Spent layers

I'm curious what others do about their infrequent layers, or layers who are too old altogether, or lay so irregularly as to be outside of "useful" contribution.

I have my own moral practices around this, which is that every bird lives out her natural life in my coop, and will have a place to roost, plentiful food and water to drink, and safety as much as I'm able to provide, for as long as she lives. I feel that a bird who has layed her guts out for me deserves no less.

What's your policy around your place?

I have a few old Hens that have been with me for a long time but Most of the Old layers end up in the Pot I can most of the old layers and the roosters I know there are alot that dont agree with that but to me they are a farm Animal and they are raised for Eggs and For Meat.

I'm like you, farmchiq; I pension off my old girls and let them live out their years.
But I realise that this is  a luxury - I can afford to support these non-laying (also non-high-consuming!) girls, and maybe some folks cant. As long as they're treated with respect (quick and stressless as possible death) I wouldn't criticise.

I`m going to try to utilize the meat some how.
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does anyone presher cook the meat?
Thanks....

BCBoy
Are you Meaning Pressure Can or Pressure Cook
I have been Pressure Canning The SPent hens and some of the Roos I also do other Meats I love it and its a good way to keep. I just got done canning Fish and am going to be canning Salmon in a couple weeks
I use to Pressure cook Chicken when I had the Boarding Kennel It cooks up great It cooks the Bones soft and all and makes a great mix food for the dogs or a person could eat it.
When doing Meat Follow the directions

I'm a little like you all. If a matriarch has made it that long here it means she has earned her retirement from all the eggs, offspring and possible broody hours she has put in.
In almost 4 years only 3 have made it that long and not been sold off to help in other breeding programs. These girls are still earning their keep, but that wouldn't matter even when they aren't they have value in the social structure.

My old girls wander around and lay an egg here and there. My feed is not overly expensive. If they are good enough they stay in the breeding program. Longevity is something I like to select for and you can't do it by retiring your layers at the age of two. I want them old and still laying!

When we made the decision to have chickens, we decided that they were for meat and eggs, not pets. Thus, all non producing birds are destined for the pot...well...except for the ones that go broody...and except for Alex the rooster (my avatar)...oh...and except for my wife's pet that comes for her daily hand feeding of corn....I suspect the list may expand as time goes by...

I'm just beginning a system of free ranging the older girls in daytime - they know enough to go back into their coop at dusk and enjoy being out and about, but do run a great risk of being taken by predators. The younger super productive layers and even younger not-yet-laying pullets are more protected in a big run with deep dug fence and a cover to protect them from predators even in daytime. They too go away at night but in their own "layers" building that is attached to the run. The laying coop was just getting too crowded with older hens so now I have this two building system. It is interesting to see in peak season just how many eggs the older hens still can produce. I like adding those eggs to the mix for hatching, because I think those hens have genetics worth keeping around. And if they choose to go broody - fine. Just hope it's in their building because they won't last long outside at night.

I did retire the old isa brown hens we had once the new group arrived, buried them in the garden near the raspberries and rhubarb (rhubarb loves this kind of thing and we don't get too many bears where we are)  -  they were about 3 yrs old and three of them were no longer laying, one was still occasionally laying but her eggs were poorly formed and she was missing a loooot of feathers over her saddle area  -  winter was not going to be kind for her.  I felt a little bad about it (they really did give their all to the task at hand  -  lay lay lay and lay some more) but it was the better option.  Also, I cannot afford right now to keep chickens that are not some how feeding back into the journey but possibly the social structure is better for their presence.  Right now my best offering to them is to have a good and well treated life with the best I can give and when it comes to greener pastures, a kind and respectful death.  Although I do have some favs and have yet to experience them with my growing awareness so theory is one thing and we'll see what unfolds.  I want to be a good steward first and foremost and part of that is honoring the budget which supports their healthy lifestyle.

Interesting point Coopslave makes, they have a place in the social structure.  I noticed that once the oldie girls were gone the young kids partied a bit more but they are all different ages under a year and most don't know what an egg is or how to crow yet.  The oldies would step in and stop testosterone fights or prevent other hopeful top pullets from beating up the smaller kids in their quest for status and I did appreciate that.  They were sort of like wise grand mothers with the grand kids.  Maybe this is important if the flock has chickens of all ages mixed in together, which is what I have.  I once noticed in a flock where they were all the same age there were hardly any issues within the group  -  maybe there were 40 or 50 chickens in the group.  Guess this is common knowledge amongst you more experienced chicken people.  Spot the noobie, yet again