Hen productivity

[dak]

Can someone give me an idea how long I can reliably expect to get eggs from the typical LF hen.  I'm sure this varies by line, but I'm looking for averages, not the unusual.  I also realize that some cull after a time to replace with younger stock.  Thinking in terms of linebreeding to sons, grandsons...

[Mike Gilbert]

Longevity in production is something we should all be striving for.  I am building my line of LF Brown Reds around a hen that is coming up on four years old and still one of my best layers, though she is going through  a molt right now.    The two cockerels I saved for breeding this year are both out of her.  She was never a show bird because of coloring issues, but around here they have to produce in order to stick around.
Unless you are breeding for it, I would not expect more than about two years of good production.  It does help if you feed so they don't get too fat, and to keep them free of parasites on a regular basis.

[bantamhill]

Hens that lay outside of the typical season and right up to molting are good to breed from.

[HarryS]

Dak,
   My black split to lavender old hens were 3 or 4 years this past season and I hatched some nice chicks from them.   The only reason they were kept that long was because of loosing birds to preditors for two years and luckily I did not cull them before the preditors did my culling for me. 

[dak]

Thanks you for the replies.  I have some Black coming 3 year olds that it sounds like I shouldn't expect much from. 

Harry, I have one Lav hen left from the 2010 hatch from your eggs.  She has been a great layer, better than my Blacks.

Clare