teaching chicks where to lay-- ceramic eggs, golf balls, etc

[Tecalli]

I've got three girls who are 3mo. old and I am anxiously looking forward to eggs. I've read in various posts the suggestion to put ceramic eggs or golf balls in the nesting boxes to show them where to lay. Does this work? And if it does at what point should I put the fake eggs in there? Also, ceramic eggs are about $10 for a dozen, but all the sites I found them on then charge about $10 for shipping. Are golf balls just as effective? Thanks.

 

[starforever61]

I know that golf balls are very affective because my friend used them to show her hens where to lay. It worked very well, and they all go in the same two nesting boxes. lol!

 

[Gonzo]

I waited until one layed, then put that egg & mabel (our hen) in the nesting box. She hasen't missed a beat, and neither has her sisters. If you want, you could hard boil an egg and put in in the nesting box, and show them, I did that as well. But putting them in the nesting box with their own just layed egg worked best for us. I hope this helps!

 

[mener6896]

I was concerned about this too when I found an egg in the run. I was told not to worry about fake eggs because they figure it out. I put golf balls in their nesting boxes but then took them out. They had it figured out by the next day. As a matter of fact I have 2 girls laying, and they use 2 boxes (out of 12) I think they have their favorites.

I didn't leave the golf balls in there long enough for them to see them, so I think it was just their instinct of wanting a quiet spot.

 

[Tecalli]

Where did Mabel lay her first egg? Was it easy to find? Did you have an indication that she was going to lay to look for it? Because they haven't started laying yet I am afraid I won't know when they are going to lay and if its not in the nesting box then I will miss it. And if its not in the nesting box they will just continue to lay elsewhere. Thanks.

 

[barefootchef]

You know, I put a golf ball where I wanted Harriet to lay and she goes there every time. I've never taken the ball out. I've moved the box and she still lays there. Just seemed to work for her.

 

[ging3rhoffman]

We didnt open our nest until the girls were 16 weeks old. I had a wooden egg in each nest box. The following week my EE started laying and soon all the other girls followed suit. I found one or two eggs in the run but they all go in their nest boxes now.

 

[briana1975]

We started with golf balls. Then I found some fake eggs from a craft store and use those. My just started laying this week and 4 out of 5 eggs were in the nest box. One was layed from the roost.

Oops, I guess it wasn't poop.

 

[Gonzo]

Right next to their waterer under the tree in the backyard. our son thought it was a ball, and almost tossed it in the neighbors yard. Sally, our other australorp did the same thing, same spot too, we just put her & the egg in the nesting boxes, and they've layed there ever since.
Quote:

 

[Gonzo]

It was out in the open, like they want you to see it. All of our girls did a funny squating thing a few days before laying. I would watch for that, then start looking for eggs. Our son is 8, so it was like an easter egg hunt daily for him. He loves his girls!

gonzo&hispeeps :

Right next to their waterer under the tree in the backyard. our son thought it was a ball, and almost tossed it in the neighbors yard. Sally, our other australorp did the same thing, same spot too, we just put her & the egg in the nesting boxes, and they've layed there ever since.
Quote:​