# My Pigeon has laid an egg



## neilandmaria (Nov 18, 2003)

Hi again helpers 

We rescued a little young pigeon in a bad state with a broken and bleeding wing about a year ago. It can't fly,although it has healed and we have been caring for it ever since on our balcony within its own closed and protected space and it has grown into a beautiful and large pidj going about its business happily enough with us

However...., much to our surprise, we found an egg this morning which we removed to examine etc., and this evening it laid another one which it is currently keeping warm. (It has been receiving other pidj visitors for the last month or two who seem to pop by and have at what we think is our female pidj, who have a look before flying off) 

 
The problem is, with limited space (balcony in central city flat) means we *can't* care for baby pigeons unfortunately, (and know of nobody who would either) so need instructions desperately as to what can we do to prevent further eggs coming along but still being able to care for our poor pidj who has been dealt a raw deal so far
 

MANY thanks for any help you can give us, from us and pidj
Regards from Spain!

neilandmaria


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## ZigZagMarquis (Aug 31, 2004)

um... Well, unless your little rescued hen has a "mate", the eggs are not fertile.

You say your bird is flightless and lives on your balcony. Is she totally enclosed or can other pigeons come and visit her? What I'm getting at, is there a possiblity or no possibility that a cock-bird has mated with her or not? If not, then the eggs are definitly not fertile. You can take them and replace them with dummy eggs. She'll sit them for about 19 to 21 days and then kick them out. If there is a possibilty the eggs are fertile, you can do the same thing... replace them with dummies. If you don't have dummy eggs handy, you can take the real eggs and hard boil them, let them cool, and let the hen sit them... or you can take them and shake them really hard, be careful not to break them, and let her sit them.


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## neilandmaria (Nov 18, 2003)

thanks for replying ZigZagMarquis

She is totally enclosed, from floor to ceiling and the other visitors kind of come along and watch her through the mesh of the caged off area she moves in, and have no direct contact. 
(We know so little about this and so were wondering if 'through the bars' anything was possible, as it were.. but realise this is not the case and that the eggs are probably not fertile.)

Will do that with the egg though, either replace or hard boil. Thanks again for your help.

neilandmaria


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## Birdmom4ever (Jan 14, 2003)

Make sure your hen has plenty of good quality pigeon grit at all times to ensure that she gets enough calcium. You can let her sit on her boiled or fake eggs until she gives up and starts the process over. It will be about 20-22 days, although some young hens will keep sitting much longer than that when the eggs don't hatch. The point is, you don't want to simply take the eggs away because that will cause her to lay too often, which can cause health problems.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Hi Neil and Maria,

It is good to know that your pij is happy and has so many pigeon visitors. 

It is nice for the pigeon to have an egg, real or not, to incubate. Even if it never hatches, they seem to feel fulfilled by doing the incubating bit. I have a couple of barren hens who so want to sit on eggs that they sit on an empty nest and I eventually learnt to slip a plastic egg under them to keep them happy.

Cynthia


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## ZigZagMarquis (Aug 31, 2004)

neilandmaria said:


> thanks for replying ZigZagMarquis
> 
> She is totally enclosed, from floor to ceiling and the other visitors kind of come along and watch her through the mesh of the caged off area she moves in, and have no direct contact.
> (We know so little about this and so were wondering if 'through the bars' anything was possible, as it were.. but realise this is not the case and that the eggs are probably not fertile.)
> ...


No problem. This is basically what you're looking for when it comes to fake eggs...

http://www.jedds.com/ProductDetail.asp?MainCategoryID=59&SubCategoryID=400&ProductID=1879

... I see you're in Spain though, so, I'd guess buying them from Jedds here in the U.S. would be hard. Hopefully you'll be able to find something similar locally. Good Luck and let us know how your hen is doing.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

N&M

If you can't find dummies you might have to settle for boiled this time, but I can pop a couple in the post for the next clutch. I have lots. 

Cynthia


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## neilandmaria (Nov 18, 2003)

Thanks again for all of this marvellous info!

Problem now seems to be that our pigeon is now standing, and sitting away from the egg and no longer seems to want to keep it warm. Does this mean it might lay another soon, should we remove it & try the boiling trick already?

many thanks for this help, for which we are incredibly appreciative!!!


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

The parents don't sit on the eggs constantly until both eggs are laid. So, she might be getting ready for second one.
Wait until the second eggs appears and if you are sure they are not fertile you don't have to boil them or replace them.
The boiling/replacing with dummies is done in order to keep the population down, not the case with your bird.

Reti


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## TaylorGS (Feb 27, 2005)

Good luck with the eggs and keep us posted on them !
Taylor


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## neilandmaria (Nov 18, 2003)

Will do, thanks again for the fabulous info


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