The Henopause?

[Flummery]

I know that hybrids lay more eggs for a shorter time than the pure breeds, but how long I wonder? I have 3 that were hatched 2 years ago last Christmas, so going into their third laying season. They first laid on april 24th 2 years back (I can be specific - it was Himself's best birthday present that year!)

This season they arent' laying as regularly - one lays about 2 or 3 days then has a day off, one lays most days but will have, say, one day in 6 or 7 off. The third hasn't laid for over a month - before we got the new girls so it isn't the altered circumstances that have caused this. I wonder if she is 'on the change'? She is very fit and well and eats the same as the others, mainly pellets with some greens, a bit of grass most days and a scatter of corn/grit before bed. Not that I mind - they have earned the honorable retirement that I myself enjoy! I just wonder when to expect the other two to peter out.

[Mikey]

I'm sure I read somewhere the other day that they will lay with diminishing results for 4 to 5 years.

[Flummery]

She can stop swinging the lead then!

[Hilary B]

It varies enormously. Most hens (unless there is a definite health problem) will carry on laying 'sometimes' for a long time, and not live many months once they really stop, but even among hybrids, the age at which this happens can be very variable.
My first hens were something very similar to the Black Rock type, and the last one lived for 10 years, and was laying the occasional egg (about 2 a week over that summer, as far as I can remember) up to her last half-year.

[Suechooks]

My Amber Link (hybrid) laid non-stop for over 18 months. She then stopped for about 6 months and moulted. Then she laid spasmodically last summer and stopped over winter. She's now around 4 years old and looks like she's retired. I've noticed occasional ascites but this disappears overnight. I'm not expecting her to last much longer but as long as she's happy and pottering about she stays here in charge of her flock.
My Black Rock is Amber's second-in-command and is about 6 months younger than her. She has shown no signs of stopping laying although its obviously reduced numbers.
As for the ex--batts ...............................well who knows!