# Beautiful is a Girl



## Hillybean (Oct 30, 2005)

Hey Everyone,
Yep, my Beautiful is a girl  !!!

I woke up to an egg this morning. It is NOT fertile, as no mating has been going on.

Last week Beautiful started acting weird. Well, like a girl. Anytime I'd pet his back. He'd go flat and his vent would open open up. He did this last year when he turned about 6 mounths, but after that nothing.His hatch date is June 21, that makes him about 1 1/2 year old or 18 months. 
Is that normal??? I know everyone normally says by 6 months.

He, I mean she, has always been on high cal grit and gets high calcium greens. I'm thinking that I need to add more, maybe????
I'm a bit paranoid right now. I really don't want Beautiful to get egg bound or anything. I also want to make sure she has enough calcium. She also gets vitamins, pro-bios, acv, codliver oil, garlic, and sometimes a brewers yeast pill if one is needed.
What else can I add or do? 

I also need to egg sit right? Beautiful still coos and gives nuzzles today. I'm thinking that unless I have missed something, which isn't possible, I'm suppose to be the boy in the relationship.... I always wondered why he never made a nest and now I know....it was because I was slacking on my job  .

I'm a bit paranoid now, and worried, but I guess that is to be expected. Wow, my Beautiful is a GIRL! Beautfiul is for a tom boy. 

Any advice would be wonderful and a ton of help. I am going to go spend some time with Beautiful, seeing that SHE is ok, will help calm me a bit.

-Hilly


----------



## TheSnipes (Apr 9, 2007)

I guess you are a suitable pigeon mate 

NO, not just suitable, DESIRABLE! LOL


----------



## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Well, how 'bout that!! LOL
I wouldn't worry to much about the egg binding stuff. I know that we tend to read and hear about it here but I believe that's because there is so many of scattered in so many places. I personally have never had an eggbound hen (knock on wood) and don't know of anyone who has. I don't give my hens any "extra" stuff. I just always make sure they have plenty of fresh grit and I use the picpots and have never had a problem. 
Of course, keep an eye on her "just in case" cause you never know. Once that second egg is laid (tomorrow) then you're good. 
So, go "sit" on that egg. At least you get the short hours!! LOL


----------



## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hi Hilly,

Congratulations on having a hen.  

You might want to keep from petting her back as that may stimulate her to lay more eggs, and she will continue the process. Some hens will respond and not lay eggs, others still can.

Do give her some dummy eggs to sit on and keep her interested as long as possible.

I have hens that have bonded to me, and believe me, they will lay eggs year around unless you can seperate them from the "object of their affection" and it is very difficult to do if it is you. Yes, they do have some relief when they are sitting on eggs, but they definitely do well if they get a long break.


----------



## Matt D. (May 12, 2007)

um... oopps?


----------



## Hillybean (Oct 30, 2005)

Hey Everyone,
I awoke again today (Tuesday) to the second egg!
I am also doing my time with the dummy eggs. I am so glad all went well.

Renee, thank you so much for your in put. I just care so much about all my pigeons, and thinking Beautiful was a male...well it was a bit of a shock.

Snipes, LOL! Yep, desirable I must be  . 

Treesa, I will for sure stop petting her on the back. I'll keep to the head and chest. 

MattD, Oh yeah a BIG Ooooppps! LOL! I for sure thought Beautiful was a male. When I first got her I thought she was a girl, but then thought male. I was for sure wrong. Now I'm curious to see who else is a girl.

Questions: Can I clean her cage, or should I leave it alone? 
Also baths?? She looks like she REALLY wants one, is it ok for her to have one?? 
Should she fly or should I restrict her flight time?

This might sound totally weird, but I am so happy! The eggs are dummies and I couldn't be any more honored or proud. I guess, I am just proud of what they stand for  . I'm a mate to a pigeon  ! 

-Hilly


----------



## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

ROFL Hilly!!

I most certainly DO know what it's like to be a pijie's mate! 

When Squeaks is in mate mode, he follows me everywhere! His favorite place to "corner" me is in the bathroom! Twiggy also likes her attention and has found the same place. When Squeaks is in mate mode, she comes running to the door, sees Squeaks and backs off! *SIGH* not many dull moments around here...nothing like having a cat and/or pij after you for ATTENTION!!

I do give Squeaks his shredded nest paper and he places them all under him...sooo funny...sometimes I give him so much that his egg ends up buried in paper! 

Hugs and Scritches to all

Shi


----------



## CHRISTIN RN (Sep 2, 2007)

Congratulations, Hilly!

My aren't you the nervous mate! LOL
(I'm sure one of these days you'll have a chance to get back at me for that one!)
Sorry I'm unable to offer any answers to your inquiries, though I'm sure our calvary of experts will be riding in soon with plenty of info. for you...as well as the rest of us! Also, I believe there was some info. given on Dezirrae's post about her egg arrival.


Shi, isn't Mr. Squeaks a cock? Why does he have eggs?


----------



## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Hillybean said:


> Questions: Can I clean her cage, or should I leave it alone?
> Also baths?? She looks like she REALLY wants one, is it ok for her to have one??
> Should she fly or should I restrict her flight time?
> 
> ...



Short answer to your questions is yes, yes, and yes!! LOL
Since she's an indoor bird, just let her decide if she wants to leave the eggs to stretch a bit or what...........
Probably in a couple of days, she'll get into a routine and at some point want to get up a move around a bit to stretch. That's when you can clean the cage and offer a bath. She may or may not except it. Just leave it up to her.


----------



## philodice (Sep 30, 2007)

CHRISTIN RN said:


> Shi, isn't Mr. Squeaks a cock? Why does he have eggs?


Mr. Squeaks really wanted eggs, since he thinks his mate should lay them so he doesn't have to do everything himself.


----------



## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

Congratulations, Hilly!  I wouldn't worry about it bothering you if you clean her cage, she shouldn't mind at all. A bath is just fine, too. What an honor for you, indeed!!


----------



## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Hilly, you aptly named Beautiful, didn't you?

About the flying. You have probably read about the humongous poops that pigeons can drop when they are sitting eggs. I believe they hold it as long as they can. What we try to do if we have any convalescing in the house that may have laid an egg is to take them out of the cage periodically during the day and run like everything to the trash can and hold them over that. They are especially big and smelly first thing in the morning. So, flying is OK but watch those poops because they are really something.


----------



## CHRISTIN RN (Sep 2, 2007)

philodice said:


> Mr. Squeaks really wanted eggs, since he thinks his mate should lay them so he doesn't have to do everything himself.


Thanks Phil!...thought I was missing something about these guys! LOL


----------



## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

CHRISTIN RN said:


> Thanks Phil!...thought I was missing something about these guys! LOL


ROFL...thanks Philodice! 

Cindy gave me a basket and ONE egg for Squeaks...he follows me around in "mate" mode for a few days to a week, and then goes and sits in the basket on the egg. I place shredded paper next to his basket and before I know it, they are all gone...under him. Sometimes there is so much, the egg is buried! 

Since cocks sit during the day and hens at night, well, Squeaks has to do double duty! Actually, his "daddy" mode cycle is quite nice. I'm not picking up LOTS of poops or changing a diaper and the cats are not being chased whenever he feels like it!

Oh, the joys of being a human mate to a pigeon... 

HUGS TO BEAUTIFUL, HILLY!

Shi


----------

