How long to leave the dummy eggs in the box?

[Supernatural]

We have a golf ball in each of our laying boxes. Two of our five 5-month old hens are laying, and both of them went right in the box to lay their eggs. Can I take the golf balls out, now that I already have two ladies using the nest boxes, or should I leave them until all 5 are laying? There's no reason I have to leave them permanently, is there?

 

[PunkinPeep]

I think that's really kind of a play-it-by-ear question. I think i left mine in for about 6 months, and now i don't need them. But the first time i took them out, it seemed to throw everyone off, and i ended up putting them back for a few more months.

 

[beachchickie]

I left mine for about 2 months

 

[tedabug]

I took mine out because I thought they had it all figured out. My EE who was the best at going in the nests suddenly stopped laying. I found a clutch of eggs under some thick bushes surrounding a wayward whiffle ball the kids had lost. Guess they like to be faked out! The plastic eggs are back in the nests indefinitely! Ha Ha Ha

 

[trunkman]

I've had fake eggs in each nest box for about a month now waiting for my pullets to start laying, we they started laying this week and I've gotten 6 eggs so far and not one layed in any of the nest boxes!

 

[flgardengirl]

I leave them in until they start kicking them out a few mos or so.