In the UK the average egg consumption per person is less than one egg a day at around 300 eggs a year. Therefore a family of four would need about up to 22 eggs a week. If this figure seems high, and it will be for many families, then just tailor the following advice to meet your needs. Hens are social animals so the minimum you should keep are two. You do not need a cockerel to encourage your hens to lay eggs although if you want to raise your own chicks a cockerel is essential to fertilise the eggs. Different breeds of hen lay at different rates. In summer months a hen will lay one egg a day and so three hens will be enough. However, all hens lay fewer eggs in winter and some lay none at all. Older hens also slow down their egg production. Experts often recommend six hens family meaning you will have a glut of eggs to give away or trade in the summer.