Many homesteaders keep chickens on their homestead for good reason. They are a gateway animal to other livestock, because they are generally easy to care for, and don't cost a lot.
4-H Poultry programs are an excellent way to learn about chickens hands on. And it's not just for your kids, trust me! You will learn just as much, if not more, as they study.
Different breeds of chickens lay a different amount of eggs each year, for example:
White Leghorns - 280
Barred Plymouth Rock -280
Rhode Island Red - 260
Australorp - 250
Speckled Sussex - 250-300
Hens lay less eggs as they get older, With their peak egg laying happening at 2 yrs old, and then declining. For peak egg production, it is common to replace your egg layers every few years.
If you are wanting to raise birds for both meat and eggs, consider dual purpose breeds. This way, you get to keep the females as your egg layers, and the males can fill your freezer.