# Possible egg-bound pigeon?



## Saphira (Sep 2, 2017)

I have a pair of pigeons that have been laying eggs that I switch for plastic ones for about a year. They are now on a new round, and it felt to me the female is a bit surlier than usual. She has laid an egg - unfortunately I don't know when exactly these days. I've been watching her closely since morning:
- she didn't come to me for her usual hemp treats;
- she did get off the nest to eat;
- she flew back up the nest, albeit it looks like she is struggling a bit more than usual;
- she is now sitting near the nest and the male is on the nest - which is unusual for her, she usually doesn't stay in the same room while he nests. 
- she is walking normally.

Unfortunately I am leaving on a trip abroad tonight, but my husband is staying home. I instructed him to check for the 2nd egg tomorrow, but in case it didn't appear, what can we do to prevent danger to her? Or is there anything we could do now?


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## Saphira (Sep 2, 2017)

2nd egg did not appear today and she seems to not be able to fly up the wardrobe where her nest is. I told my husband to try moving the nest under the bed, although I'm not sure that is a good idea. She ate a little, and is walking around the house, but I am really worried.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

I've never dealt with a eggbound pigeon before, but from what I've read on the internet: they need warmth and calcium. Warmth can be provided by putting the pigeon in a steamy bathroom, put her on a heatpad or let her soak in a lukewarm bath.

The best calcium will be a liquid calcium to add to the drinking water. Very important to make sure there are added Vit D3 to the calcium, birds need this to absorb the calcium into the body. Another option will be eggshells. Boil a few eggs and peel them. Crush up the shell and provide this to the pigeon.

One can also masage the vent area with a bit of olive oil, but if the bird does not like to be handled, this might be a bit difficult.

Hope this helps.


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## Saphira (Sep 2, 2017)

My husband caught her in the morning (she was sitting under the bed and it seemed she was hesitant about flying up to her nest) and gave her a little olive oil (I've read in some threads it helps), then put her up on the wardrobe. He also tried to put her in some warm water but she started protesting after 30 seconds. We've put some calcium and D3 in water and also a bowl of seed up on the wardrobe so she doesn't need to get down. I've watched her for a couple of hours on a live camera he setup there, and she switched sitting on the nest with the male a few times. Sadly the camera only picks up something if the light is on, so I can't watch her all the time. I saw her peck on a few seeds once. Her breathing seemed normal at all times and she preened herself or the male. I'm waiting for the morning quite anxiously.


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## Saphira (Sep 2, 2017)

Everything fine, she laid the second egg last night, so I am greatly relieved. I'll need to look for a good calcium product for her. I got her some vitamins and minerals from versele laga at some point but it colours the water strongly (and I think it has a strong smell and taste too) and both of them don't drink it.


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## Saphira (Sep 2, 2017)

She seems to still struggle with flying up the wardrobe. My husband came home today after dark and found her under the bed, nest empty. She struggled to fly up a chair, and he caught her and put her up. She sat on the edge of the wardrobe for a bit, then hurried to the nest and went on it. 

I ordered some calcium here in England to take home with me when I return (I'll get there before it would arrive normally from here by mail and I had troubles finding something adequate in my own country). I'm also looking at UV lamps, as she does not get access to sun (I built her a window cage to get sun but she is afraid of going there so she didn't really see the sun all summer). Is it possible there would be other issues? What else I could do? I asked my husband to put some electolites in her water, unfortunately she refuses the vitamins I got for them.


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## Saphira (Sep 2, 2017)

She still seems to prefer sitting under the bed, which is unusual. Went there when the male took over nesting today.


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## Colombina (Jan 22, 2017)

Once my pigeon Apple suffered from a bad case of temporary paralysis (fortunately she laid both eggs), she couldn't fly (I mean she couldn't do her "small flights"), walks, etc. She pull herself along with wings...

I don't know if your pigeon has the same problem but, in any case, I'm going to copy an article from pigeonrescue uk (I don't know why but the website is not available).

Temporary (Egg Laying) Paralysis

This temporary weakness / paralysis can occur either during or after the laying of an egg and is 
thought to be caused by the egg pressing on the sciatic nerve.

The hen will have weak or useless eggs and will therefore be unable to walk or to fly and will probably be pulling itself along with its wings. The other pigeons seeing a fellow pigeon that behaves as if it is ill will follow their natural instincts to protect the flock and will attack and peck at the affected hen's head. That will cause her to seek shelter and she risks becoming trapped in small places.

If you see a pigeon that has trouble standing and walking, or is pulling itself along by its wings, it needs to be taken somewhere quiet and warm to rest. If it is likely to be a laying henm then calcium supplements formulated specially for birds, such as Calcivet, Calcivite, Zolcal D or Gen Liquid Calcium, given according to the
manufacture's instructions can help strengthen the muscles. They usually recover in a couple of days but they need to be monitored just in case there is an egg that is stuck. 

Apple recovered in some days, I gave her extra calcium, vitamins, I had to hand feed her and offer her water in her nest. 

I know you are sceptical but at your place I would try to look for a pick stone for pigeons. I think they are available in UK.


https://www.gardenfeathers.co.uk/pigeon-grit-pickstones.html

They are good source of calcium and minerals (when Apple had her issue the vet confirmed me that minerals as iron, etc are really important). All my birds love and eat them (once my brother gave me a bag of oyster shells, they didn't eat them but they love the blocks).


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## Saphira (Sep 2, 2017)

Yes, I fear she has some sort of weakenes after laying the eggs. 
My pigeon eats on her own and walks, she just seems to be sitting more than usual and she also seems to struggle flying. She is usually full of vitality. I bought Zolcal D from here, but will get home on monday. 

Regarding the warm quiet place, under the bed would be that, as the room is inhabited presently by anybody else but them, and it's as warm as anywhere in the house there (we keep 22-23 degrees Celsius constantly, but she would get more warmth sitting next to the radiator, which she can do under the bed).

That site isn't working for me, but I googled pickstone. I am giving her something called redstone, I think it's from versele laga. It looks like red clay looking gravel. Is it the same thing or what you linked is a solid block?

I have omnivit from versele laga but she refuses to drink the water with them. Would it be a good idea to hand feed some drops of that to her with a syringe?


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## Saphira (Sep 2, 2017)

For some reason editing isn't working, but wanted to add that my pigeons are not fans of the redstones thing. In fact, they are generally ignoring it.


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## Colombina (Jan 22, 2017)

Yes, they are solid blocks, see the pics. Here there are different kinds of blocks having different ingredients: oyster shells, insoluble grit (the small stones), minerals, anise, clay, etc. Some of my birds just eat the crumbled ones (if you buy one, I will explain how to give it to them), other love pecking directly at the blocks. Of course, I don't know if your pigeons will eat it, I can just tell you that all my birds love them.

I wouldn't give her the vit with a syringe because it could be dangerous. Is it possible to find there a mixture of seed enriched with vitamins? Or maybe you could add just a few drops of vit in a bowl of seed, leave them dry and give them to her.

Probably she sits under the bed because she doesn't feel well. Usually pigeons use to hide when they are not fine. Or maybe she is looking for a warmer place, pigeons love radiators. You could try to put a box near the radiator.The important thing is that her husband doesn't stop to sit on eggs trying to mate with her. Of course, she needs a break from laying eggs.


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## Saphira (Sep 2, 2017)

I've had from the start some pigeon grit, and recently tried the redstone, they juat don't seem interested in it, and prefer to peck my flower pots instead (ceramic and some of them are flaking) or to dig in the said flower pots. 

I've instructed my husband to sprinkle some of the versele laga vitamins in their seed, maybe she eats it like that. 

Regarding the male, he doesn't seem bothered in the slightest and nests as usual. She does too, she just needs help getting on the wardrobe in the evening, since her nest is up there. 

Do you think a visit to the vet would be warranted? She is not tame and I worry about stressing her further, since she has never been taken out of the house. These days, with my husband catching her to put her up the wardrobe is the first time we caught her since she was a baby. 

Would the constant lack of babies be a stress or depression reason? Do they ever take a break from laying eggs? She has laid a pair per month like clockwork since spring.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

She is probably not getting enough calcium and D3. They need that for their nerves and muscles, as well as in egg production. They need the D3 as much as the calcium, as without it, they cannot absorb the calcium. They do take the pigeon grit and redstone that you have, but only when needed. The pickstone is a good idea, but I like it in the block instead of the bowl. It's easier to break up and mix in the grit, and you actually get more of it for the price than you get in those dishes. It contains the different minerals they would be finding in the wild.

Lack of calcium may be making her weak so she gets down and can't get back up to the nest, but if she isn't flying well, then she may injure herself coming back down. I wouldn't be putting her back up there if she can't fly well. She may fall and get really hurt. She could also be sick, but if she is laying that much and not getting calcium/D3, then she is probably needing calcium. Would maybe be better not to put her up high for now. If the calcium doesn't help, then she may need to be treated with an antibiotic. Try the calcium first, and you will need to stop any calcium when you start antibiotics.


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## Colombina (Jan 22, 2017)

Birds eat grit or pickstone or cuttlebone, etc according to their necessities, they eat them just when they feel that they need them. 
At your place I would try to buy one (I have many different pickstones, I use to cut and mix them each other. Recently I bought one in a pot but I haven't tried it yet): you could leave always available a bowl containing the crumbled one and leave also available the entire block (see the pic: I put the blocks somewhere in the room and some of my birds go there to peck at them).

I would wait a few days and see how she goes (Apple recovered in some days and she was badly paralyzed). In the meanwhile you could maybe contact a vet (by email or calling him) and ask for his opinion (when Apple had her issue I exchanged a few emails with my vet).

Is she eating the seed with the Versele Laga? Is it possible to find a different vitamins supplement? I don't remember exactly but don't you have at home others vitamins and calcium supplements?

Your husband tried to put a box or a basket near the radiator? I was wondering if it could be a good idea to temporarily move the nest near the radiator (this way she could go in and out freely without any danger or stress). My only concern is that they could maybe stop to sit on eggs. Maybe your husband could try and see how they react.


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## Saphira (Sep 2, 2017)

Yesterday she got off the wardrobe, ate quite well and took a bath, then dried herself on the office floor. She started fretting quite early next to the wardrobe so my husband tried to catch her to put her up, but she flew a little through the living room. He got her up, and she spent the rest of the day either nesting or eating on the wardrobe while her mate nested. 

Today she flew on the other wardrobe in the room, spent a couple of hours there, then came back and took nesting job early. She is eating the vitamined seed on her wardrobe, and has water with calcium there too (it's just not very good calcium, but all we have home). She didn't come down at all, so it feels like she still has issues with flying upwards.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

She needs vitamin D3 as well, or the calcium won't do her any good. Reeally needs the calcium/D3 supplement. It should make a big difference.


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## Saphira (Sep 2, 2017)

I've arrived home, and my lady pigeon is back to her usual self, begging for hemp and flying as she pleases. I'll be giving her the calcium I got (which has vitamin D too). Not sure how to use the UV light thingy, they don't really stay in one place - though it's being enjoyed by my finches presently (yesterday they took turns in groups of 3 to sit under it). 

I'm also attempting to change her feeding place from my office to the balcony I keep another recently rescued pigeon that I want to get used to spend time with my 2 pigeons (and none of them seem interested in that right now) - but she ignores the food if it's in a different place - and I'm not sure how good is to let her not eat.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

That is one reason why it is better to keep them in a large cage. It gives you more control over their needs and such, like the light being over them. Also, she will eventually get used to being fed in a different place. They are creatures of habit, but they do learn. Otherwise pigeons in the wild would all starve when the food source stopped where they were used to finding it. If you want to put it in both places until she learns, that might be a good idea. Put less and less where she is used to getting it, until she gets used to the new place. Shouldn't take her long to adjust.


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## Saphira (Sep 2, 2017)

Seems the flying issue has re-occurred.

I found my lady pigeon last friday under the bed, with an egg few feet away from her, looking fluffed up and weak. Picked her and her egg up and put her on the wardrobe, in her usual nest. I also put a bowl of seed generously sprinkled with calcium and olive oil, pellets and water with calcium. The pellets seemed to help one of the sick rescue a lot, so I decided they could be a good addition.

For several days since I have been worried because the 2nd egg did not appear. It still did not appear, but after one day in which she didn't get off the wardrobe, and another in which she had to be lifted up again, she gradually looked stronger, ate well and she is flying normally again. Today I had a day off and she even came to eat hemp, which she hasn't for a few days. I'm still keeping the bowl of food filled up on the wardrobe and turning on the light in the evening so she can eat (and she does).

I have a new job and I am missing from home all day now. She used to spend a lot of her off nest time with me in my office. I'm relieved she's flying normally again (my husband says it was a lot worse last time she did this), but I'm worried still about no 2nd egg. Tomorrow is a week since she laid the first. Could she be eggbound if she is moving around normally? How long would it take to be sure there are no issues?


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## Colombina (Jan 22, 2017)

I'm sorry to hear that Honey had again the paralysis problem. Did she lay the second egg? Sometimes a pigeon can lay just one egg. Once my pigeon Londo laid 3 eggs...

I read online about some suggestions concerning how to discourage eggs laying (like removing nest materials, increasing the hours of darkness, etc) but honestly I don't think they could work (well, at least with my birds...). Probably the best solution is giving sometimes to the wife a "holiday" from her husband. I know it's sad to separate a couple but it could be helpful for the female have a break from laying eggs. Honestly I'm thinking about this solution.


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## Friend John (Jun 10, 2018)

The first time the feral couple lay an egg on my window sill, they lay only one egg. There is a post somewhere on this site that shows what are the odds of laying 1, 2 and 3 eggs. If I remember correctly, there is about 7% chance of pigeons laying 1 egg.


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## Saphira (Sep 2, 2017)

She did not lay a 2nd egg but recovered her flight. However, the male keeps getting distracted by the other 2 pigeons I now have in the house and she ends up spending a lot of time on the nest. I barely get to see her with my new schedule at work . If there's something I miss with this new job is having Honey sit on the back of the chair in front of me preening herself.


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