Do I still use the ceramic eggs after they lay?

[Steflily]

We have a ceramic egg in each of our two nesting boxes to show them where to go. Now that one of our three chickens layed their first egg, should I keep the ceramic eggs in there or remove them? We got our first egg today. The other two have not started laying eggs yet.
Thanks so much for the advice!

 

[AntiqueB]

I leave mine in there. Usually, I have 2 in each nest box. I thought about removing them, but one of the girls regularly moves one of the ceramic eggs from the 2nd nest into her favorite box -- I guess she likes have 3 fakes under her as she lays. I'm not going to mess with what works! I do wash them periodically, though.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I would leave them in - it doesn't do any harm to keep them in there, but removing them can cause birds to decide the site is no longer safe for laying.

 

[aart]

I would leave them in - it doesn't do any harm to keep them in there, but removing them can cause birds to decide the site is no longer safe for laying.

Ditto Dat!

I leave one fake egg in each nest all the time, for 7 years now.
It can help 'spread the love'.

 

[Jenwisp]

Also, leaving the fake eggs in will help deter egg eaters.

 

[Fluffy Lambs]

My fake eggs have made mine broody so many times! Are yours broody breeds?

 

[GC-Raptor]

As Rosemarythyme said:
As aart said; I leave a ceramic in each nest.
I have also put 2 fake eggs in less popular or unused nest boxes to encourage laying there.

5 out of 7 laid in this unpopular nest when I added another fake. White eggs are fake.
No broody breeds here; Red sex-links, Barred Rocks and Rhode Island Reds. GC

 

[B-Goock]

Only issues with leaving them in would be people collecting them with the real eggs.
Our youngest has done this many times. We have some people come check our chickens while we go on a trip. Their payment is all the eggs they want. They too have collected the fake eggs. What's even funnier is they hardboiled the fakes and once they realized they are fake thought we played a trick on them. I had to show them on here what they are used for.

 

[GC-Raptor]

Only issues with leaving them in would be people collecting them with the real eggs.

Yes, the reason I bought white ceramic eggs, no Leghorns or other white layers here.
Wash your fakes, dry and draw a circular line with a permanent marker or water based paint.
Or use golf balls. GC

 

[3KillerBs]

I not only leave my golf balls in the nests at all times, I left them in the nests when I retired the previous flock and am still using the same golf balls for this flock.