Golf Balls/Fake Eggs

[moodlymoo]

Why do you use them and will they encourage girls to lay? I have some who SHOULD be laying but aren't. I am not adding light to my coop since I am trying to take a more natural approach to this and there is a reason I feel for them not laying in the winter BUT I would really like to find that first egg sooner rather than later

 

[aoxa]

It doesn't encourage them to lay, but it does encourage them WHERE to lay. I was having issues for months! Finally I was fed up, and 'borrowed' six of my father's golf balls. The girls have been laying wherever I place them since!

 

[seminolewind]

It can guide new layers to where to lay. It can prevent egg eating many times. It is no loss to throw a few in. I have them.

 

[moodlymoo]

Hmmmm Well off to goodwill I go to pick up a few golf balls. I had to block off my 4 nesting boxes because I had my whole flock sleeping in 1 box every night and I threw 2 plastic toy totes in the coop for the few who are right age and showing some signs of laying soon but nada yet

 

[coyotesmommy]

in August, because I kept finding eggs kicked out here and there so I put golf balls in my 3 laying boxes and the girls will usually share the 1st box and just take turns, one hen still has not laid a egg so my husband thought maybe the golf balls are freaking her out and I should remove them. Well I took out 2 of the 3 golf balls and could not find the 3rd, the next day one of the girls found the lost golf ball pushed it back into the 1st lay box and popped out a egg on it.

so back to having golf balls in all three boxes. Golf balls do work.

 

[LT]

We used golf balls in our nest boxes from the very beginnings, and every egg except for a few mishaps from the roost have been laid in the nest boxes. Good luck!!!

 

[cmom]

I have been using golf balls for years too and have had no issues since I started using them. In the beginning the girls would scratch the eggs out of the nest boxes or lay on the floor or ground but since I have been using golf balls they all lay in the nest boxes. I have caught them actually moving a golf ball from one nest box to another. At first I was baffled but there is a space behind the nest boxes just big enough to slip a golf ball through and they roll them around as if they are an egg.

 

[dragonlair]

I use either golf balls or those colred plastic Easter eggs you pull apart and fill with goodies. I put them in the nest(s) a bit before I expect them to start laying and they just sort of learn where to lay from them.

Fortunately, one of my dear friends is a golfer who loves the fresh eggs my girls give!