love the golf ball idea !

[chixbvs]

We have 4 hens and 5 pullets (not laying yet, any day now). Only one of the hens lays (other three are freeloaders), and she had been hiding her egg in a different spot every day. This proved both annoying and time consuming to find it, as they free range all day. To discourage this with the younger ones, I got some golf balls and left them where I want them to lay. Lo and behold, the hen has stopped hiding her egg and laid it next to the golf balls for the last three days !

More great advice from BYC ! Love this web site !

 

[smom1976]

brings a whole new meaning to Easter egg hunt.. LOL

I need to get some golf balls..

 

[bluey]

I used the golf ball trick to success with my 4 21 week old pullets...

We got our first eggs last week and I think they are getting the whole "purpose of the nestbox" thing because of the golf balls.

 

[Henrietta23]

I have on old hen that does that. Even the golf balls didn't help. It wasn't until one of the new pullets started laying (thankfully in the nest box with the golf balls) that Sasha had one of those lightbulb moments. "Oh! That's what those boxes are for?"

 

[Bugdude]

Does this golfball idea promote egg laying or just promote them to lay in the nest? Also do you leave the golfball there until they start laying or do you remove and replace it every soo often?

 

[Hen Daddy]

Ours will not lay in the nest boxes. I have 2 golf balls in each of ours but they want nothing to do with them. Dont know why.
Its ok though, they are laying in the pine shavings opposite the boxes. Could be worse...................

 

[newchickenfamily]

We have one golf ball in our nextbox... No eggs yet, but we're hoping the ball will inspire them!

 

[sundance]

Mine look at the gold balls and lay on the floor UNDER the nests. marrie

 

[chixbvs]

Quote:
My understanding is that the golf balls encourage them to lay in the nest. (I wish something could promote egg laying, believe me ) I put them there last Saturday and have been getting my one egg per day laid right next to it !

My teens should start laying soon (we hope) and I had not planned on removing them; in fact, I need a couple more so they don't crowd into the same box.

You should have seen the look the lady at the rummage sale gave me when I explained why I wanted to buy two used white golf balls ! (we live in a gated equestrian/tennis/golf community) She looked at me like I was crazy, but gave them to me for free (probably to get rid of me !!)

Does anyone know if the neon orange balls make any difference ?

 

[gachickeeper]

Ive read in another post that the chickens cant see the color, I will do some research on it