When Can I Start Putting Training Eggs in the Nest Boxes?

[CalBickieMomma]

Hello wonderful chicken people!

Here is my fun question for today: When can I start leaving ceramic training eggs in the nest boxes for my girls? I have 9 pullets, most of whom are going to be 14 weeks old around mid-week (2 of them will be 13 weeks) and they've already been checking out the nest boxes (it's one unit composed of 4 boxes suspended off the ground about 3 feet up with curtains on each box).

I know they should start laying around 5-6 months old, but is it too early to show them why these interesting compartments are in their coop?

Also, I have a 6 year old Barred Rock in with them and she lays every other to every 2 days, so that might be enough to entice them (though I'm looking forward to using my 2 ceramic eggs ).

Any advice on this matter?

 

[igorsMistress]

Your older gal is definitely showing them the ropes but you can put your ceramic eggs in any time.

Once you see their combs turning red they'll be laying soon.

 

[chickens really]

Well I never have used them so not needed...Chickens use nest boxes if provided..

 

[CalBickieMomma]

Your older gal is definitely showing them the ropes but you can put your ceramic eggs in any time.

Once you see their combs turning red they'll be laying soon.

Thanks! Eloise has had a red comb for a long time (everyone, including me, suspected her of being a little cockerel at an early age, but I think she'd have some pretty big wattles and comb by now if she were). I think it is just her coloring. The fact that they've been flying up onto the perch in front of the boxes to check them out has me thinking they might be getting ready to lay (but I don't expect this to happen for a while yet - they're still pretty young and small).

 

[CalBickieMomma]

Well I never have used them so not needed...Chickens use nest boxes if provided..

Thanks! I suspect they could figure it out on their own, but I got the ceramic eggs, just in case .

 

[so lucky]

I used to have fun moving the golf balls I was using from one nest to another. The chickens would almost always lay where the golf balls were. Musical nests, kind of.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

Hello wonderful chicken people!

Here is my fun question for today: When can I start leaving ceramic training eggs in the nest boxes for my girls? I have 9 pullets, most of whom are going to be 14 weeks old around mid-week (2 of them will be 13 weeks) and they've already been checking out the nest boxes (it's one unit composed of 4 boxes suspended off the ground about 3 feet up with curtains on each box).

I know they should start laying around 5-6 months old, but is it too early to show them why these interesting compartments are in their coop?

Also, I have a 6 year old Barred Rock in with them and she lays every other to every 2 days, so that might be enough to entice them (though I'm looking forward to using my 2 ceramic eggs ).

Any advice on this matter?

I put my ceramic eggs in when they were about 4 1/2 months old.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

Thanks! I suspect they could figure it out on their own, but I got the ceramic eggs, just in case .

They come in useful when they are bickering about all wanting the same nest box. I move the ceramic eggs into another nest and usually they will use that one if the one they want is taken. Helps me deal with the noise.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I put golf balls in my nest boxes when my little girls got to be about 14 - 15 weeks old, although i was not expecting eggs for two or three more weeks at least. I had four
eggs in one nest daily. I put golf balls in all four nests and started grtting eggs in all 4 nests. As the pullets started laying, all the nests were being used. And now I am getting multiple eggs in each nest, for a total of twelve to fourteen each day.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Now is fine, since they're already investigating the nests.