Golf balls? Really?

[joanm]

Does putting a golf ball in the nest box really
encourage them to lay? If so, I'm going to put a BUNCH in the nest box!

 

[Southern28Chick]

I think it's just supposed to encourage them to lay in the nest boxes.

My DH said that since my girls came from a hatchery and had never seen an egg before then they won't know the golf ball is supposed to be an egg in the nest box. I put a plastic egg in one of mine anyway.

 

[joanm]

Well, that makes more sense! I think I have a couple of plastic eggs, I'll see what happens!

 

[Dawn419]

DH is a golfer so we had plenty of old ones set back in a bag. I used a few of them (1 in each nest box) just because I had them on hand. We have all Banties and I think it worked well with them since their eggs are about the same size as the balls.

Dawn

 

[OHChick]

works for us. i put orange balls in since they're easier to see, and closer to 'brown' like the eggs. mine are hiding eggs, but they are laying in the spots with the balls. they seem to peck at them for inspection, then if they pass chick inspection, they lay there. mine peck at the eggs too, i get worried they're going to break them, but they have only broken 1 so far.

 

[howlingwoodsfarm]

I have two golf balls in each nest area and I have witnessed the girls several times hop up. peck at the golf balls then start to settle down and using their beaks they pull the golf balls up under their breast feathers and these are leghorns I am talking about, who aren't broody atall. All my girls who are laying lay in the nest boxes, only their first egg or two do they lay on the floor(or from the top of a 6 ft door) but then they realize and lay in nest boxes from then on.

Heather

 

[Bec]

Absolutly!! My girls learned well from golf balls!! One even decided to try to hatch them!!! Yes....One of my girls went broody and apperently thought the golf balls would hatch!!!

I had to take them away.....LOL ...BUT they do work!

 

[Southern28Chick]

I agree that they do encourage the girls to lay in the nest boxes...they do not make them lay sooner then they naturally would which is what I thought the original question was asking. I believe the plastic egg in one of my nest boxes help my girls understand where the eggs go but it didn't make them lay any sooner then they should have.

 

[Zenbirder]

I got a big bag of golf balls at the thrift store for less than $1, they work very well!