Ping Pong ball

[4 luv of eggs]

Has anybody put a ping pong ball in with their girls? I put one in with my 4 1/2 week olds last night. The immediate dash to see if it was something to eat quickly stopped. My BA nudged it under herself and looked at it. The others just knocked it back and forth. My PR was sleeping with it this morning and throughout today, I have heard it being tossed about in the brooder.

I figured it must be boring in there and this would give them something to do except chest butt and squabble.

Just wondering if anyone else tried this and what your experiences were.

 

[GermanChick]

I haven't tried it but I think I will ..... sounds like they where having fun

 

[Higins00]

You don't want to get them in the habit of pecking round white things, they may become egg eaters. My friends did that and had a problem with 2 hens when they started laying.

 

[triggfamily5]

I leave the white balls for putting in the nest when they becoming laying age or when you want one to go broody. I use golf balls for mine though..

 

[chicken_china_mom]

If there is a concern about teaching them to peck at eggs later on, why not use a colored ping pong ball? Something pink or green or something. My dog left his tennis ball in the chicken yard last week and my ducks have been smacking it around and trying to pick it up and move it. I find it in a new spot in the yard every day. It's a pink tennis ball. The chickens don't really pay it much attention though. The ducks are still technically ducklings, though they are massive next to my adult pair of Mallards. The ducklings are about 7 weeks old now and are Blue Swedish.

 

[4 luv of eggs]

You're probably right, Higins. I knew it was too good to be true.

 

[BethieofVA]

I hung a parakeet mirror/bell in their brooder and they loved it. I told my husband that they were ringing it for room service!