Question re: fake egg usage?

[BGcoop]

I have no problems removing eggs with my chickens around-even from right under them while they are laying. When I go check for eggs if one is sitting in the nest box I just reach under and pull out any that are there-sure they don’t LOVE when I do that and they will lightly peck at my hand, but I’ve never had a problem with them laying elsewhere because of it.

Making an egg is actually a fairly slow process. There is an eggcelent video out there that explains it that I have seen on other threads, unfortunately I don’t know exactly where i saw it....

 

[nao57]

Golf balls do double duty for me. They encourage chickens to lay in the right place, and when they disappear, I know a snake has visited and the girls aren’t slacking off. Bad year for snakes this year!

So the snakes will eat golf balls?

Animals are funny.

 

[neo71665]

I use golf balls. Got used ones from a golf course they can't sell, 5 gallon bucket for $1.

Yes snakes will eat them and die. I killed a rat snake earlier in my back pasture while mowing that had a golf ball still in it.

 

[Sooner Magnolia]

I use golf balls. Got used ones from a golf course they can't sell, 5 gallon bucket for $1.

Yes snakes will eat them and die. I killed a rat snake earlier in my back pasture while mowing that had a golf ball still in it.

My understanding is that they can regurgitate them. I used to think they would die. Not 100% on that, but pretty sure.

 

[GC-Raptor]

Is it bad if the chickens and ducks see you taking the eggs?

At the times I check for eggs, I'm either giving them a treat or letting them out to free range.
If there's a chicken in the nest, they usually (99.9%) come out to get a treat.
I've had them drop an egg while consuming treats in their pen a couple of times.
They usually rush back to the nest when treats are gone.
I'm sneaky collecting eggs when they are enjoying treats, putting it in the collection pail.
If a chicken stays on the nest,I'll check that nest later in the day.

Would they be more likely to decide to put their eggs at a specific site with fake eggs over other eggs?

I think so. I open the nests after 15 weeks old and put a white ceramic egg in each nest.

Of course they do have a favorite nest.
I leave the fakes in the nest forever, except when they need a cleaning. GC

 

[Homesteadermomma6382]

I started putting fake eggs in my nest because all of my girls were literally brawling over one nest. I have 9 layers at the moment. I put fake eggs is the nests that werent being used. I have a few that have caught on to the fact that there is more options.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Is it bad if the chickens and ducks see you taking the eggs? (I got worried about this and haven't had a chance to figure this out yet. And if possible I'd like to avoid finding out through the messy way.) If chickens and ducks see you picking up the eggs that they laid will it mean they could stop laying or change where they lay? (And are they less likely to notice if there's an amount of time after they lay that you pick them up?)

Don't know about ducks but the chickens don't really care. I'll collect eggs from under hens, or right after they just laid... they don't care much.

However taking away the fake eggs really distressed one of my hens and she was too nervous to go into the box until I put them back. Then she went in clucking softly, rolled the golf balls back into the center, and sat down to lay an egg.

 

[nao57]

At the times I check for eggs, I'm either giving them a treat or letting them out to free range.
If there's a chicken in the nest, they usually (99.9%) come out to get a treat.
I've had them drop an egg while consuming treats in their pen a couple of times.
They usually rush back to the nest when treats are gone.
I'm sneaky collecting eggs when they are enjoying treats, putting it in the collection pail.
If a chicken stays on the nest,I'll check that nest later in the day.


I think so. I open the nests after 15 weeks old and put a white ceramic egg in each nest. View attachment 2273597
Of course they do have a favorite nest.
I leave the fakes in the nest forever, except when they need a cleaning. GC

So you doing this as early as 15 weeks, does that mean you think it might influence them to lay eggs sooner also?

Wow its so interesting talking to you guys! Thanks.

 

[GC-Raptor]

So you doing this as early as 15 weeks, does that mean you think it might influence them to lay eggs sooner also

No it won't make them lay sooner, but it gives them time to check out the nests, before laying commences.
My first Flock consisted of Golden Comets and they started to lay at 16 1/2 weeks. My Barred Rocks started at 20 weeks.

Nests waiting for the first real egg in my Barred Rocks coop.

You can see the straw is compressed in the first pic. They've been checking em out. GC

 

[nao57]

Is there a max number of decoys (fake eggs) that's allowable, without making them go broody?