Hi there everyone! This is so funny..... We noticed it yesterday. Jackie, our Japanesse Bantam is sitting on a golf ball!
Now before you think we are weird we were told to put the golf balls in the nestboxes so the girls would know where their eggs go. So I am guessing most of our hens are catching on to where the eggs go. We just haven't taken the golf balls out. Well, yesterday I went out and 7am and saw Jackie in the nestbox....12 pm she was STILL there! So I went around and pet her. She was mad! She like chicken groweled at me! All I could do was laugh!!
When she finally got up after me pestering her the only thing under her was a very warm golf ball!!!!
Silly chicken. I will have to look it up again, but maybe the Japanesse Bantams are good sitters. It is pretty funny and this morning she was back in there. Off to check her soon!
My only hen that lays (out of 8, another story) laid her egg next to the golf balls (2) for about a week. This was a vast improvement to her previous way of deviously hiding it in a different spot every day. However, then she decided to try to hatch them. She also dragged two plastic easter eggs (neon pink and green) under her next to the golf balls. I had to get a board to pry her off them so she would go out and eat / drink (before I got the board she attacked my hand and looked very puffed up and evil). I took them all away, but now, to punish me, she had decided not to lay now at all.
The whole reason for the golf balls was to teach the bratpack (24 week N.H. hens) where to lay when the time came. (which I'm beginning to feel will be never) But, if I put them back, Dora (Sumatra cross) hops back on the golf balls and no one can come near them !
Now if only I could get her to hatch those golf balls- we live in a golf / equestrian community !
by the way after they are sitting on the 'eggs' for a while they wont lay eggs for a while after you remove them, for they are broody which may also put them in a molt in which time they dont lay. They will get over it in 6 weeks or less.
Last time she went broody she sat on a pile of shavings for almost three weeks before she gave up ! I figured that I have "hormonal" issues sometimes, so I just let her work it out ! But I do hate to buy eggs !
SO maybe I should take the golf balls away? I still have 14 week olds that I will try and golf ball train--hehe. Maybe I will just temporarly take them out till the other girls get close to that time.
So I took the golf balls outta the 1st 2 nestboxes (the 2nd is where Jackie hangs out). And yet again she was in there today!!! So I pushed her outta the nestbox and she actually had a egg under her instead of a golf ball! YEAY!
My hen also sat on a golf ball and when I put eggs under her and moved the golf ball, she moved too. I finally gave up and take all the eggs and the golf ball. She finally get being broody but now she refuses to lay.