Wood/artificial egg

[ForFlocksSake]

My girls are about 14-15 weeks. I know it’s still very early but I’ve read leghorns and rhode islands have been known to be early egg producers and I have one of each of those. I’ve seen people on here using wooden eggs in nesting boxes to help guide their girls. When do I start putting those in there? Does it actually help?

 

[Saveria]

I think it does. You can pick up some ceramic ones at most feed stores. Do you have a rooster? He will be trying to convince them to lay when they do.

I don't think there could be a time that is too early, but the best time is to have them in there when the girls start checking the boxes out.

 

[LaFleche]

My girls are about 14-15 weeks. I know it’s still very early but I’ve read leghorns and rhode islands have been known to be early egg producers and I have one of each of those. I’ve seen people on here using wooden eggs in nesting boxes to help guide their girls. When do I start putting those in there? Does it actually help?

Yes, it does help to show them where to lay.

At about 18 weeks I start with the fake eggs.

 

[SueT]

Put them in now.

 

[Saveria]

I think it does. You can pick up some ceramic ones at most feed stores. Do you have a rooster?

I don't think there could be a time that is too early, but the best time is to have them in there when the girls start checking the boxes out.

Sorry, He will be trying to convince them *where* to lay when they do.

 

[RebelFord81]

I put them in already my pullets are 4 months, but order them off Amazon you can get 6 for like $6-7 instead of 2 for 10 from the feed stores

 

[The Welch Chickens]

You can also use plastic eggs or golf balls; we used both, but the hens weren't laying in the nest box, so we took one of the fake eggs out and they laid in that nest box
I would try fakes eggs in half the nest boxes and leave the other half empty.

 

[Gax000]

We use golf balls as that was easily available. After the ladies were 9 month old and fully trained I tried to remove the golf balls. l found it hilarious that they complained loudly when their “eggs” were gone. After cleaning the balls I put them back in the nests just to keep the peace.

 

[5Australorpasaures]

Worked in the past with RIRs and BAR RKS, not so much with our BLK AUS. They kicked them out of the boxes and lay their eggs on the floor in corners. Not a big deal, they're clean and easy to get to, One out of seven uses the box.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Golf balls are IMO the easiest option, cheap and plentiful and they feel different by touch so you don't even have to look while gathering eggs from under a hen.

You can put them in now, it's never "too early" to have nests set up so young birds can acclimate to them being there.