# 26 week Easter Egger



## calihaney1320 (Sep 21, 2016)

When should she start laying eggs? She is fixin to be to be 26 weeks and this will be my first chicken to start laying. I only have two as I'm brand new to the chicken world lol is there anything I should be doing to help her?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Other than having calcium added to her diet, the only thing to do is give her time. The age is an average, it's not an absolute.


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## Nm156 (May 16, 2015)

One of my EEs didn't start until week 32............


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## calihaney1320 (Sep 21, 2016)

robin416 said:


> Other than having calcium added to her diet, the only thing to do is give her time. The age is an average, it's not an absolute.


Adding calcium, what should I get for an additive. Usually they are on the medicated chick starter


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Oyster shell is really good. Keep it out and they will eat at will.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

At that age they shouldn't be on medicated feed. They should be on either a layer or all flock feed. And to complicate things, every manufacturer calls their all flock feeds by something different. Mine calls it Game Bird Grower. Makes no sense to me since the only difference is the protein level and that's still only 20%.


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## calihaney1320 (Sep 21, 2016)

robin416 said:


> At that age they shouldn't be on medicated feed. They should be on either a layer or all flock feed. And to complicate things, every manufacturer calls their all flock feeds by something different. Mine calls it Game Bird Grower. Makes no sense to me since the only difference is the protein level and that's still only 20%.


Well she's on medicated feed because my rooster is only 15 weeks. How old should they be to switch to non medicated?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I never used it. I always had mine on an all flock feed with oyster shell offered free choice separately. I did have the necessary drugs to treat cocci but I never needed them.

You could probably switch them now. I don't like giving layer feed to roosters because I like to keep my guys around for as long as possible. There are reports that suggest that the extra calcium is hard on the boys' kidneys.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

I usually let my young ones have a go at layer when I turn them loose w/ the adults.I keep feeding them Flock Raiser too,as they are still growing,even if they start to lay.They need that extra protein for a little while longer.Don't forget to also supply some grit.They need it to grind up their food to digest it.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

They don't need grit if they are only being fed crumbles or pellets. It's when they are offered hard things like seeds that grit is needed. And if they free range chances are they don't need grit at all even if offered seeds.


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## aapholz (Jul 7, 2016)

Do they need grit if they're getting veggies and meal worms?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Nope. It's when they receive hard foods, like large seeds or whole corn.


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## aapholz (Jul 7, 2016)

Lol I've been wasting my money


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Nah, they're just extra protected. I think some of their wiring demands they have some grit in their diet whether they need it or not.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

robin416 said:


> They don't need grit if they are only being fed crumbles or pellets. It's when they are offered hard things like seeds that grit is needed. And if they free range chances are they don't need grit at all even if offered seeds.


So Robin,you don't offer your chicks grit?It's very important in the 1st week or 2 to get their digestive tracks functioning right.Plus,they need the grit to grind up food,even crumbles and pellets.That's what the gizzard is for-it "chews"the food.I provide it for my birds and chickens.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Nope, I've only ever used it when I give them hard seeds or sometimes I end up with whole corn. My pen is full of birds older than dirt.


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