I may have to reconsider. I told my brother about the post and he says he has a good source for some eggs. I still may check into the three-chicken scenario like you have.
Chickens are great! I have 4 kids but only the youngest is left at home (high schooler) and I missed the movement and life in the backyard. Chickens add that. You just need a coop (which you can build or buy) with a nesting box, some bedding and chicken feed (I also feed them scraps and cracked corn) and a waterer, and then some fencing around part of your yard (so they don’t eat your flowers and poop around your pool deck etc).
We have an automatic coop door that opens around noon and closes at dusk. They are free range in the yard in between. I love fresh eggs and 4 eggs a day (they lay less in the winter though) for our family of 3 is perfect.
Roosters provide some protection to the flock but my area doesn’t allow them so we just have 4 hens.