Need 2 doz. eggs per week, how many chicks?

[traceyleezle]

We are undertaking the chicken adventure for the main purpose of receiving eggs from them. We usually go through about 2 dozen eggs per week. Sometimes more, mostly a little less. We really don't have a huge yard so we can't have a ton of chickens. I really would like a very colorful egg basket, so I'm thinking 4 Easter Eggers,and maybe a Cuckoo Maran. Do you think that will be enough chickens to meet our families egg needs?

 

[cabot]

I have six hens, one never lays, so essentially five laying hens and get 24-27 eggs/week avg from them. I have an Easter egger, delaware, australorp, barred rock, welsummer (and the free loafer, columbian wyandotte.) 5-6 chickens should be just about right for you.

this is my typical egg basket...

 

[Happy Chooks]

6 hens would work great, you would get about 4-5 eggs a day in peak time of year. You will get less in winter time though, with them going through molts (they don't lay when molting) and unless you add light, the shorter days will slow down their production.

 

[whitehousechix]

Quote:
your chickens eggs are beautiful

 

[dkvart1]

What beautiful eggs.

 

[Fred's Hens]

My recommendation, FWIW, is to get two more hens than what you think. They have periods of lay cessation which would leave you short of your needs.
I'd make those last two hens KNOWN layers, such as a Black Sex Link or Red Sex Link. Having a portion of your flock be solid known good layers of 300 eggs a year helps with the feed/cost ratio and keeps you from having too many bad days of egg production. I say 8 hens, with at least 2 being GREAT, not just good, layers. If you are only going to keep six hens, the advice is even more applicable.

 

[flowerhippie]

I would consider what breed that will produce the eggs you need, having a dependable hen every day is important. So after all of the years I have had chickens. I have found that there are statistics on egg production threw out the year some may molt and slack off. Breeds grow at a different rate are also to be considered. I would go to the index on the home page and it will give you a breed index. This will give you a idea of what flock will be best for your needs. I have learned that the fancy colors and breeds are not always what I want. I am serious about egg production and food consumption. Cost of food and how much a breed may consume are some of the determining factors for choice. If you only need one dozen a week, what is your daily consumption ? I decide if I want a heavy flock or light, Getting dependable hens is a real decision to consider.