# how many young can a pigeon have in a year?



## james fillbrook (Jan 2, 2009)

hi how many babys can pigeons have in a corse of a year i need too know for myu breeding progerm only breed the best form the best as i say


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

I think three or four rounds is tops, that would be 3 or 4 sets of two nestmates per round. 

Anymore would be too much for them.


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## LUCKYT (Jan 17, 2009)

There are a lot of opinions in that area. When i was racing i stopped at three, that was enough birds, and late hatched birds can slow the team down when racing. With my birds i have now, i will let them breed, as long as the stay in condition and are hatching both eggs. But i do not show or fly in any type of competition. I think most people would agree three rounds is enough, but if they are having no problems, i let them go. Dave


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## RodSD (Oct 24, 2008)

Left alone pigeons probably can lay 10-12 eggs a year. I only let my breeders have 1 or 2 rounds unless a hawk kills mine and I let them breed again to replace those that are gone. For every bird that gets taken I breed 2. Now that I have falcon I will modify my breeding protocols to fit the condition I am in.


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## LUCKYT (Jan 17, 2009)

Rod, do you have peregrines? Dave


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

I used to let my birds raise freely. They're fine as long as you keep the loft clean and the birds healthy. No overcrowding, and make sure they have plenty of food, water, and grit, or it will stress the birds and the babies will suffer from it.
If you're breeding for any kind of competition though, three or four rounds should be plenty.


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## Guest (Feb 21, 2009)

are we talking how many can they have or how many should we let them have a year ???


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## LUCKYT (Jan 17, 2009)

Great point Lakota! Mine would breed almost year round if i let them, BUt they would get kind of STRESSED from that. LOL!


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## Guest (Feb 21, 2009)

same here I couyld get 12 babies a year from a pair but they would be pretty drained by the end of it all lol course that would also mean I would have 1000 pigoens by then too so I would be stressed out too lol


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## risingstarfans (Sep 13, 2008)

*Squabs in a year?*

As I remember, from having lived close to a squab ranch several decades ago, I was told that the owners top producers (he had 4,000 producing pairs) would have as many as 20 per year.

His primary breeds were utility kings, mondaines, giant homers and a couple other large breeds, and many were mixed breeds of these.

Ideal weight for market were one pound dressed weight, but he frequently had those that were larger.


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## RodSD (Oct 24, 2008)

Dave,

Yes, I have a peregrine falcon. This is the first time I've encountered them. What a way to start a new year actually. I've been locking my birds now more than ever.

risingstarfans,
20 birds per year? Maybe it is forced breeding. I mean I can only imagine 12 babies in one year if natural breeding.


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## LUCKYT (Jan 17, 2009)

Sorry, i have been instructed by an old timer not to mention h.... again.
 Dave


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## Guest (Feb 22, 2009)

lol mention what you want , this is not a one man board of birds


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## risingstarfans (Sep 13, 2008)

*Yes, it is possible*



RodSD said:


> Dave,
> 
> 
> 
> ...


A breeding cycle for most pigeons averages about 40 to 45 days, a shorter cycle in summer and longer in winter. 365 divided by 40=9 nests per year. If all eggs are fertile and all babies live to squab age (28-30 days) that is 18 per year. 
In summertime, a pair will often lay the next eggs while they have babies in the nest only 2-3 weeks old. It takes 17 days to incubate eggs and figure another 17 days to lay again, that's 34 days divided into 365= eleven nests per year. That would be 22 young from a single pair as the ultimate possibility, without forced breeding.  By forced breeding, one could conceivably increase the number to as much as 30 to 36, but the hen would wear out very quickly. 

One of my late friends purchased two pair of fantails in mid November 1969, the only ones in his loft. Exactly 12 months later, he had raised about 90 fantails out of the original pair and their offspring....I don't know how to do THAT math...but it was, and probably still is a record for fantails.


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## LUCKYT (Jan 17, 2009)

Well, maybe it is just a math error, but in production contests in the haydays of the industry, 12 per year was good. JMHO Dave


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## RodSD (Oct 24, 2008)

I agree with risingstarfans' calculations. I said 12 per year because I want them to have that amount only. So ,Dave, it is not mathematical error. It was intentional error.

I was thinking that 6 rounds is probably good for pigeons (so 12 birds). Beyond that may be pushing it--so I called it forced (unnatural).


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## LUCKYT (Jan 17, 2009)

NO, there has been no pair in recoded history to produce twenty pair of squabs in a year. Unless you are fostering. Dave ;


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## Guest (Feb 23, 2009)

ummmm how much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood lol


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## LUCKYT (Jan 17, 2009)

LOL! you are FUNNY! Dave


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## Guest (Feb 23, 2009)

you do know that pigeons on steriods can do just about anything lol


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## james fillbrook (Jan 2, 2009)

LokotaLoft said:


> you do know that pigeons on steriods can do just about anything lol


lol ha ha


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## LUCKYT (Jan 17, 2009)

Lol! but around this site, they would be drug tested. LOL! D: Dave


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