# Cold eggs & too much touching??



## Microcat (Nov 22, 2010)

Was curious to know how long (if at all) a pigeon egg can go without being sat on before it's considered 'dead'.

The back story... hen laid an egg 5 days ago, laid the 2nd one 3 days ago. Hen and cock have been sitting well ever since. 
This morning, I woke up and checked on them (they live indoors, long story), the nest bowl had been tipped (they REFUSE to sit on them in the larger dog bowl nest and prefer a round-bottom wooden bowl which tips when they enter or exit) and one egg was out of the nest and near the door of their cage.

Soon as I saw it I immediately placed it back under the cock who was sitting at that time. The egg was cool, but not stone cold. Was wondering if it's already too late for this egg? Should I still give it a chance or is it a waste of time at this point?


Another question, can I touch the eggs "too much" - I have had to scoot the eggs back into the nest a few times, and both mom and dad throw a fit and peck at my hand when I shove the egg back under them, but neither has yet to abandon the nest from my repeated touching. 


My first eggs so I'm really hoping for a success! But now I'm worrying about everything.  Any info is great!


----------



## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

when they get a bit cool they just stop developing for a bit ..but not dead.. I would say longer than 48 hours it may just stop developing and quit... but eggs do not need constant warmth all the time as the parents change over duties and eat and drink and sometimes take a bath with the eggs waiting.. I would leave it.. just in case.


----------



## Microcat (Nov 22, 2010)

Oh good!! This is so reassuring to read! I'll leave it and hope all goes wel. I have seen both birds off the eggs once, but it was only for a minute. Still, over-worried me was freaking out and screaming in my head "GET BACK ON THEM!!!" 

I will TRY not to worry so much. Obviously the birds know more than I do. Just that these squabs will (hopefully!) be my first ever so I'm hoping everything goes okay. Sitting on pins and needles is so true for me right now. *sigh*


----------



## atvracinjason (Mar 4, 2010)

Luckily for you the instinct these birds have is super strong! If you can modify that bowl to prevent it from tipping that would be helpfull. About half of my breeding pairs will forgo the nest bowl and make a nest on the wood in the breeding box. If I need to "monkey" with the eggs I reach in and take the parent who is sitting on them off to prevent them or myself from hurting the egg as they wing slap me. When I'm done I put them back in the box and they readily run over and sit the eggs. Good luck...let us know...should only be a few weeks now.


----------



## Microcat (Nov 22, 2010)

The tipping nest bowl was my fault. It was originally a food bowl... or well, it was for "snacks" really and I put some clover and bread and such in there for them to munch on, but the hen took a liking to it and started putting her little collection of nesting material (Q-tips, dont ask again..) in there and I didn't have the heart to dump it out. I thought the bowl would be okay since that was her choice.

Mistake! Whoops. In hindsight I should have removed the bowl as soon as she took a liking to it and forced her to find another spot. Well, I learned from that mistake. Won't do that the next time around.

Do you think if I were to remove the tippy bowl and place the eggs AND her favored nesting material in the dog bowl with the wide bottom, and scoot the dog bowl to the spot where the tippy bowl is, she would accept it? 

I'm just more or less terrified to force them to abandon the nest by my own ignorance and moving or touching too much. But I also hate seeing them tip the bowl when 'the changing of the guards" happens and an egg go rolling out.


----------



## loftkeeper (Sep 21, 2010)

Can You Place The Nest They Are Sitting On In The Dog Bowl If Not Maybe Some Blocks Of Wood Around The Nest Bowl Would Not Move The Location Just Try To Stableize The Tippy Bowl If Nothing Else


----------



## ptras (Jun 29, 2010)

Microcat said:


> The tipping nest bowl was my fault. It was originally a food bowl... or well, it was for "snacks" really and I put some clover and bread and such in there for them to munch on, but the hen took a liking to it and started putting her little collection of nesting material (Q-tips, dont ask again..) in there and I didn't have the heart to dump it out. I thought the bowl would be okay since that was her choice.
> 
> Mistake! Whoops. In hindsight I should have removed the bowl as soon as she took a liking to it and forced her to find another spot. Well, I learned from that mistake. Won't do that the next time around.
> 
> ...


Get an old towel and tuck it in around the edges of the bowl. That should keep it from tipping. I wouldn't move the eggs to another bowl, because they will possibly abandon them - even if it's in the same location.


----------



## Microcat (Nov 22, 2010)

Supports around the bowl I can do. Hopefully it's not too small when (if!) the eggs hatch. I can imagine its going to be comical seeing a pigeon and two squabs trying to squeeze into it. *facepalm*

I'll get some supports around it now. Daddy just gave up his post and mom is now sitting on them. They seem to be doing everything "by the books" (aside from the accidental tipping of the bowl) ... its me that seems to be messing things up. lol!

Gosh I hope they hatch. *fingers crossed!*


----------



## Microcat (Nov 22, 2010)

Well unfortunately, I woke up this morning and both eggs had been crushed by the parents. Don't know why or how, the bowl was supported last night and they seemed to have no problems sitting in it after the makeshift support.

But this morning mom was sitting in an empty bowl and both eggs were outside it and broken inward. 

Guess I messed this up big time!! *sigh*

Will they lay again? And if so, when might that be? I'll have a PROPER nesting area for them next time around. This was just a total flub on my part.


----------



## atvracinjason (Mar 4, 2010)

They will lay again. Get them some nesting material if they don't have it already...take that questionable bowl out and put the other one in.


----------



## sreeshs (Aug 16, 2009)

No worries, they will lay again in 2 weeks time or so. The real issue with pigeons is to stop them from laying


----------



## Microcat (Nov 22, 2010)

Oh good! That gives me 2 weeks to get the nesting situation right this time!  

The tiny bowl is gone, I won't be using that anymore since I know what the stinker wants to use it for. haha. The big bowl is getting put in with some new Q-tips (since they seemed to love those for nesting material) and some dried grass and shreds of paper.

Hoping I can report, in two weeks time, some additional eggs.  Keep your fingers crossed that I do it right next time around.


----------



## loftkeeper (Sep 21, 2010)

Do Not Use The Q Tips Put Some Shaveings In The Bottom Of The Bowl Then Hay Or Straw . Shreaded Paper Has No Use Either . They Do Sell A Felt Like Matiral That You Can Get At Pigeons Suppliers. Have Used Carpet In The Bottom But With All The Unknown Thing They Use Now Days I Quit That .


----------



## Matt Bell (May 5, 2010)

Pine Needles are great nesting material as well, and generally free and easy to get.


----------



## Microcat (Nov 22, 2010)

Are the Q-tips dangerous? They loved them, had the tippy bowl lined with them on the bottom and the shredded paper along the sides. I put in some dried grass the day before the broken-eggs which they used as well. Will get some pine needles for them this time around. 

By shavings, loftkeeper, do you mean wood shavings? Aspen wood shavings okay? 

I also have coir (coconut fiber) which I use for my herps. Have an unused brick I can expand and dry out for them to use also.


----------



## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Microcat said:


> Are the Q-tips dangerous? They loved them, had the tippy bowl lined with them on the bottom and the shredded paper along the sides. I put in some dried grass the day before the broken-eggs which they used as well. Will get some pine needles for them this time around.
> 
> By shavings, loftkeeper, do you mean wood shavings? Aspen wood shavings okay?
> 
> I also have coir (coconut fiber) which I use for my herps. Have an unused brick I can expand and dry out for them to use also.


I use natural clay cat litter, and then shavings on top of that.. then give them hay to make the nest..seems to work great.. the cat litter keeps droppings dry from the babies, untill they start leaning over the side to poop that is... if you do not have hay.. pineneedleswork great, straw if you do not have anything els.. Im not crazy about straw because it is hollow inside and could harbor fungus or insects... but alot folks use it without problems.. and no need to over think hay vs straw...lol.. you just want to make sure the bowl is big enough for two squabs which grow really fast... can you post a picture of your breeding setup and perhaps we can see something you may be missing or need to change..


----------



## Microcat (Nov 22, 2010)

sreeshs said:


> No worries, they will lay again in 2 weeks time or so. The real issue with pigeons is to stop them from laying


So my little pair laid their first set of eggs back in late March. Both of those eggs broke after about a week of incubation. The female did not lay again until 6/25. She only laid one. The pair has been sitting on the eggs perfectly since it was laid, and so far so good, it has not been broken or damaged. I am hoping/dreaming of seeing an ugly little squab.

They REFUSED to lay in the nest I gave them months ago, even though the cock sleeps in it and the hen has added some nest to it. The hen laid the egg on the floor behind her feeder. I don't much mind, I just call her my little dummy.

I'm amazed it took them this long to lay again as nothing in their home has been changed since they broke the last two eggs aside from adding the nestbox back in March.

Is it weird she only laid one egg? Is this a sign the egg is infertile, or can one hatch just fine?  The hen is acting perfectly normal, eating and pooping fine, so I don't figure there is eggbinding. And I never did see a damaged egg anywhere, nor is there any chance a snake or other animal could have gotten the second egg. The pair is kept in a "private apartment" all their own with very secure wiring.

Any reassurances are welcome. lol


----------

