Keeping hens

We are thinking of getting a few hens and keeping them in our garden. Does anyone else have hens?
We're not totally sure how many to get for a family of 2 adults and 2 small children. As a child we used to have about 6 hens for 2 adults and 4 children. I wonder whether 2 would be enough, or if we should get 3 or 4 - I guess I would use more eggs if we had a plentiful supply and the boys both like eggs.
Our hens wouldn't be exactly free range, as they will have to live in a henhouse with a run, but we want to make it quite big and if we don't get too many they should have plenty of room.
If anyone has any tips on what kind of hens to get and general hen keeping advice, that would be much appreciated

we have 20,000 hens, part of our farming business, but we do have some in the garden too, for eating and laying eggs, 2 or more hens would be fine, well depending on how many eggs you want, if you looking to get quite a few eggs id reccomend 3-4 hens! fresh eggs last for weeks too so you wont have to worry about them going off

heehhee, I only have four. They are great fun, and useful pets

we have 20,000 hens

Thought that was a bit ott til I read on Wish we had room for hens, I'd love a couple for fresh eggs. I try to get mine from the farm down the road, they leave them by the gate with a money pot. Kids love them!

we have 20,000 hens

Thought that was a bit ott til I read on Wish we had room for hens, I'd love a couple for fresh eggs. I try to get mine from the farm down the road, they leave them by the gate with a money pot. Kids love them!

20,000 does sound abit much!!! yeah we have them same thing with the money pot!

we have 20,000 hens, part of our farming business, but we do have some in the garden too, for eating and laying eggs, 2 or more hens would be fine, well depending on how many eggs you want, if you looking to get quite a few eggs id reccomend 3-4 hens! fresh eggs last for weeks too so you wont have to worry about them going off

I did a double take when I read 20,000

we have 20,000 hens

Thought that was a bit ott til I read on Wish we had room for hens, I'd love a couple for fresh eggs. I try to get mine from the farm down the road, they leave them by the gate with a money pot. Kids love them!

20,000 does sound abit much!!! yeah we have them same thing with the money pot!

Where abouts is your farm then? I've just noticed you're not far from me!

![/quote]

Where abouts is your farm then? I've just noticed you're not far from me![/quote]

fordingbridge! its called midgham farm
heres our website! the bloke onthe first page is my FIL
http://midghamfarm.newforestlocal.co.uk/?p=1

We have 4 hens (used to be 6 but one went to Mr Fox for his tea, the other got sick) and the kids love them. They are (usually) great for egg supplies and used to be so prolific that we'd give them away to our neighbours. However, we have a hen who appears to have a taste for eggs and who breaks them all and eats them now. I tell you, if I wasn't vegetarian.....