Mar 13, 2021 · The term "spent hen" comes from the commercial egg laying industry. They use specially bred hybrids that lay a lot of Grade A Large eggs for one or two laying seasons. After they lay for a season, usually a bit more than a year of laying, they have to decide whether to replace them or feed them through a molt until they are ready to start ...

Aug 10, 2023 · A spent hen is a term used for a hen who is past her prime egg laying years. Most chickens start to lay eggs at about four to six months old. They peak at about eighteen to twenty months of age ...

Feb 19, 2012 · Each year, millions of non-meat chickens are raised. While many chickens either die from predators or natural causes, there are those who look with a hungry eye upon an older, non-laying layer hen or a rooster that is a year or two old and has overstayed his welcome by becoming aggressive with the hens or even humans.

Aug 9, 2020 · a spent hen is a battery hen that stops laying early, at around 15-17 months.. Picture by google .

Feb 19, 2012 · This article along with some internet research resulted in a braised old, old, old (6 1/2 years) spent hen being 'braised' or 'stewed' after a process of -- butcher-->rest-->freeze-->thaw in fridge (3-4 days)--->brine in salted water (3 days +)-->cook in slow cooker on keep warm setting (26 hours or more -cooking must continue until the meat literally falls off the bone)

Apr 15, 2024 · Hello all, I have a spent Barred Rock who has recently started to be shunned by the rooster. I just figured he sensed she’s no longer “useful.” With this souring her golden years of retirement, I decided to rehome her and my other spent barred rock. Yesterday she started dropping a few...

Apr 20, 2010 · COVER chicken with water, and bring to a boil in a large Dutch oven. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and next 3 ingredients; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour for a grocery store hen or at least 3 hours for an old hen. Remove chicken, reserving broth in Dutch oven; cool chicken. Skim fat from broth; bring to a simmer.

Apr 13, 2010 · Spent hen disposal has been changing over the years. A very few are used in the commercial meat industry, some go into pet food or animal feed, and the rest are either composted or simply buried. At least this is what I've read recently.

Oct 13, 2009 · Thus hens may be molted a second time and then sent to a spent hen facility (120 to 130 weeks of age) or sent directly to a spent hen facility following the first molt (100 to 110 weeks of age). After the flock vacates the layer house, the house is stripped of all organic matter and sanitized before another flock enters the house.

Jan 20, 2008 · Sort of off-topic, but on the subject of spent hens being made into pet food, I just read an article in Mother Earth News about what 99% of commercial cows are being fed these days. Some horrifying things there, including spent hens ground up with "poultry litter"!!!!! So your supermarket beef is fed chicken shavings, poop, feathers, and old hens.