Attacking fake eggs

[WiddleChix]

So, I have 6 pullets, 1 cockerel and 2 heritage turkeys of unknown gender who are all about 5 months old(give or take a week). I put their nesting boxes in the coop with a fake ceramic egg in each when they were 4 months old. When they first saw the egg they were all pecking at it and kicking it. Now a month later I keep finding the eggs rolled out of the boxes and if I show them the eggs they peck at them.

My question is, when they start to lay(no one is yet) will they try to peck their own eggs?? I really don't want to deal with egg eaters

lol

Another question, how acurate is the width of the pelvic bones test in determining when a pullet will lay? I can fit almost two fingers between my BOs pelvic bones but the rest is either a little slimmer or only one finger(I don't have very big hands) I don't know who's hand size this is based on or how acurate it actually is.

Thanks for any input!

 

[chickcrack]

Hi there. So the whole point of the ceramic eggs is to get all that curiosity out of their system so they won't bother with real eggs when they come along. Your girls will get bored of trying to break those ceramic ones open because nothing is happening. I have had the odd egg rolled out of the nest (usually by my head hen who doesn't think anybody else should lay in HER box) but it's rare. Does your nesting box have a good lip on it to try to prevent them rolling out?
As for the finger test...sounds like your one girl (the two finger one) should lay soon. Usually you notice their comb/wattles grow and turn brighter red FAST within a week or two before laying their first egg. Another tell tale sign is they start doing the squat if you reach for them. They freeze and squat down...eggs will be coming shortly after you notice this!
Good luck

 

[WiddleChix]

I have about a 3-4 inch lip or so on the boxes, I made them so I just kind of eyeballed it but I could always readjust it. The boxes are on the floor of the raised coop so I'm not worried about them breaking from falling(it's the turkeys kicking them out on purpose) but from the chickens pecking them

I've noticed two of my pullets squatting, my BO has a larger about a 2 finger tip width between her pelvic bones and was the first to squat a few days ago. My EE just started squaring and it's hard to say her comb size because she has a very tiny pea comb. My BO has an ok sized comb and wattles and they definitely are getting redder.

 

[chickcrack]

Well putting a wider lip on the boxes may help but I know nothing about turkeys so no idea if that will stop them!
Sounds like your first egg should be coming soon! Are these your first chickens?

 

[WiddleChix]

Haha yeah turkeys are crazy. These will be my first laying chickens. I had chickens last year but something came through and they all got sick and none made it, it was pretty devastating but I never knew how cool chickens were before then so I decided I really wanted more and this time I'm very conscious of bio security and watching them really closely and so far so good! *Knock on wood* I'm really excited for them to start laying!

 

[aart]

I've found the pelvic bone thing to be very accurate....
.....but you do have to take into account the size of your finger tips,
the number of fingertips is approximate because everyone's fingers are different.

They can be crazy messing up the nests when the first start laying and just before, they should calm down with the scratching after they start to lay.
The fake eggs/golf balls are supposed to deter them from pecking the egg enough to find the gold inside,
but you can find some curiosity pecks/holes at first, and soft or thin shelled eggs break esay and are fair game for eating, tho it won't necessarily lead to egg eating.....good reason to gather eggs frequently when they first startup.
Not sure about the turkeys tho.

 

[WiddleChix]

Lol thanks I plan on collecting eggs daily, I don't really like the idea of letting them sit in the coop especially when it's warm all the time where I live. Thanks for the info! How fully I'll gets eggs really soon!!