I have two chickens that i recently got unespectedly. One is a Rhode Island Red that we know is younger in age. The other is a Jersey Giant (we dont know the age). But, niether one is older than a year-year 1/2. Niether one lays eggs though. So i was wondering hwo long they live and how long will they lay eggs for.
they most likely are not laying because they are not old enough. rhode island reds will lay at 5 months old and sometimes even 6 months. jersey giants lay at 6 months sometimes even 7. how long have you had them for. if they have only been with you for a few days then they are probably just stressed from moving to a new home and will start laying any day. rhode island reds will lay almost each day but jersey giants will lay every 2-3 days. the first and second years are when they lay the most and after that their egg production slows. chickens will live till 6-8 years although its most common for them to get eaten by a hawk, raccoon, dog, etc. generally they do not fully stop laying even in old age but will instead lay 1 or 2 eggs a year at 7 to 8 months.
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jersey giants and rhode islands red happen to be my 2 most favorite chicken breeds. rhode islands red are great producers and jersey giants are absolutely adorable with their big brown eyes and chubby bodies:)
Hens will continue to lay eggs as they age , but the amount of eggs they lay decreased over time. They are most productive during the first 1-4 years of laying. They generally start laying at around 6 months of age. Their combs and waddles will be bright red when this they reach this time of production. When molting they will stop laying eggs and they combs and waddles become dull.
Make sure they are getting a good layer pellet, crushed shells for calcium and grit for digestion. Also, make sure they have a box to nest in.
