One fall morning Gertrude McCluck was pecking around. Then she heard a hen crying out," Gertrude, Gertrude, come quick!" Emerald, a Black Australorp hen, came running out, "Oh, Gertrude, there's an egg in my nest and it has black on it!"

"Could you show me the egg?" Gertrude asked.

In the coop Emerald showed her "egg" to Gertrude. "Why, Emerald, when did you get a fancy nest box?" Gertrude asked, staring at the brown eggs painted on.

Emerald responded, "Yesterday someone painted them. Oh look, here's another egg in Peaches' next!"

"These are fake eggs," said Gertrude after inspecting the "eggs."

"They are called golf balls. They're here to make sure we know we can lay eggs in our new fancy nest boxes," Gertrude explained.

"Thank you so much, Gertrude!" clucked Emerald.