Use of fake eggs

[Dustoff79]

I have 22 hens about 22 weeks old, and 5 nest boxes in my coop. After reading several areas in this forum I have added a base (about 2") of shavings and put about 4" of hay over that and placed a golf ball or two in each nest box. Most of my eggs (I am getting about 9 a day) are in the nest boxes sometimes I find one or two in the corner but my question is: Do you keep the golf balls in the nest boxes until all 22 hens are laying? or do I remove them? or do they stay in the boxes forever?

 

[horsejody]

I leave the golf balls in forever. Also, if there is a particular corner that somebody has chosen to lay in, you may want to put a nestbox there. It doesn't have to be fancy. An old drawer or milk crate on its side works.

 

[sandypaws]

i leave them in forever...

 

[gritsar]

I leave them in there forever too.

 

[moosenbudda]

I leave mine in too I have golf balls and wooden eggs one of each in the nests

 

[jrabbit]

does anyone use colored plastic easter eggs?

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
If you want to use them I've read that it's best to fill them with something to give them weight (sand maybe?) and then seal them shut with glue. Otherwise they are too lightweight and get kicked out of the nest often.

 

[Dustoff79]

Thanks, will keep them in.

 

[agirly4chicks]

What about colored golf balls?

 

[CityChook]

I use golf balls. Mine are white even tho my hens lay brown eggs. I noticed that they like to situate the golf balls underneath them when they are concentrating on laying. I plan to just leave them in the nestbox. We call them the "training wheels."