What is this?? My grandmother made it and it was in my hope chest!!

I need your help!  I had these two chickens in my hope chest since I was probably 11 years old.  For those of you younger followers, a hope chest was something that was started when we were young by our mothers and grandmothers.  You kept a cedar chest or even a box of precious items given to you and then you  saved them until the day came that you got married.  I guess it was called a hope chest because they were hoping you would fall in love and get married.

I have these two chickens that was in my hope chest that are so cute, but I never really knew what they were for.  This is so weird, I was just typing this and my husband was reading what I was typing over my shoulder and he went to the refrigerator and took out an egg and put it in the chicken.  It fits!!  Is this what they are for??  I would of never thought of that.  Do you maybe put a hard boiled egg in them?? 

Here is the picture of what the chicken, or it could be a rooster, looks like!  Can you help me?