Our Australorp has been going through a lot of changes lately. She got her big girl voice...finally.... after a few weeks of honking like a goose. Her head feathers became a lot thicker last molt and her comb has become much larger and bright red. Yesterday we found her on the deck (where she's not allowed to be, but goes anyway) doing what sounded like an egg song. No eggs of course but we came running at the commotion. Then today after a long and hard rain we went out to check on them. She's our biggest pullet and she's starting to really put the smackdown on the others and asserting her place as #1 chicken. Well we had a good laugh because they ran under a deck chair and she took the "best spot" for shelter under the chair and was the only chicken not wet. I reached down to pick her up to pet her and it looked like she was going to run a way then suddenly to our surprise.....she displayed for me
. I was like Edna.... I know we're close but I'm a married man.... I guess they see me as the rooster in a very real way.
The question is should I go out and get some oyster shell right away or should I wait for the first egg? Right now she lives off a diet of grass, bugs, and chicken feed.... they free range the whole day.

The question is should I go out and get some oyster shell right away or should I wait for the first egg? Right now she lives off a diet of grass, bugs, and chicken feed.... they free range the whole day.
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