Countdown to chooks!

If you are just after eggs for yourself then 3 hens is a good number.  Most hybrid hens lay 6 out of 7 days so you would be getting 18 eggs a week!  6 hens would give you twice that!  I only have three laying hens and I find I have plenty of eggs year round.  Any of the hybrids make good layers.  Saying that I have purebred hens. My most robust hen is a Wellsummer.  She is four  now and still lays four eggs a week.  My arucana is forever getting her "hat" wet and then muddy so I can't recommend that breed, although she lays the most beautiful blue eggs.  My Light Suffolk lays practically every day but being white gets dirty  very quickly.  My most beautiful hen is a Vorwerk but she no longer lays but when she did they were pure white and about four a week.  Just get the hens that you think are beautiful.  Hybrids are friendlier, and the commercial layers extremely friendly.  Purebreds can be a bit standoffish.  My Arucana is very friendly and follows me about.  The light sussex is very wary as is the Vorwerk.  The Wellsummer is easy to handle but wary.  If I had to buy more hens then I would get more Wellsummers.

Thanks for suggestions, I'm going to read up so will know what To look out for.  Very excited!
Watch this space for pics. Aim to have it all finished by end of the week.

I bought some hens at a market some years ago - disaster!  Healthy a and beautiful hens but had never been near a human and were terrified!  Got 8 week old chicks and watched 'em grow after that.

"I'll be spending a lot of time sitting in the run with them. "

I love people who love their hens and don't treat them like little egg machines. xxxx