How many Chickens?

[hcammack]

How many chickens would produce enough eggs for a family of 5? (they eat alot of eggs)

Thanks
Henry

 

[countyroad1330]

It would depend on what kind of chickens you have, and about how many eggs the family eats in a day.

 

[chickenlady]

How many is alot? One chicken produces an egg about every 26 hours, when laying. There are times that chickens will take a break and not lay at all. I have a family of 3 and we only eat eggs on the weekend, I have about 10 chickens, if they are all laying regularly, I have a dozen or two, sometimes more to give away every week.

 

[hcammack]

I think a flock of ten would be good they dont eat them often but they eat alot when they do make eggs. So I will probably get them a flock of ten fairly good layers from meyer hatchery in the spring.

Thanks
Henry

 

[hcammack]

what breeds would you suggest that can kindof hold there own against dogs they will be in a secure fenced fun but they have jackrussels.

Henry

 

[countyroad1330]

Not sure dogs are a good idea

For egglaying I would recommend Australorps, Orpingtons, Rhode Island Reds, Barred Rocks, or Production Reds. There's alot of good egglayers. Where are you located? I will have Buff Orpingtons in the spring.

 

[hcammack]

sorry I am in Maryland but thanks for the offer they also do have a big Border Collied who is very protective of their stock so he mabe can stop all of the Jack Russels but they certainly are nasty buggers I was thinking about and RIR roo to protect even through the chainlink and bottom of chicken wire.

thanks Henry

 

[WoodlandWoman]

For those dogs, I think they should definitely plan on doing something with the run to prevent the dogs from digging into it. Either burying wire around the outside, using a flange of wire around the run or wiring the bottom of the pen and covering it with sand.

 

[silkiechicken]

And if you want to keep egg production up for the long term, plan to replace at least part of the flock every three years or so as production will slowly decline after that age in most birds.

 

[hcammack]

I will definatly be replacing about 3 birds in there flock each year there will be mesures taken so the dogs cant get in they couldent get out when it was a dog kennel so it should work ok.

Henry