Fake eggs

[KimbosKluckers]

All 6 of my lil witches are laying now. All in the nest boxes. Should I take out the fake ones?

 

[sourland]

Nope. Leave them there so that the birds remain inspired to use the nest boxes.

 

[TooCheep]

You can, but I've left them in the nests. You can store them somewhere inside or store them where the chickens are looking to lay anyway. Naturally, chickens like to lay in "clutches" where others have laid and effectively endorsed the location as safe.

PS- Glad to hear things are going well know after a bit of a rough start.

 

[Ridgerunner]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I leave my fake eggs in the nests.

What benefit do you see in taking out the fake eggs?

 

[KimbosKluckers]

Thank you all. Makes sense. I will leave them in there. And yes, the rough start seems to be over. Yay!! I was only thinking now that they know where to lay they may like it empty Good to know.

 

[rosemarythyme]

If they're laying reliably then yes some folks do take them out.

I tried it once, one hen got so upset as soon as she noticed that she just paced around making distressed noises for an hour. I put the golf ball back in and she calmed right down. I never removed them after that.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I use golf balls, too. I recently bought a batch of bright yellow ones. Makes it easier for these old eyes not to be fooled into thinking there's an egg in a nest when it's just a golf ball!

 

[rosemarythyme]

I use golf balls, too. I recently bought a batch of bright yellow ones. Makes it easier for these old eyes not to be fooled into thinking there's an egg in a nest when it's just a golf ball!

For me the advantage with golf balls are 1) very readily available and cheap and 2) even without looking I can put my hand under a hen and identify an egg vs the golf ball due to the dimpling and roundness.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

For me the advantage with golf balls are 1) very readily available and cheap and 2) even without looking I can put my hand under a hen and identify an egg vs the golf ball due to the dimpling and roundness.

Exactly!

 

[FrostRanger]

If it isn't hurting anything, no reason to change it. I leave my fake eggs in the nest box permanently. Hens have a reminder where to lay and I don't have to keep track of small round objects that'll probably just get lost if I store them somewhere