# Egg destruction



## wolfwood (Jan 26, 2009)

OK - I think this Forum is likely to be my new home so....I guess.....the questions might as well start now - right?

Fact 1: We have a VERY dominant male (aka Magellan aka Birdzilla!). He was also our 1st pigeon and found us. (I watched him chase the 2 youngest birds away from the feed & water today.)

Fact 2: He has laid claim to a 5 year old female and they did have eggs - which froze and were lost yesterday. 

Fact 3: We had a new egg laid yesterday by a different pair and, today, I found the single egg pecked open.

Questions: 
1. Is it likely that Birdzilla would do this? Or is there a reason why the parents would have done this?

2. The second egg is due to be laid tomorrow. Should I move the new parents & the new egg into separate quarters to protect the egg? or temporarily isolate Birdzilla?

3. I have put a plastic egg into the nest box and the female is keeping it warm. Should I leave that egg in the nest after the real egg is laid? Do they need 2 there for it to be "right" for them?

4. Any other suggestions? ideas? Comments?


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## maine123 (Sep 21, 2007)

1. It could have been "birdzilla" if the parents left the egg alone for a while. Or parents could have, Not completley sure, IM not an expert.

2. What I have heard on this thread you shouldn't move the nest. They might abandon the egg. 

3. Yeah, fake egg is good. They will just get rid of it when it doesn't hatch.

This is just what I have read on this forum. So It might not all be what you should do. hopefully someone else with more knowledge will post after me. Hope my info will help you though.  good luck with the second egg!


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Fact 1: We have a VERY dominant male (aka Magellan aka Birdzilla!). He was also our 1st pigeon and found us. (I watched him chase the 2 youngest birds away from the feed & water today.)

Fact 2: He has laid claim to a 5 year old female and they did have eggs - which froze and were lost yesterday. 

Fact 3: We had a new egg laid yesterday by a different pair and, today, I found the single egg pecked open.

Questions: 
1. Is it likely that Birdzilla would do this? Or is there a reason why the parents would have done this?
*Yes, it is likely, if he was the big cheese before these other birds came along, he might have claimed this coop as his very own, and everyone else, he may just consider as tresspassers, except his mate. Males will always dominate youngsters, especially if they are new to the loft. *

2. The second egg is due to be laid tomorrow. Should I move the new parents & the new egg into separate quarters to protect the egg? or temporarily isolate Birdzilla?

*Do not remove the eggs, replace with dummy eggs. Once they get bored with the dummy eggs, then move the nest around and add nest boxes, and/or remodel. Make sure there is plenty of room for each couple add fronts to the nest boxes also to protect young. If Birdzilla has had access to the current boxes he thinks he owns them and all other birds are tresspassers. He may continue to conquer, so keep all extra nest boxes closed off to him.*
3. I have put a plastic egg into the nest box and the female is keeping it warm. Should I leave that egg in the nest after the real egg is laid? Do they need 2 there for it to be "right" for them?
*Until you can secure nest boxes for the other couple/couples and birdzilla stops claiming them, I would replace both eggs with dummies, and allow them time to sit on them, wait until they give them up and remodel. If birdzilla continues his attack, remodel now and keep him out until the birds have settled into their new quarters.*


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## wolfwood (Jan 26, 2009)

Thanks, Treesa .... but I'm a bit confused.

Birdzilla was our 1st pij (and even tried to dominate ME long before the new kids arrived. Gotta love puberty!!) ... so I have expected his trouble making, based on that alone. HOWEVER, they all moved into this new loft at the same time (2 weeks ago), he & Skye (& their eggs) stayed in a dog kennel _IN THE LOFT_ while the others all had free run of the space. I hoped this would give the others the chance to choose their perches, boxes, etc. and HE might be less territorial. 

We have 5 adults with 8 Nest Boxes and LOTS of perches in a new 8x6 (7' tall) Loft. It's the TajMahal, and enormous space, compared to their prior dog kennels. There's no more "remodelling" to be done except to add a screened-in outside flying space in the Spring. They've now paired themselves into 2 + 2 + 1 solo female. 

Birdzilla/Skye had their eggs in a dog kennel in the garage (before the move to the Loft). Everyone was moved to the Loft and the Kennel was removed (see above for timing). Skye spends most of her time on the floor of the Loft, under the nest boxes....and he's right there with her... occasionally flying to a perch or to chase someone else. Should we put the kennel back in, for now? Should we close him in it? Is the kennel actually his "nest box"? As I write those words, that would actually make a lot of sense .

4 of the 8 Nest Boxes have been open & available for use but the only one being used is the one that currently has the egg. I've not seen Birdzilla even enter one yet. 

We have not been closing anyone into a nest best ... rather, leaving the boxes open and letting them all have free run of the Loft to settle in and choose where ever _they_ want to be. Should we just put a bird (a pair?) in a box and close it up for the night ?

If Birdzilla is closed in his "Kennel box" - this next question may not be needed. Should we always be keeping the nest box with the egg closed? If so, is food & water for the one sitting the nest not a problem? Do we then "force" the "change of watch" each morning/evening and close the box again? 

You said "Do not remove the eggs, replace with dummy eggs." How do they get "replaced" if they aren't "removed"??? btw, the pecked egg is gone and has already been replaced with a dummy egg -which they are sitting. The 2nd real egg hasn't yet appeared.

Thanks sooooo much for your help!! It would seem that this is the time when all the good instinct & common sense in the world just isn't enough


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Some of your birds are not all mature enough to couple and need nest boxes, the perches will do for them for now.

It is best to have fronts on nest boxes, to secure the babies once they start moving around, and for security from other pigeons entering into them. They are not closed off at all. Parent birds should be able to come and go. 

here is an example of a good nesting box:

http://lovebirdsloft.homestead.com/LOFTACCESSORIESPLANPAGE.html

Skye may actually miss the comfort of his the comfort aand security of his kennel, but give him time as hopefully he and his mate will move on to the boxes.

Replace the real eggs with dummy eggs,destroy the real eggs before any incubation has occured. You can't just remove the eggs as some people do, without replacing them with the fake ones.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

It could be several things.
It's important to give your Pigeons a calcium supplement and red Pigeon grit. The hens need the extra calcium to make strong egg shells.
Sometimes mice and rats get into a loft and because they need calcium too, they will go for the eggs. It's really important to keep rodents out of your loft because their droppings can make you birds very ill. Rats will kill and eat Pigeons and their eggs once they get a taste for them.


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## wolfwood (Jan 26, 2009)

OK..OK...so there _IS_ some remodelling to be done.  Thanks for the Nesting Box plans & photo, Treesa. I expect our 8 Boxes are going to become 4 (and we'll build more later if we ever need them). I also think we'll bring the kennel back in - for now - and just make it available to them. There's currently room for it and it may help him feel more secure....then maybe they'll choose a box, once we 'remodel' them . Sure would be nice to have 'Birdzilla' morph back into 'Magellan"

Charis, they do have Red Grit with Oyster Shell mixed in. I did consider rodents but 1) it didn't look like rodent damage and 2) although I've been expecting & watching for it, we haven't even had mice in the garage ... with lots of access, seed, & dog food readily available. Certainly not ruling it out ... but I think this was domineering/territorial bird damage.

Thanks, everyone. I'll keep ya' posted.


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