My grandparents raised chickens. They were legit chicken farmers, raising their flock for both eggs and meat that they used in their restaurant, fed their family, and also sold in the community.

Other than one or two favorite hens that my grandmother let roam the yard living their best life, I would guess most of their chickens didn't last much longer than 2 or 3 years, at which time they were cooked in the stew pot. That was just the reality of running a farm and raising your own food. 

Once egg production started to slow down, the hens were more valuable as a meal than as layers and they were replaced with new, more productive hens. 

Caring for an Elderly Chicken Flock

But these days, more and more people are keeping backyard flocks with the sole intention of raising the chickens as "pets with benefits". And on my farm, specifically, we don't eat our chickens. Ever.

They live out their natural lives, and once they stop laying, I continue to feed them and love them as always. 

But that has raised some issues with caring for them as they get older.

My grandmother didn't understand why I gave my chickens brewers yeast and sea kelp, why I named them all... but she wasn't raising her chickens for longevity like I am. 

So the healthier I can keep them, the happier they are and the longer they live. 

A chicken is generally considered to be "old age" after the age of five. By that time, her egg production has likely dropped considerably. But over the years, the majority of my chickens live to be 10 or even 12 years old. 

And as I've watched them age, I've noticed that they really start to slow down as they age. I can usually tell when the end is coming because that chickens' behavior will change - and she will let me know in her own quiet way that her days are numbered.

Signs of Old Age in Chickens

The most common signs of old age in chickens include:

• Walking more slowly

• Stiffness

• Thickening of the legs

• Thickening of the toes

• Spur growth on feet

• Feathers start to get dull and raggedy looking

These are all signs that your girls aren't "spring chickens" any longer, and that they are likely in their twilight years, but until that time comes, there are a few things you can do for your elderly chickens.

Diet Modifications for an Elderly Flock

Realistically, you'll have different ages of chickens in your flock, so any changes in diet for older hens won't be drastic, since that would impact your younger layers as well, but there are a few minor modifications you can make.

Switch to Crumble

If you're not already feeding crumble to your flock, you might want to switch from pellets or cracked/whole grain. Crumble is easier for chickens to eat and digest since the pieces are smaller. 

Consider switching to Grower Feed

You can also switch them back to a grower feed, since the older hens likely don't need the higher calcium levels in a layer feed.  And in fact, the excess calcium can cause kidney stones and other health problems.

Note: If your older hens are still laying occasionally, or you have younger hens still laying on a fairly regular basis, putting out free-choice crushed oyster shell or eggshell alongside the grower feed, that allows each hen to supplement her diet with the precise amount of calcium she need is important. Since the eggshells on eggs laid by older hens can be much thinner, soft-shelled eggs are fairly common.

Add some Natural Supplements

Adding some natural supplements to the feed of older chickens helps to keep them healthy and everything working in top condition.

Adding apple cider vinegar to their water has never been more important. Apple cider vinegar helps to balance the body's pH, and prevents minerals in the body from crystallizing. It's this crystallization that contributes to arthritis.

Raise the Feeders and Water

Raising the feed and water up off the ground can make it easier for older chickens to eat and drink, so they don't have to bend down so far to eat and drink.

Set up Several Feeding Areas

If you aren't already putting out several feed and water stations, set up a few in different areas so your older hens not only don't have to travel too far to eat and drink but can move to another area if a more aggressive flock member is hogging the food!

When you have an older flock member, you also want to watch for pecking from younger hens since chickens have a bad habit of picking on those who are weaker or slower than they are.

I also tend to be more liberal with treats for my older girls. I figure they have worked hard laying eggs for years and deserve to enjoy extra rations of treats from time to time! 

But diet is only one part of it. Other issues do come up in an aging flock or with elderly chickens. 

Coop Modifications for an Elderly Chicken Flock

If your coop is raised off the ground, be sure the ramp isn't too steep for older hens. You might want to add some guard rails to help her balance or slats so she can get a good grip as she goes in and out. 

Lower the Roosts

Inside the coop, one important thing that you can do for your older hens is to provide a low roost that’s very close to the ground to make it easier for your older hen to hop up onto it.  

My lowest roosting bar was more than a foot off the ground, so my older hens would often start sleeping in the floor-level nesting boxes or perching on the front lip of the lower nesting boxes at night instead, before I added one additional level of roosting bars that's only a few inches from the ground. This also helps older hens hop up onto the higher roosts.

Or add a ladder up to the higher roosts that your older hens can use to access the roosts. I often have to lift my older hens off the roosting bar in the morning if they've hopped up to some of the higher bars and then don't want to jump down in the morning!

Add  Straw Bedding on the Floor

The cold seems to affect older chickens as well. As any animal (or human) ages, their circulation starts to get worse, leaving them more vulnerable to frostbite and the cold, so I make sure there was always a nice thick layer of straw on the floor that my elderly flock members can snuggle down into at night in the winter if they want to.

You can also place some bales of straw in your coop. Not only will they help insulate the coop and keep it warmer, your older hens might like to hop up and roost on them at night in the winter. Older hens also have more trouble gripping roosts, so the straw might provide a welcome improvement for perching.

Add Cayenne Pepper to their Diet

Adding a bit of cayenne pepper to the feed through the winter can help with blood flow and improve circulation, which can also help to prevent frostbite. 

Arthritis in Older Hens

Inflammation and/or arthritis is common in older hens. There are several things you can add to an older hen's diet to combat and alleviate some of the inflammation and arthritis symptoms. These include:

• Cayenne Pepper | The capsaicin alleviates joint tenderness and lessens pain

• Cinnamon | Cinnamon acts as a anti-inflammatory

• Flax Seed | The Omega-3s in flax can help combat joint pain and stiffness

• Garlic | Garlic acts as an anti-inflammatory

• Ginger | Ginger has similar properties to a NSAID like ibuprofen

• Turmeric | Turmeric is also an anti-inflammatory

Topical Treatments for Arthritis

• Applying an aloe vera gel topically to your chicken's legs and feet can help with inflammation

• Eucalyptus essential oil applied topically can also help (diluted in a neutral oil like almond old in a 15 drop/2 tablespoons ratio)

Reproductive Issues in Elderly Chickens

Other Considerations for an Elderly Chicken Flock