Can you eat old hens?

nuzuki · « **on:** May 24, 2013, 10:10 »

Lets say a hen who is 3 years old stops laying and is of no use anymore but is otherwise fit and healthy. Do others just let them live out their last days or do they cull them for the pot? My chickens are a maximum of 1 and a half years old so I have this all to look forward to.

Thanks

ANHBUC · « **Reply #1 on:** May 24, 2013, 10:19 »

I believe that would have been the practice for most people keeping hens in days gone by. Some people probably still do the same but most keep them as pets so would be appalled at the thought. The amount of meat will depend on the breed and an old bird would only be suitable for the pot rather than roasting (tough as old boots).

samuria · « **Reply #2 on:** May 24, 2013, 10:57 »

yes you can eat them. you have to boil them slowly for
a while then they can be roasted.
as mentioned all depends on size of hen and
meat on her.

loretta cluck · « **Reply #3 on:** May 24, 2013, 13:08 »

My girls will be living out their days until they naturally pop their clogs. They've provided me with a lovely supply of eggs, lots of entertainment etc, and they will pass on when nature decides. I'm one of the mamby pamby's who cant bear the thought of eating one of my pets....but understand and respect how this chicken keeping carry on works.

pepsi100 · « **Reply #4 on:** May 24, 2013, 13:16 »

I aint sure yet, it depends on the hen, if she was friendly, did her best with the eggs (any egg eaters are dispatched, I gave up trying to stop them)

At the moment I havent got to that point yet

orchardlady · « **Reply #5 on:** May 24, 2013, 14:41 »

Frankly most hens that are bought and kept for egg production don't have much meat on them. After you have taken into consideration your time and effort to kill, draw, pluck and cook an older bird you are better off going to a supermarket or a decent butcher.

I view my hens as working pets. Once they stop laying I keep them on until such time as they either die naturally (which is not that often) or they become too elderly to be a happy functioning chicken which is when I cull them. I hate doing it but do it efficiently and calmly so that the birds life is extinguished with the least fuss. As I do it I always murmur under my breath 'God bless and thank you for being a good chicken'. Maybe a little sentimental but it's to allay my own feelings of regret as it's always sad to witness the end of any life.

Orchadlady

Mum2mj · « **Reply #6 on:** May 24, 2013, 21:52 »

". Once they stop laying I keep them on until such time as they either die naturally (which is not that often) or they become too elderly to be a happy functioning chicken which is when I cull them. I hate doing it but do it efficiently and calmly so that the birds life is extinguished with the least fuss. As I do it I always murmur under my breath 'God bless and thank you for being a good chicken'. Maybe a little sentimental but it's to allay my own feelings of regret as it's always sad to witness the end of any life.
Orchadlady
[/quot

I think that's decent of you. My husband recently culled one of our ex-bats. We'd had her over a year but I think she was a little institutionalised & displayed mad behaviour traits she also hadn't laid for a year. I was happy to give a second chance but she wasn't s happy hen and my others are s lot calmer now she's gone.

Mum2mj · « **Reply #7 on:** May 24, 2013, 21:56 »

Would like to add we didn't eat her - not against eating ones own chickens - not sure is want to try an ex batt though!

JaK · « **Reply #8 on:** May 25, 2013, 08:17 »

Quote from: Mum2mj on May 24, 2013, 21:56

Would like to add we didn't eat her - not against eating ones own chickens - not sure is want to try an ex batt though!

Ex battery hens are used in a lot of processed food, they are in stock cubes, soups, sauces and loads more ordinary supermarket products.

We have eaten older hens but we can't really afford to waste good food. They make lovely stews (slow cooked) and soups.

sheridan · « **Reply #9 on:** June 02, 2013, 17:52 »

My last lot stopped being productive after 3 years and so they got terminated. Good for stock, and soup. I don't regard this as evil, they had a smashing life but it just wasn't economic to keep them in pellets beyond a certain point.

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Can you eat old hens?

nuzuki

Can you eat old hens?

ANHBUC

Re: Can you eat old hens?

samuria

Re: Can you eat old hens?

loretta cluck

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pepsi100

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orchardlady

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Mum2mj

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Mum2mj

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JaK

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sheridan

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