blind leading the blind.

[danno]

Not completely true.   They really slow down at a couple of years old but dont stop.   I dont keep them over two because they are not worth the feed.

[Michael Bush]

I've had chickens that were still laying at 3.  In general they don't lay well.  I think I've had a few that were still laying at 4.  It's hard to say exactly if a hen is laying or not unless you are butchering them, then a laying hen has either an egg or one in the works.  Also, with yellow skinned chickens you can look for bleaching of their skin when they are laying.  I've had some hens that lived pretty long (not sure exactly but at least six or seven) but they do stop laying eventually.

[minz]

It is also very dependent on the variety. We have had white leghorns that have produced 366 eggs a year for two years (neighbor dogs always kill the white ones within the first two years). The Buff Orpingtons (sp?) laid about 4 a week in the longest day of the year maximum.  With the reduced daylight and all my hens over 2 years old I have not found 2 eggs in the month of December. Wife will not let me start over. 

[GSF]

Minz, I've observed the white leghorns as a laying machine as well. When we had 4 and twenty something "other" breeds, we would always, and I mean always at least get 3 white eggs. A lot of times we'd get 4.

I had someone tell me last night that they will usually quit laying around 3 to 4 years, not 18 months. It's a learning experience.

[jayj200]

slip in a new one or two
they been cooped up for the winter don't know where they came from maye be they hatched

[kingd]

I have a few old girls,not laying much anymore but had one that was 5 and would go broody all the time.
We let her raise babies and was a good mom,I would get eggs from friends and neighbors to bring in new blood.