How many chickens.............

[CHlCKEN]

Fully depends on the breed! Reliable breeds such as Barred Rocks, lay quite frequently and you could probably get 25 eggs a day with 25-30 of them. Silkies, On the other hand don’t lay as frequently, because they tend to go broody causing a break in their egg laying once they have a clutch.

(I’m being very discreet trying to pick out some breeds maybe you have heard of, there are lots of high production and low production birds out there! Tons!)

If your wanting eggs for selling purposes a higher number of girls would be safer.

 

[FarmerGirl101]

I've found that Rhode Island Reds and Leghorns have been my best layers. My leghorns have even laid through winter although we don't have much of one in California. The biggest thing I would say is that you need to be able to have enough space to replace in 3 years (3 years I've found is when mine start to slow down). Although that might be easy depending on how many will pass as you go on. Point is make sure that you have enough space to replace your birds/add new birds with new layers.

 

[FarmerGirl101]

If your wanting eggs for selling purposes a higher number of girls would be safer.

very much agree! A higher flock number is definitely safer

 

[black_cat]

I have white leghorns and red sex links, and they lay every day when it's laying season. BRs are supposed to be high production as well. However, as previously suggested, having more than you need is a good idea to accomodate for loss and individual hens laying habits.

 

[CHlCKEN]

very much agree! A higher flock number is definitely safer

I had originally said 25-30 for 25 eggs a day (high production breed) but considering the fact that no person wants that many chickens for egg count unless your selling them! Maybe 40-45. Be brave and snag 50 but that could be twice the ammount if eggs you need. I believe most hatcheries have a lower price for 50 birds.

 

[CHlCKEN]

I have white leghorns and red sex links, and they lay every day when it's laying season. BRs are supposed to be high production as well. However, as previously suggested, having more than you need is a good idea to accomodate for loss and individual hens laying habits.

Ya I made a mistake and had 11 (10 layers) BRs in the coop. An egg a day as they say. Luckily Poppy(Jr) Was Broody for no reason (I’ve never seen a BR be broody like that but there one in every bunch!) only she was the worst broody ever. Sit on the eggs all day but you could coax her out until it clicked in her head and she remembered she was broody again and would go back 4 days later

luckily we had just gotten rid of “Brooster“ (Bruce the Rooster ) So no littles were among the flock at the time

 

[mommiesrcool]

Well, my whole family and I eat eggs all the time. We have omelettes, scrambled eggs, breakfast pizza, "hootenanies", and bake countless desserts with eggs. We use them in almost every meal. More than 10 hens gives us a major surplus. They were just going bad. We have 6 laying hens right now and they go above and beyond our needs. Unless your family is huge, 10 laying hens should definitely keep you in supply. If you want to sell some (how many about will you want to sell per week?) you should only need maybe 10-15 more hens depending on the demand. And if you buy newly hatched chicks now, they won't lay until spring. And if you want eggs in the winter you'll have to use supplemental lighting in the coop. But that's hard on their reproductive cycle. You'll have to get new birds every 2 years or so.

in Florida we don't get much winter but the days would be a little shorter so i will get one when the the time comes

 

[mommiesrcool]

I suggest you get 50 chicks. It's a nice round number, and with those breeds you should get more than 25 eggs most days from 50 females, but you won't get more than 50 eggs.

i will order 60 chicks incase some die

 

[black_cat]

i will order 60 chicks incase some die

If you get 60, make sure you have space for 60. If they all survive they need the space, and if they all don't than yours have extra space.

 

[mommiesrcool]

If you get 60, make sure you have space for 60. If they all survive they need the space, and if they all don't than yours have extra space.

they will