What do you use to say, "lay in here"?

[TeaKettleK]

I put an Easter egg in each of the laying boxes of our just-over-4month pullets, thinking chickens are color-blind and wouldn't mind. Not sure where I got that idea.

They keep fishing one out and moving it to the other side of the coop!

It ends up in a kinda little 'nook' where I could see them wanting to lay... is this going to be a problem, ya think, or are they just playing with it because, while it is egg-shaped, it is yellow/orange and not white/brown?

A couple are getting close!!

FRESH EGGS!!!

 

[Deanner03]

It's probably too light/flexible to fool them if it's a plastic easter egg. I'd try a golf ball, or you can buy wooden artificial eggs (try e-bay or some of the poultry supply sites). Good luck!

 

[wvgal61]

I did the same thing, I bought the ones with specks on them from the dollar tree. I thought one of the kids or DH was moving them. They put them all in the same box. How in the world do they move them without hands?

 

[gritsar]

They brace them between their neck and their chests and then just kinda shuffle em to where they want them. HONEST! I've seen them do it.
I use golfballs. They can move them too, but usually leave them in the nest.

 

[fldiver97]

fill it with sand and seal or glue it. Or use ceramic or wooden eggs. Heavier but still....they can boot them out of the nestbox. Less likely though. Michael's sells wooden eggs, so do many other craftstores. Or you can try an egg shaped rock....worked for my EE.....

 

[aimeeinwv]

cracker barrel sells marble eggs if you have one nearby!

 

[TeaKettleK]

Thanks, all! Does the color matter? There's a Cracker Barrel not too far.. I guess I can force myself to go there.

If I end up at Michael's for a wooden egg, will it be heavy enough?

 

[LovinMyPeeps]

Mine did great with golf balls, infact my broody hen growls at me if I try to take them away from her

 

[Dora'smom]

I've watched several of my girls sitting on the nest, and when they move around they will tuck the golf ball under their chin and shuffle it under them with the other eggs. I have several girls that play with being broody, but don't really commit. None of them draw the line at golf balls. They do accept them as eggs that need to be kept warm.