The Golf Balls really do work!

I was having issues with my girls not laying so much, or at least not really wanting to do so in the nest boxes.

I stole three golf balls from my hubby and put them in our two nesting boxes...it worked right away!
Now were getting our eggs consistently in the nest boxes

The funny thing too though is i have my two top-of-the-pecking order hens that like to sit on the other chickens eggs and sing the "egg laying song" without actually laying an egg! they've been doing this for about 3-4 days and I'm fairly certain they're not laying the eggs elsewhere. They'll do it to each other also if one is sitting on the nest box and the other is "hanging out"... anyone else experience this? We have 6 older girls and get two eggs consistently daily, I know the two that are laying for sure.

If you have experienced this, do you know why they are like that? These hens range between 2-3+ years, really don't know their ages as we adopted them.

Thanks!

I have some theories although I am NOT a real scientist.
The golf balls............. first possibility is the chickens are being tricked. Second possibility, the chickens are avid fans of the sport.
Your 2 top tier hens............ They are impostors, pretenders, impersonators and tricksters. They want you to believe that they laid the eggs. FREELOADERS. and possibly receive gratitude in the form of treats.








LAUGHTER.... BEST MEDICINE.!!!

cavemanrich said:

I have some theories although I am NOT a real scientist.

The golf balls............. first possibility is the chickens are being tricked. Second possibility, the chickens are avid fans of the sport.
Your 2 top tier hens............ They are impostors, pretenders, impersonators and tricksters. They want you to believe that they laid the eggs. FREELOADERS. and possibly receive gratitude in the form of treats.

LAUGHTER.... BEST MEDICINE.!!!

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I have to say, I AM a little suspicious of that myself!!! they don't fool me though... LOL

I was hoping that it's maybe a sign they'll start laying again...perhaps that is just wishful thinking

Chickens are just funny creatures. I have one who will stand outside the nest box singing the egg song for my Wyandotte who never sings. I guess she figures that if the other girl won't sing she will do so for her.
Also, it doesn't just work with golf balls. Pretty much anything eggish in size and shape works. I just gave my broody hen a couple of old drawer knobs to sit on until I had real eggs. Lol chicken antics never get old

heatherlaw said:

Chickens are just funny creatures. I have one who will stand outside the nest box singing the egg song for my Wyandotte who never sings. I guess she figures that if the other girl won't sing she will do so for her.
Also, it doesn't just work with golf balls. Pretty much anything eggish in size and shape works. I just gave my broody hen a couple of old drawer knobs to sit on until I had real eggs. Lol chicken antics never get old

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ohhh clever! That makes sense that it's anything similar in shape and size, never thought about it that way.

I'm a little suspicious of one of my hens having gone broody...she's got a spot that she sits on relentlessly in the morning, but by afternoon / evening she's left it alone and no egg.
I figured it was her "laying spot" but now i wonder if i have an inconsistent broody hen on my hands...especially since she has not been laying eggs for quite sometime...I was hopeful that she was starting up again after winter!

They drive you crazy when they do that! I had a couple I was waiting on for their fist egg. They both spent weeks "practicing" but nothing. One didn't lay till she was 32 weeks old! I think they do it just to psych us out.

heatherlaw said:

They drive you crazy when they do that! I had a couple I was waiting on for their fist egg. They both spent weeks "practicing" but nothing. One didn't lay till she was 32 weeks old! I think they do it just to psych us out.

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Haha they probably do...sneaky girls! Just checked where she was this morning and again...nothing! she's all happy running about now LOL

The stinker is probably hiding a nest somewhere and just wants to throw you off the trail.

heatherlaw said:

The stinker is probably hiding a nest somewhere and just wants to throw you off the trail.

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Chicken 1, me 0 HAHA