My grandpa's old nesting box trick actually worked, sort of

My grandpa always said to put a golf ball in each nest box to encourage the hens to lay there, and I figured I'd try it since I had a few loose ones in the garage. Within a week, all three boxes were being used, but I didn't count on my RIR, Hazel, deciding the golf ball was a rival egg and sitting on it for two days straight. I pulled it out after she got broody, and now she's a mess of feathers and attitude, but at least the other two girls are laying in the proper spots. Anyone else had a hen get way too attached to a decoy egg, or is mine just special?

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jamesmason19d ago

She's not special, tbh that's pretty normal for a broody hen. The golf ball trick works, but you gotta check on it fast because some girls will take it way too personal. Hazel is just wired that way, my barred rock did the exact same thing with a ceramic egg and would hiss at me when I reached under her. Pulling it out was the right call, but now you gotta break her of the broodiness or she'll just sit on an empty nest all day and lose weight. Might have to stick her in a wire bottom cage for a couple days, that usually snaps mine out of it. Your grandpa's trick is solid, you just gotta be quicker about snatching the decoy once they start using the box regular.