We are down to 12 chickens now. Seems like they just "die off" at times for unknown reasons. We get (on average) about 6 eggs a day (when the snakes don't get them...
). We always have enough to give away. We seldom make poached eggs but when we do we make them like you except for the "whirlpool". Growing up we only had poached eggs when one of us kids were sick so I sort of relate to eating them on occasions when I don't feel real well.