Golf Ball Removal

[capebird]

I had placed a golf ball in each of my nest boxes to give the hens
the idea of where to lay their eggs. It seems to have worked.... of
my 4 hens, 2 have started laying (the other 2, not yet). My question is,
should the golf ball(s) be removed now.... or leave them there until the other
2 get to the point of laying.

Thanks.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I leave mine in full time, forever and always. I don't see where it hurts anything. When they start disappearing, I know I have another black snake visiting.

 

[ChooksChick]

Quote:
Me, too. It's a good way to discourage egg-eating, too, because a golf ball is unpleasant to peck.

 

[Dutchess]

Me too, well, I have the wooden eggs instead of golf balls and I leave them. They always lay in the same box, the one with the wooden eggs in it!

 

[off-grid hen]

I have 8 nest boxes and 4 golf balls. Just for entertainment's sake, I move the golf balls occasionally to watch the piles of eggs move. No, I don't get out much.

 

[gryeyes]

Quote:
<*snort!*>

I think I resemble that.... the snort was from the sudden self-recognition!

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
X2

 

[fshinggrl]

I just leave mine in there. Sometimes they go missing.. and then reappear. Right now I know of one of the two and it just reappeared yesterday.

 

[mamabigbird]

I had left them in full time but recently had two broken eggs, each in a separate box with golf balls.
They were cracked but not eaten so I think the hens might have been a little rough in the nest and banged them against the balls so I removed them.
Haven't had any broken since.
I'll have to put them back when my three EE girls move to the big house and start to squat.

 

[CheerioLounge]

I used plastic easter eggs and have just left them.