Do you leave fake eggs in nest box?

[GardenTillers44]

We tried to leave a ceramic brown egg (marked with a pencil X) in each of four nest boxes as our hens came into laying age. We have 4 hens laying and they all lay in the same box every day. We started finding the fake egg from that box on the ground and one morning I caught one of our RIR hens pushing it out of the box. We pulled the fakes as it appears at least one of our girls can tell the difference!

 

[Zoomie]

I leave mine in. I figure if a hen wants to try pecking an egg she'll get a sore beak and not try it again. I've also had hens move them around a bit, sometimes pushing them out of the nest box, but I just figured they were trying to get all cozy in there to lay.

I've had magpies steal wooden fake eggs out of my coop. That made me laugh - the fake eggs would disappear, and then later I'd find it in the woods around the house, abandoned by the frustrated magpie who had no doubt spent a great deal of time trying to break it open.

I now have ceramic fake eggs, and a magpie-proof run and coop.

 

[GardenTillers44]

I thought the fake egg getting pushed out of the nest box was incidental at first, but we've caught this one RIR hen prepping the box to lay and watched her remove the imposter with purpose. She is hilarious! She always seems to be the first one to lay and after removing the fake egg, she carefully pecks through a nearby pile of straw and herbs to pick the perfect sprig to add to the box before settling in to lay.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I thought the fake egg getting pushed out of the nest box was incidental at first, but we've caught this one RIR hen prepping the box to lay and watched her remove the imposter with purpose. She is hilarious! She always seems to be the first one to lay and after removing the fake egg, she carefully pecks through a nearby pile of straw and herbs to pick the perfect sprig to add to the box before settling in to lay.

Well, welcome to BYC!

And thanks for sharing your little bit of chicken TV, love that episode!

 

[NewChickmom2016]

JennyF-
Thanks for asking! I had the same question! Guess our golf balls will be staying for a big. Only one of our 3 pullets is laying right now. Was debating pulling the golf balls after all 3 started. Think I will leave them!
-Jerie