we got our 1st egg yesterday!!! now what?

[vinniepoch]

our red sexlink layed her 1st egg yesterday, it is so cute. so, we have a few questions. we have 5 different breeds who are all the same age, will they all start laying now, or do certain breeds take longer? our birds are 18 weeks old. the other question is about food. they have been eating a all in one crumbles, and we read that they should be getting oyster shell. is that for more protein? their food is 18% protein now. is the oyster shell a suppliment, or is there a feed that has it mixed in already? i think that's it for now. thanks for reading this lenghty post. vinnie

 

[Karrie13]

Congratulations on your first egg! The oyster shell is for added calcium they need for egg production. From what I understand, once they start laying eggs they should be put on a “layer” type feed. They seem to vary on names depending on where you are from and what your feed store has.

 

[Sequin]

Their laying times may vary. Some breeds do take a little longer, and typically most start laying closer to 20 weeks. But they are on the right track!!!

YAY!!! You can put them on layer crumble(or pellets depending on what form they are used to eating) and that should take care of the need for oyster shell, but you can always offer oyster shell to them anyway. It helps them to produce nice hard and strong egg shells. I haven't really had to use oyster shell, and my eggs have always been fine.

 

[katrinag]

All breeds will lay at diffenet times, But most around 20 weeks. So the rest should start laying soon.

Make sure to give them nesting boxes.

As far as food goes, you can keep feeding them what they are getting now and just put a bowl of oyster shell out.

I feed someting like flock raiser cause I have all ages of chickens and just provide oyster shell.