Does using fake eggs help?

[countrygirl4513]

I've seen alot of posts about using fake eggs, but do they really help promote egg laying? I'm still getting only 1 egg a day, I've got to send DH under the house to see if they are laying in the crawlspace cuz they go under there to keep cool. But one of my girls is laying in the nest boxes. I'm an old softy and I know I need to make them stay in their house and run to promote the use of the boxes but I just can't stand to see them begging to get out and roam the yard. But my question is... why use the fake eggs?

 

[jessied1227]

I used golf balls, and my first egg was laid right next to one of them

I still have the golf balls in the nest boxes, and every day, when I go to get my eggs, they're all neatly packed right in with the golf balls.

So, I guess it worked for me.

Jess

 

[chickbea]

I don't think fake eggs encourage hens to lay more eggs than they otherwise would, but you can use them in these two ways:
1. To help a hen go broody.
2. To show hens where YOU would like them to lay (as opposed to the bushes or under the porch - hens like to lay where they see other eggs).

My hens always lay in the nest; even if they are free-ranging, when they need to lay, they run into the coop. Most chickens are creatures of habit.

 

[lizardz]

My girls are just starting to lay, and I put fake eggs into the boxes. The results? One hen lays in one corner of the coop, another hen in the opposite corner of the coop, one hen on top of the nesting boxes, and one hen in the boxes.

The rest of the girls (14 total) are climbing in and out of the boxes and looking around; it will be interesting to see where they decide to lay. I usually find the fake eggs laying on the floor - I hope they decide to treat their own eggs better! Maybe I'll replace them with golf balls. They would be heavier and maybe not get thrown out so easily. So the answer as to whether they work - doesn't really appear to be so for me! Good luck. You'll probably be finding them under the house!
Liz

 

[Sherry]

I too use golf balls. 3 of my 4 pullets used the nest box with the golf ball, the other layed anywhere on the coop floor. I put two golf balls in the nest. Now I find 4 eggs in with the golf balls, no more eggs on the floor.