Ceramic eggs...

[Henriettamom919]

Is it just my girls or do these piss off anyone else's chickens?

My big girls just moved coops and one of them will just pace and scream if she had to lay in an empty nest as she was usually second to lay each morning (well, and she's just a little poop like that). To help with transition I bought three ceramic eggs that were so similar to my own girls I had to mark them to differentiate at a glance.

The one girl was just furious over them! Screamed and sqwuaked until she was hoarse the next day. The other two actually booted them from the boxes!!

Obviously I've removed them but is there another, more convincing type? I hate having to leave a real egg out all the time!

 

[CindyinSD]

Mine do occasionally kick out the ceramic eggs but I think this is just clumsiness. I’ve also found the odd real egg on the floor (No problem... I have very soft deep litter in there.) But... the ceramic eggs have been in the nests since before the girls were old enough to lay, so maybe that makes a difference. It sounds like you have some hilarious personalities going on there in your own little “Chicken Place.”

 

[Henriettamom919]

You're right, they've been laying for months and apparently know an imposter when they see one!

I only have three of laying age and they could start their own soap opera! I'm sure it doesn't help that I'm a crazy chicken lady and treat them like the precious babies I think they are (I just felt my husband sigh in patient annoyance from across the yard.)

 

[wyoDreamer]

I used golf balls in the nests when my chickens first started laying. My chickens kicked out the pink one, but the dirty white golf balls seem acceptable to them.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Interesting! We trained our girls as pullets to use the nest box with ceramic eggs, so they treat them like normal eggs. We’ve mostly switched to golf balls as it’s so easy to quickly differentiate. The chickens would be fine without fake eggs at this point (one year old), but we have laying ducks, and they really need the golf balls in the nest boxes or they start laying on the floor!

 

[wyoDreamer]

BTW, is she being a drama queen about the egg or just boasting about getting the job done? I am not sure if my chickens sing an egg song or not, as I am usually at work or asleep when they lay, lol.

 

[Henriettamom919]

BTW, is she being a drama queen about the egg or just boasting about getting the job done? I am not sure if my chickens sing an egg song or not, as I am usually at work or asleep when they lay, lol.

Oh, it could easily be drama queen chicken stuff with Carol. But the other two actually rolled them over a good sized wooden lip and pushed them toward the door. It took patience and determination, they really did not want those fakers in there!

 

[wyoDreamer]

Sounds like you have some wonderful Chicken TV with those birds.