Fake Eggs???

[jennyg]

Saw the Fake Eggs in the feed store, what is the purpose, does it work? Does it really encourage the hens to lay?
I have two non laying 18 month old RIR I recently adopted

 

[Judy]

They don't encourge the hens to lay, they encourage them to lay in the spot you put them, and yes, many people have success with some version of a fake egg. You can use golf balls or plastic easter eggs as well.

 

[missnu01]

Chickens want to lay their eggs with other eggs. It's a bird thing. They see an egg and they want to add an eg

 

[huntseat]

Saw the Fake Eggs in the feed store, what is the purpose, does it work? Does it really encourage the hens to lay?
I have two non laying 18 month old RIR I recently adopted

If your older birds aren't laying then you need to worm them and spray them for external parasites. Also increasing the protein in their feed can bring them back to lay. Have they molted, or are they?

Fake or dummy eggs won't make a hen lay as stated above but it will show them where it's safe to put the egg.

 

[jennyg]

One of my hens started laying yesterday, and today. But I still have a RIR who isn't laying. How do i know if she is molting? I just got her on Tuesday ... So almost a week. I have four younger hens who aren't old enough to lay yet...
I upped her protein, organic laying feed ... how do i deworm?

 

[huntseat]

This talks about how and all the details. Post number eight talks about drop I egg production.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/183219/chicken-with-worms-i-did-not-know-chicken-got-worms

Signs of molt are losing feathers, they molt around 18 months of age. During this time they look pretty bad and egg laying can stop.

I personally worm with safeguard, a quick search here will produce many threads about worming with safeguard.

 

[aart]

One of my hens started laying yesterday, and today. But I still have a RIR who isn't laying. How do i know if she is molting? I just got her on Tuesday ... So almost a week. I have four younger hens who aren't old enough to lay yet...
I upped her protein, organic laying feed ... how do i deworm?

Give her up to a month to get settled into her new home.

I don't like using chemicals unless there's and obvious reason to do so. Medicating her if there's no real reason will just stress her out more.

 

[jennyg]

really started to wonder i she is really molting ... today we got two eggs and we have two laying ages hens there we go so i guess it was just stress

 

[missnu01]

I made 5 fake eggs out of tinfoil and paper mache... I have a woods broody somewhere near the house and some of my other hens were laying with her in the magical nest I can not seem to find. So I put my fake eggs in the coop and now everyone except the broody is laying I'm the coop I think. Might have one still going rogue and laying with mama

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Saw the Fake Eggs in the feed store, what is the purpose, does it work? Does it really encourage the hens to lay?
I have two non laying 18 month old RIR I recently adopted

Yes, it works. My hens now refuse to lay in nests without fake eggs!