Newbie who is fretting!

[Gembeag]

Only 1 of our flock of four is laying at the moment - 17/18 week old RSLs. She lauded yesterday for the first time and again today. Perfect little eggs. She needs to go on to layer food, I know but it is ok for the others to eat that too?
Also, will the others lay when the time comes, if there is already an egg in a nesting box that I haven't collected?
Daft questions, I know!

 

[Gembeag]

"lauded???" Layed!

 

[aart]

You could put a fake egg/golf ball as 'bait' in one nest, but it might not be needed if the first girl already figured it out.

Probably OK to start layer feed for all of them...there are other options tho.
You can just provide oyster shell in a separate container for the laying birds, and keep using starter/grower feed for all.

I like to feed a 'flock raiser' 20% protein crumble to all ages and genders, as non-layers(chicks, males and molting birds) do not need the extra calcium that is in layer feed and chicks and molters can use the extra protein. Makes life much simpler to store and distribute one type of chow that everyone can eat.

The higher protein crumble also offsets the 8% protein scratch grains and other kitchen/garden scraps I like to offer.

Calcium should be available at all times for the layers, I use oyster shell mixed with rinsed, dried, crushed chicken egg shells in a separate container.

Animal protein (mealworms, a little cheese - beware the salt content, meat scraps) is provided during molting and if I see any feather eating.

ETA: no questions are daft...if you don't know, ya gotta ask ;-)