How Many Chickens Do You Need for a Dozen Eggs a Week?
For a steady dozen eggs a week, three good laying hens will usually do it in peak season. The exact number depends on the breed and the time of year, because a hen that lays six eggs a week in June might lay only two or three in December.
The short answer
A productive laying breed averages about five eggs per hen per week in peak season, according to University of Minnesota Extension. So:
| Eggs you want per week | Hens needed (peak season) | Hens needed (winter) |
|---|---|---|
| 6 (half dozen) | 2 | 3 to 4 |
| 12 (one dozen) | 3 | 5 to 6 |
| 18 | 4 | 7 to 8 |
| 24 (two dozen) | 5 | 9 to 10 |
Winter roughly halves output for most breeds unless you add supplemental light, so plan for the season you care about most.
Breed matters a lot
Not all hens lay the same. Leghorns, Rhode Island Reds, Australorps, and Sussex are strong layers at 250 to 280 eggs a year. Ornamental breeds like Silkies or Cochins lay far fewer. The egg laying calculator lets you pick your breed and flock size and shows eggs per day, week, and year.
Why winter changes the number
Hens lay in response to daylight. As days shorten in fall, most breeds slow down or stop, and they also pause to molt and regrow feathers. Adding a coop light to reach about 14 hours of light per day keeps laying closer to summer levels, though many keepers prefer to let hens rest naturally.
A safe rule of thumb
If you want a reliable dozen a week all year, keep four to five hens of a solid laying breed. You will have a surplus in summer, which is a good time to work out whether your eggs are cheaper than the store.