# Control and prevent breeding



## Nazmul (Dec 8, 2009)

hi everyone
I wanted to know whether it is possible to prevent pairs from breeding or not ?
I also wanted to know what is the proper time for replacing dummy eggs ?
Another question , is it better to replace dummy eggs or throw the eggs when laid to control breeding ??

Thank You


----------



## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

One way to prevent breeding is by separating males from females.

Best to replace eggs within 24hrs from laying.

Better to replace the eggs, rather than throwing them out. 
If you throw them out they will lay again within a week and will replete the females of calcium. If you provide dummy eggs they will most likely sit on them for about three weeks and then abandon them.

Reti


----------



## whytwings (Feb 12, 2011)

Dividing your aviary into sections is the best way to prevent unwanted breeding .
Replacing dummy eggs A S A P after second egg is laid .
Dummy eggs are a much better option than just throwing the eggs out , the hen will only lay again within 10 days and it will be less stressful on the hen if she is allowed to sit....and as stated it will reserve the hens Calcium supplies .


----------



## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

I think it is nice to keep the pairs together... I have tried seperation and they are just not happy campers for a few days and it is hard for me to watch...lol.. (big softie)..so i use the fake eggs.. it is easy and they keep their natural ways of doing things..and less stress.. every pigeon keeper must have fake eggs.


----------



## whytwings (Feb 12, 2011)

I agree with you spirit , mine are together too .
I boil my eggs as I take them .........mind you to do this , there can be NO mucking around , it has to be done immediately before incubation starts .


----------



## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

whytwings said:


> I agree with you spirit , mine are together too .
> I boil my eggs as I take them .........mind you to do this , there can be NO mucking around , it has to be done immediately before incubation starts .


That is a good idea.. Im just too lazy to get them and boil them.. so the fake ones at the ready work while Im out there.. I will give them fakes before 5 days of incubation.. it is just blood vessels in there at that time.. but after say 7 days, I would feel bad.. but everyone has their cut off point..usually I change them out after the second is layed and they have sat on them no more than a few days.... it is pretty easy most of time.. but I do get an oops baby every now and then because of my forgetfulness..I keep bands around just in case.. I have had a few times that I just KNEW, I put fakes under a pair... but would hear a peep and go ut-oh..and there is like a three day old squab under them....when you have many birds it is easier oops than you think...lol..


----------



## Nazmul (Dec 8, 2009)

thank you everyone for your replies


----------



## whytwings (Feb 12, 2011)

I understand completely spirit .......I have 69 birds and I made a *HUGE* mistake just recently and got my boiled eggs mixed up with ones that hadn't been boiled , needless to say I had more Oooop's babies than I could cope with .....lol

I tried my hand at making plaster eggs . I bought some putty from a craft store and tried to make them myself but they never made it past my own quality control standards ...kinda makes you appreciate people that can sculpture and stuff like that !


----------



## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

Seperate the pairs. Provide NO nests. Provide only perches. Using fake eggs around the year seems it would give a slow start to when you want them to breed. And give more stress on the hens. As the cock birds will still drive them and they will still lay more often Never used fake eggs in 50 years of raising pigeons. Found seperating the best and healthyest method for the birds. But each have there choice.


----------



## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

for racing it is traditional to seperate..... with my all white birds.. it just is not going to happen...lol.. try guessing who is mated to who.. let alone cock or hen if they are on the perch.. I know some hens as they lay eggs and I try to mark them..


----------



## sreeshs (Aug 16, 2009)

I really do not have that space to separate the pairs into two different sections, so I use fake eggs. Take out one egg, make two holes on both ends, blow off the yolk and white, dry it, fill it with sand and cover the holes with wax. The birds dit for full cycle on those. Have never tried boiling the eggs, won't it get spoiled even if was boiled ? Anyone tried opening the boiled egg after 5 days ?


----------



## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

spirit wings said:


> for racing it is traditional to seperate..... with my all white birds.. it just is not going to happen...lol.. try guessing who is mated to who.. let alone cock or hen if they are on the perch.. I know some hens as they lay eggs and I try to mark them..


 You can get colored clip on bands As they come in several; colors And band your pairs With same color per pair That will help. Then use AU or IF bands to band all the young birds That way you will know your birds better. Plus cocks as they age will have a larger wattle larger head. Broader secondary flights just over all a a larger birds then the hens.. And as the birds are sitting eggs the hen will be the one sitting at night mostly from 5 pm to about 10 am cock from about 10 am to 5 pm. And cock feeds young more after young are 2 weeks older and more. Several ways to sex the birds.. Hens do need that rest as egg laying just is hard on the bird. Breaking them up lets you choose how to pair them But every loft as every person will do what they feel is best for them.


----------



## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

re lee said:


> You can get colored clip on bands As they come in several; colors And band your pairs With same color per pair That will help. Then use AU or IF bands to band all the young birds That way you will know your birds better. Plus cocks as they age will have a larger wattle larger head. Broader secondary flights just over all a a larger birds then the hens.. And as the birds are sitting eggs the hen will be the one sitting at night mostly from 5 pm to about 10 am cock from about 10 am to 5 pm. And cock feeds young more after young are 2 weeks older and more. Several ways to sex the birds.. Hens do need that rest as egg laying just is hard on the bird. Breaking them up lets you choose how to pair them But every loft as every person will do what they feel is best for them.


thank you!... the problem is I can mark the hens.. but when I go out there and see her mate near..or what I think is her mate they fly up on the perch and it is a catching game just to get a tag on him and then I lose track of which one it is..and it is stressful for them to be trying to catch in the daylight.. I would have to do this with 40 birds.. I just do not have the time to do it.. but I can mark my hens but there still may be some that are not tagged..so I just go the easy route and leave them be... if they were colored it would make things alot easier.. but Im ok with leaving them in pairs.. Thank you again I value your advise.


----------



## whytwings (Feb 12, 2011)

sreeshs said:


> I really do not have that space to separate the pairs into two different sections, so I use fake eggs. Take out one egg, make two holes on both ends, blow off the yolk and white, dry it, fill it with sand and cover the holes with wax. The birds dit for full cycle on those. Have never tried boiling the eggs, won't it get spoiled even if was boiled ? Anyone tried opening the boiled egg after 5 days ?


sreeshs........I've been using the boiled egg trick for sometime now , they work wonderfully , on the odd occassion the birds will throw one out , but this is usually when during the boiling process a hair line crack appears in the shell from tumbling around in the boiling water , that is probably one thing to watch out for if you use the method . when I've found them on the floor the contents of the egg are just a hard mass and I can't say theres a smell , although having said that I have never wanted to put one under my nose and take a whiff * chuckles * 
I only use them for one term of sitting and they go into the poop bucket which evenyually gets dug thru my garden beds .

Darren


----------



## sreeshs (Aug 16, 2009)

whytwings said:


> sreeshs........I've been using the boiled egg trick for sometime now , they work wonderfully , on the odd occassion the birds will throw one out , but this is usually when during the boiling process a hair line crack appears in the shell from tumbling around in the boiling water , that is probably one thing to watch out for if you use the method . when I've found them on the floor the contents of the egg are just a hard mass and I can't say theres a smell , although having said that I have never wanted to put one under my nose and take a whiff * chuckles *
> I only use them for one term of sitting and they go into the poop bucket which evenyually gets dug thru my garden beds .
> 
> Darren


I think thats pretty easier than making the fake eggs by blowing the yolk out. I should give a try next time


----------



## Flapdoodle (Nov 8, 2009)

*I know this is 6 year old post, looking for ideas*

Before I started a new thread I did a tag search for prevent breeding and this post came up. 

The situation: I am a 4H leader, the kids have between two and six birds in a small rabbit hutch type loft. The plan is for them to keep a pair from their current group, to keep in the 3x4x4 hutch loft. There is a small attached aviary. 

Anyway looking for ideas to prevent laying until the spring. Separating is what I do with my birds but will not work in this situation. I like the fake egg idea, both made, bought and boiled. How long before they leave the eggs, 18-20 days? Will they go back down 10 days later on a new set? So the hen ends up laying every 30-35 days? 

Any other ideas?

I have read about feeding a lower protein feed could possibly help, 100% barley (after the moult is finished of course). Any experience with this?


----------



## Whytpigeon (Sep 14, 2015)

Flapdoodle said:


> Before I started a new thread I did a tag search for prevent breeding and this post came up.
> 
> The situation: I am a 4H leader, the kids have between two and six birds in a small rabbit hutch type loft. The plan is for them to keep a pair from their current group, to keep in the 3x4x4 hutch loft. There is a small attached aviary.
> 
> ...



Yes ,quite an old thread but good question. Using the fake eggs sold at pigeon supply is the only way to go for a few pets. They sit them until they don't hatch then give up, but! I have some pairs lay new eggs in with the fakes earlier than the 21 days, so checking the nest every week is needed. Day length has allot to do with how often they lay. They slow down as the days get shorter, and start picking back up after the winter solstice in winter. Late winter early spring they get busy. So they will lay more often then. Hatch control is important and should be observed regularly. It is so easy to have oops babies because the hen never got off the nest long and you think she is still on fake eggs only to find out she has been laying On real eggs for a week or so, in which depending on personality and beliefs one may not want to toss the just developing fertile egg. Society has less troubles when it comes to humans it seems, but to each their own choices.


----------

