If they are just a few as pets that's doable. I have 40+ hens and couldn't afford to keep all of them and 40 new layers....plus they make good soup.I Hope you dont buthcer egg laying hens because egg layers can live long and for taht to lay an eggg it pain they work so hard and lose nutrition because of it you Should keep old hens to ur flock they also make great pets older hens are more nicer and docile than younger hens they also keep the pest down and eat rats and mice a laying hen can live up to 11 to 15 years. Now I can understand if you kill Cornish cross because the have no chance even tho they suffer from it so there is no better. But laying hen a sick hen desserves to surive and tooken to vet ALSO old hens do lay egg 5 year old 8 year old lay egg but not as often there also good with protecting young hens and have more experince with a hen they also tend to go even tho there 8 years old if the do they make great mothers because they have more experience
I keep them 2 to 4 x as long as commercial laying houses, and they have a good life. Better than commercial eggs