Sometime either before or after you fall in love with your chicken flock you’re going to want to know, how long do chickens live? And what can be done to ensure a long and happy life?
The lifespan of a chicken varies but it’s usually between 3 and 7 years. With ideal care where they’re kept safe from predators, they can live up to 10 or 12 years old. This depends on the chicken’s breed, genetics, and lifestyle.
We will talk more about breeds, providing proper care, and the ideal environment for chickens but first, let’s talk about the life stages of a chicken.
How Long Do Chickens Live In Each Life Stage?
While chickens make excellent pets, many people also add chickens to their life with the intent to collect their eggs. It takes a few months for a chicken to reach this stage of life!
Baby Chicks (Weeks 1-4)
When a baby chick hatches they’re covered in wet feathers but within just a few hours their feathers (or fluff) will double in size. These aren’t mature feathers but they’re very cute!
Mature feathers will start to replace the fluff at around four weeks old. A few weeks after that they should be fully feathered and better at regulating their own body temperature.
It’s not till a chick is four weeks old that you can really tell their gender. Male chicks may have larger combs and wattles compared to female chicks. Females have longer wing and tail feathers. Male chicks won’t have tail feathers!
Chicks will need Starter Feed that is at least 18% protein with other vitamins and minerals growing chicks need!
Pullets and Cockerels (Weeks 5-15)
This is the teenage stage. Honestly, it’s a fun time for a chicken! They’re getting to explore the outdoors and experience chicken life to its fullest. Pullets are females and cockerels are males. The physical differences between pullets and cockerels become more obvious after week 7.
Chickens should continue with their Starter Feed through this stage or use a Grower Feed. Grower Feed should have a bit less protein that’s better for teenagers and help them prepare to transition to Layer Feed in the next stage. The feed shouldn’t have more than 1.25 percent calcium.
Hens and Roosters (18 Weeks or When The First Egg Arrives)
This is the stage where you want to slowly transition your chickens to Layer Feed. It works well to mix the old feed with the new feed for the first week so that they accept the new food and get used to the change without any digestion issues.
Chickens will shed and regrow feathers annually, usually in the fall. During this time, they will take a break from egg laying and spend a few weeks shedding feathers (molting). It can be an uncomfortable time for chickens and you’ll know when it happens! You’ll see plenty of feathers decorating the coop.
Oyster Shells assist with egg production so in this stage the extra calcium there helps build strong eggs.
Egg production will peak in the first two years after that first egg and then slowly decrease.
Factors That Influence A Chicken’s LifeSpan
There is a large range of normal when it comes to the life expectancy of a chicken. Learning about your specific breed will give you a good idea of what to expect. There are also ways to keep your chickens healthier and safer that will maximize your time with them.
Breed
Some chickens were bred to lay a lot of eggs. For example, the ISA Brown are large production hens and they usually only live 3 years. They lay a lot of eggs in a short time!
Heritage breeds take longer to mature and they have lifespans closer to 10 years. These are breeds accepted into the American Poultry Association. A lot of backyard chickens are heritage breeds, these include Rhode Island Reds, Plymouth Rocks, and Australorps.
The longest living chicken breeds are those whose genetics haven’t experienced any human intervention. They have the strongest immune systems! However, these breeds (landrace breeds) are much more rare than heritage breeds.
Diet
There’s a lot of variety when it comes to food that chickens can eat but here are the essential parts of a chicken’s diet:
feed
oyster shells
grit
scratch
Chicken feed is the bulk of your chicken’s dinner. We mentioned the different types of feed for each stage of a chicken’s life. Your chicken will need either starter, grower, or layer feed.
Check out our Beginner’s Guide to Raising Chickens for more information on a proper chicken diet! A proper diet gives a chicken's body everything it needs to function and fight disease.
Lifestyle Factors That Affect How Long Do Chickens Live
Stress plays a huge role in longevity. When chickens are stressed their bodies have a harder time meeting the demands of daily life because their body demands more of them!
Factors that influence a chicken’s stress levels:
temperature (60-75 degrees Fahrenheit is the ideal temperature for a chicken)
space (an over-crowded coop is very stressful for chickens)
lack of exercise (not getting enough time outside of the coop)
poor ventilation (poor air quality)
infections
hormone changes
harsh handling
When a chicken is stressed their egg production drops, when their body’s systems are taxed, less-important tasks (like egg production) stop.
Safety
The biggest killer of chickens is predators. Domestic dogs are a big problem for chickens, it’s not just wild animals that you need to keep your chickens safe from. Dogs, cats, coyotes, raccoons, birds of prey, and snakes are all threats to your chicken coop.
How long do chickens live? It depends how safe you keep them!
Best Ways To Keep Your Chickens Safe From Predators:
Elevate your coop (at least 12 inches off the ground).
Install a 12″ deep hardware cloth underground.
Cover the run with a hardware cloth.
Close up your coop and run at dusk.
Encourage your chickens to roost inside the coop by providing enough space and an easy way to access the roosting space.
How Long Do Chickens Live In A Safe Environment?
Not every chicken was meant to live to be 12 years old, or even 5 years old. If your chicken has a shorter life than you expected, it doesn’t mean you did anything wrong. There’s a lot going on inside a chicken that you can’t see, especially the genetics that you can’t change.
Accidents happen too. Very secure chicken runs have been broken into. Injuries happen where you may not expect. Do your best with what you can control and you will see a big difference as far as the overall health and safety of your flock goes.
We are not veterinarians, and none of our information should be construed as veterinary advice.
Before adding any new product, please consult your exotic veterinarian. If your pet is acting unwell and you have concerns for their well being, please contact your vet immediately.
