Well, three of my four chicks I hatched (in my photo) are now 6 years old. A year later, I let one of them sit on eggs and got five more. So, I have 9 chickens. I have three runs/houses. Two have two roosters each. The big run and house have the four hens and a rooster who was disabled but you'd never know it now. I hardly get any eggs but they all are given to my brother because I don't normally eat eggs anyway. I had a handyman finally put a good roof on my newer house and reshingle the original chicken house that my late father shingled 32 years ago. As I'm now 51 years old and don't make enough money to ever retire and have bad osteoarthritis, I promised my brother I would never get any more animals. I am ashamed that I am a complete and total failure personally and professionally. But, the last chickens I will ever have are having a pretty good life with plenty of fruits, veggies, dried mealworms, dried crickets. Most of the boys now have bad feet (bumblefoot, growths, arthritis) but that just means they can't hurt me like they used to. It's sad when things come to any end, and I will soon have to dig a lot of graves.
and man that was some experience, really learned quick how to take care of my flock though, nursed sick ones back to health, learned about medications, didn't lose not one to disease or injury for 5 years until that pair of fox came around, it was a great experience for me it really improved me as a person, I'm really sad my girls and my roo's went out the way they did though I know its par for the course of the lifestyle that eventually in some capacity tragedy is bound to strike in one form or another. Anyway that's my current situation, looking forward to this year, moving the coop to a new location on the property and starting fresh looking forward to a new start this season!
