What to fill plastic egg with to fool hens into broodiness?

[Up-the-Creek]

I have a dozen of wooden eggs that I use,..but it usually just takes 6 to get my gals a going. I have one broody right now sitting on 6 eggs,...she started out on 6 wooden eggs, switched her to 10 real eggs,...she then decided she only wanted 6, so she rolled the other 4 real eggs out of the nest. I think she can count,...lol. Oh and I tryed plastic easter eggs and golf balls,..neither worked for me,..thats why I invested in the wooden ones.

 

[patandchickens]

chickens have very little sense of smell, that probably is true of turkeys too.

My chickens and turkeys have *no* problem accepting the taped-together plastic things as real enough to serve as nest eggs, in a "yo ladies, please lay your eggs *here* not on the floor" kind of way.

Although, I have a couple egg-shaped rocks that work good too.

Pat

 

[Wannabefree]

I have a marble rock. Come to think they probably can't smell much...they live with a bunch of goats

 

[Shiloh Acres]

That's what I'd always heard, that birds in general have little sense of smell (and that wild birds will not "smell" that you've handled their babies and abandon them for that reason). At least that's what I hear.

I like the idea of plaster in real shells. I usually use banties that are inclined to sit on rocks, golf balls, you name it! The lightness of the fake ceramic eggs doesn't seem to put them off, but I'd never heard of using Easter eggs types. Hmmmm ...

I shoulda picked up some cheapie golf balls today. I'm ready to set some more eggs.

 

[Farmfresh]

I prefer wooden eggs, but I have used a marble egg that I got as a souvenir from vacation one time as well. For some hens a golf ball will work. I just don't like the plastic eggs, they just don't last well.

 

[feather and mountain man]

We glue rocks into the plastic eggs and then glue the eggs shut. That way the eggs don't rattle and the hens don't catch on. The can turn the eggs and don't kick them out of the nest. Works for us!

 

[miss_thenorth]

Timely question I recently bought some eggs to put in wehre I want my ducks to lay. I'm not so much for inducing broodiness, but to take the eggs. I plan on putting fake eggs there, so they think they are laying a clutch. Last year, when I took their eggs, they found somewhere else to lay. The key was to leave some eggs so they contiued to build up a clutch. But since I don't want them setting on every egg they lay this year, and still want them to lay in the same spot, I am going to put fake eggs in. My question is, will they notice the colour? I bought dollar store plastic easter eggs that are yellow, blue green and pink.

 

[ORChick]

I have a couple of plastic Easter eggs that I put in the nest when my girls first started to lay; one in each of two nests. It seemed to work as far as directing them to lay in the nest, except I have one girl who will not, so I had to set up an extra nest (bucket) for her :/. They don't seem to mind or notice the different colors, though they sometimes kick them out of the nests and play soccer with them . I told my SIL that one hen laid green eggs; she went to look, saw the green plastic egg, and was very surprised that the color was so bright!

 

[patandchickens]

Does it *really* MAKE them broody, though?

I was under the impression that all it does is string along those who were going to go broody *anyways* (as opposed to the discouraging effects of removing their eggs as soon as they're laid) so that they get an opportunity to go fully broody if they wish.

As opposed to actually *causing* it?


Pat

 

[freemotion]

I suspect it doesn't cause it but if a hen has the trait, she can be triggered by the right number of eggs. What the right number is....well, that is in her little pea brain, but she will usually want more than a couple or three.

It is also a way to determine if a broody is ready to commit before putting the more valuable hatching eggs under her. And if she will stay with the eggs through a move to a safer location. I hope to have some turkey eggs hatched and raised by a chicken or two. I get so few turkey eggs.