# Pigeon laid 4 eggs!



## keniyano (Jan 6, 2012)

I have a pair of a piegon laid 4 eggs! I don't know why they laid 4! usually pigeon only lay two!

Has anyone else every had a pigeon do this?


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## akbird (Apr 29, 2010)

My guess is that this "pair" is 2 hens.


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## keniyano (Jan 6, 2012)

Oh... If that's the case then will the eggs ever hatch?


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## akbird (Apr 29, 2010)

No they won't. You need a cock and a hen for eggs to be fertile.


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## keniyano (Jan 6, 2012)

Oh okay.. So, what should I do with the eggs?


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## Woodnative (Jul 4, 2010)

If there are other cocks in the loft and these hens have not been 100% faithful to each other you may end up with some fertile eggs. Depends. Candle them after a couple days and see if they are fertile.


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## CheapPigeonhunter (Dec 25, 2011)

It is possible for a pigeon for lay more then 2 egg i've seen it happen before to me personally All of them hatched but only three survied. But that is a rare find and all you need is to have hope in thoes eggs and maybe they will hatch.


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## keniyano (Jan 6, 2012)

Wait.. I'm confused here and it made me so sad when I heard that the eggs won't hatch because I was so excited to have 4 pigeon babies.. I hope the eggs are fertile But I don't know... They are sitting on eggs like a pair.. Should I let them sit on the eggs and see what happens?


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## Woodnative (Jul 4, 2010)

They should be left to sit on the eggs (or fakes) anyway. They will sit like a pair. I had a pair like this before and they produced some youngster for me once in a while too obviously from anothe male in the coop.


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## keniyano (Jan 6, 2012)

I'm so confused here because some say the eggs will hatch and some say they won't... Now you tell me what exactly should I do? Should I remove the eggs and get 2 cocks for my hens and pair them up or what?


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## Woodnative (Jul 4, 2010)

Are they in a loft with a lot of other birds, including many other males (or at least one other male?)? If the hens (one or both) are unfaithful they may produce some fertile eggs. If they are alone with each other, or if they have not had "a fling" with a male, then they will not be fertile. 

Regardless don't take the eggs away from the right away. let them sit on them (or fakes) for the term just so they don't lay again too soon and deplete their calcium. 

You can candle the eggs after a couple days to see if they are fertile or not. If you really want to be sure to breed from these hens of course you should get them some cocks and pair them to them.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

If you want to see which ones are fertile you can candle them at about 7 days after the hens start sitting them to see if they mated with a cock in the loft if you have any. If you do not have any other birds in the loft beside this pair then my guess is they are two hens paired up. so after you candle them( if you have other birds) to see if they are fertile or which ones maybe fertile, I would leave two at the most in the nest for them to incubate them and toss the others out.. if you only end up with one fertile egg then that one can hatch as well. It does sound like two hens though.. some hens can lay three eggs I have heard, but it is not the norm.


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## g-pigeon (Aug 24, 2010)

usually when 4 eggs are laid they are not fertile because 2 females have paired up and each has laid 2 eggs . but if there are other male birds in the loft these eggs have a chance at being fertile. if there are no males in the loft then they will definetly not hatch


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## Libis (Oct 8, 2010)

You might want to only leave 2 eggs in that nest, so if they are fertile--the birds will not be overworked. It is very hard for them to raise more than 2 babies themselves.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Libis said:


> You might want to only leave 2 eggs in that nest, so if they are fertile--the birds will not be overworked. It is very hard for them to raise more than 2 babies themselves.



Actually, that's a good idea. I'd leave only two. If for some reason they all hatched, that would really be hard for them to care for.


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## AZCorbin (Feb 28, 2011)

This seems to be a pretty popular topic if you search it out.
Leave the eggs for now and wait to candle like Spirit Wings said.


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## keniyano (Jan 6, 2012)

Thank you all for your answers. I think I'll let them sit on the eggs, wait for 7 days candle the eggs see if they're fertile. But suppose if 2 of them are fertile then should I remove the other infertile eggs?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

keniyano said:


> Thank you all for your answers. I think I'll let them sit on the eggs, wait for 7 days candle the eggs see if they're fertile. But suppose if 2 of them are fertile then should I remove the other infertile eggs?


you have 4 eggs, if all are fertile take two out and toss them, then let them sit the other two fertile eggs. 

If two are fertile, let them sit the fertile ones and throw the not fertile ones out.

If one egg is fertile, let them sit the one egg, you can leave one other egg in with it so it seems more normal for the birds, which usually sit two eggs.

If none are fertile, leave two in the nest so they can sit them till they give up and then they will lay again, in which you do the same thing all over again.. but you never did say if you have other birds in with this pair.


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## keniyano (Jan 6, 2012)

Like I said, I have only 2 pigeons and they laid 4 eggs so I don't think there's a change for eggs being fertile... Oh but wait, yeah I have another pair but they are in an separate cage..


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## Libis (Oct 8, 2010)

keniyano said:


> Like I said, I have only 2 pigeons and they laid 4 eggs so I don't think there's a change for eggs being fertile... Oh but wait, yeah I have another pair but they are in an separate cage..


Do they get free flight playtime together (with the other pair?) If not, these eggs should all be infertile because this pair with the 4 eggs are most likely both hens.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

keniyano said:


> Like I said, I have only 2 pigeons and they laid 4 eggs so I don't think there's a change for eggs being fertile... Oh but wait, yeah I have another pair but they are in an separate cage..


well then disregard my last post..lol...

you have two hens and the eggs of course are not fertile. so leave the eggs till they give up on them.


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