# First Egg!



## ZigZagMarquis (Aug 31, 2004)

Well... guess what?

When I went out to feed my birdie buddies this morning, I found Honey sitting on an Egg!

Just one so far, so I figured she laid it last night / yesterday.

She came down and ate a little this morning, but is back up in her nest box sitting on the egg. I haven't seen her mate, Big-B, take his turn on the egg(s) yet... right now he's down on the floor rooo-coooing and prancing for another hen...


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## ZigZagMarquis (Aug 31, 2004)

I just put some more nesting materials out and Big-B is going NUTS carrying tabacoo stems up to his n' Honey's nest box! I've never seen a pigeon move so fast!! I mean he's going back n' forth... back n' forth!!


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

WOO HOO!!!!!!!! congratulations Zig....let's hope for some nice babies soon


Brad


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## Bird_girl(Ronni (Nov 29, 2004)

YAY! When the baby hatches you should get one of those little santa hats and put it on his head. That way it can be your Christmas present. Don't put him in your stalking though. That would not be to comfy for him.


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## ZigZagMarquis (Aug 31, 2004)

1235L and Big-B is taking his turn on the egg!


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## Hanie (Oct 14, 2004)

Sweet!!  I know just how you feel. Although mine aint working so well.  Hope everything goes great for you and you get some gorgeous birdies!!


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## Bird_girl(Ronni (Nov 29, 2004)

Ya me to. Mine are really not going to well. But I hope yours go peachy!!!!!


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## Motherlodelofts (Oct 9, 2004)

Are you sure about this, Better check and make sure its just not a rock


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## Bird_girl(Ronni (Nov 29, 2004)

(LOL) That was good motherdalohps or something like that. lol.


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## ZigZagMarquis (Aug 31, 2004)

... well, it looks a lot like an egg to me. Anyway, Big-B's turn on the egg was short lived... he's back to "hitting on" all the other hens in the loft... geeze!... can you say Horny Pigeon!!??  At least Janey and Big-Bird are starting to stand up to him and chase him from the other hens.


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## Motherlodelofts (Oct 9, 2004)

Well Zig if it looks and smells like an egg, it must be an egg LOL , I know you been waiting and waiting for this. To me breeding is such a huge part of the enjoyment of the birds. I have paired up my birds a hundred times in my mind, generally I pair up in late Jan but I'm looking at maybe starting early this year.


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## ZigZagMarquis (Aug 31, 2004)

Well... I checked this morning and still only one egg. I suppose Honey will lay a second one today or not... I've heard that sometimes young hens only lay one egg their first time out.

I sure wish Big-B would mellow out. All he's doing is chasing the other hens around while Honey is on the nest. Its really creating comotion and noise!


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## Bird_girl(Ronni (Nov 29, 2004)

You never knowwwwwwwwwwwww.


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## Dove_girl(Emily (Dec 20, 2004)

expect another one believe me


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## Bird_girl(Ronni (Nov 29, 2004)

Yeo believe us. (me and dove_girl) We are sisters and know what we are talking about. Our doves have had 6 eggs. Isn't that about how much we have had Emily?


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## ZigZagMarquis (Aug 31, 2004)

*Second Egg*

Well, sometime between now (1517L) and a couple of hours ago, Honey went and laid her 2nd egg.  I'd suppose what, about 20 days and counting until hatchlings!


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## ZigZagMarquis (Aug 31, 2004)

*Big Air Bubble in Egg*

Today while Big-B and Honey were swapping out egg sitting duties, I took a peek at their 2 eggs while Big-B was getting off the nest and Honey was standing by to sit back down on them. I have not yet picked up the eggs and, thus, haven't candled them, but when I was looking at them today from a couple of feet away, it looks like one of the eggs has an air bubble in one end... I've seen similar in chicken eggs. I'm not sure if that is the case here or not, really, its just a possiblity. Anyway, if that is the case, what could it mean? Something? Maybe nothing??


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## Jerry (Nov 21, 2003)

*Not To Worry*

Hi Zig, Congrats on the eggs! It is normal for all eggs to have an air bubble and they do. I do not know if the size of the bubble indicates anything or not. I've never seen it to be an issue. Some eggshells are a little more translucent and you can see the bubble more easily. You...errr the eggs...should be fine.


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Hi Zig, 

The air bubble is a sac that will aid in breathing later on. As the chick grows inside the egg, the air "cell" as it's called will get bigger as well. When it gets close to hatching time, the chick will peck through the air cell and begin to breath in oxygen for the first time and to get it's lungs working.


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## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

The pocket is on the large end of the egg. This space allows the bird to pip a air hole in the egg. at hatching and work its way around the egg to hatch. If your eggs are fertile you can see blood viens at about the 4th to 5th day when candled. Do not disturb the eggs much And if fertile the hatch the 17th day after the second egg is laid. You will be able to band any young at about 5 days old. then check to see if the band slips off easy by just a little pull .If it seem to stay well it should. BUT do check the next day anyway. As some young birds do slip a band every now and agin. After hatching if fed out ok. The young will be ready to hit the floor at 28 to 35 days old.. 30 days is a good rule of thumb.


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## ZigZagMarquis (Aug 31, 2004)

I candled Honey's 2 eggs this morning and I'm not 100% sure either way if they are fertile or not, but is probably been between 25 and 30 years since I candled chicken eggs to check see if they were fertile or not and even back then I didnt do that many.

When I did candle Honey's eggs, I'd say they were basically clear with a reddish tint and some slight stirations, but I'm not so sure I'd call them veins. She cooperated resonably well, just one or two little pecks at me, a few wing slaps, lots of puffing up and grunting and growling though.

They were definitly warm and I didn't keep them out from under her for more then 30 seconds each.

I suppose I'll check again in another 2 or 3 days... Monday morning I suppose.


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## ZigZagMarquis (Aug 31, 2004)

I re-candled Honey's eggs this morning and they ARE fertile!

Yippie!!!

I could see veins and such.

I'll be leaving her eggs alone now for her and Big-B it sit and _hopefully_ hatch... I'm guessing 9 Jan, 05.


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## zoo keeper (Oct 3, 2004)

That is so cool Zig, You are going to be a daddy.


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Hi Zig, 

How exciting for you! It's very thrilling to breed pigeons and I wish you success in this first clutch. I wish I could breed my birds more but they are unfit parents. I think it's Eggbert who is the culprit. In any case I can't have anymore birds since they are indoors and quite large and my space is limited. Keep us posted on the progress


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## Lin Hansen (Jan 9, 2004)

Hi Zig,

Congratulations....Wow! You've come a long way in just three short months! Best of luck and best wishes to you and "your" babies.

Linda


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## ZigZagMarquis (Aug 31, 2004)

zoo keeper said:


> That is so cool Zig, You are going to be a daddy.


 I didn't touch her!! You can't prove it!!!


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## Lin Hansen (Jan 9, 2004)

ZigZagMarquis said:


> I didn't touch her!! You can't prove it!!!



Zig, you are baaaaaaddddd!!!!! Too funny!!!  

Linda


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## zoo keeper (Oct 3, 2004)

Ok, we can just call you the pumper then. <giggle>


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## ZigZagMarquis (Aug 31, 2004)

ZK! Wash your mouth out with soap and go to your room!!!  

Anyway...



Pigeonpal2002 said:


> Hi Zig,
> 
> How exciting for you! It's very thrilling to breed pigeons and I wish you success in this first clutch. I wish I could breed my birds more but they are unfit parents. I think it's Eggbert who is the culprit. In any case I can't have anymore birds since they are indoors and quite large and my space is limited. Keep us posted on the progress


PP2002,

What makes Eggbert the culprit?? I thought you had most of your cellar dedicated to them... yet with only 4 birds, you're maxed out on space? Are you sure these birds aren't 23lbs?


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## zoo keeper (Oct 3, 2004)

Zig, I think a pumper is the one that egg sits for the other bird. I think that is what you are now doing ... you are sitting on eggs awaiting hatchings. I think I have a new name for you. The pumper


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Hi Zig, 

The basement is two rooms basically and the smaller room at the front of the house is their room. It's 16 feet by 12 feet and I had to divide that room into two as well because Eggbert was being too aggressive towards the young ones. So each pair is now in a 8' x 12' area. I put up a screened wall down the middle of the room so that it's still open and the birds can see each other. As for Eggbert, I have a feeling he killed many of his previous young in the past. Henny and Eggbert have had quite a few eggs hatch and the babies all died within a few days of hatching. I'm not sure it was Eggbert who killed them but I did witness him "digging" pretty aggressively under him sometimes when he was sitting on the young. It was either that or they weren't being fed by either parent for unknown reasons. For the longest time I suspected that my birds were carrying a disease such as paratyphoid or something else that was doinig in the babies but I had them to many vets and tested for many things and all eveything checked out ok. So, back in May of this year, Mary from here said she would try to hand raise this set of babies for me. My pair incubated the eggs until a couple of days before hatchng and I transported them to her place where (luckily) her birds were on eggs as well (dummies) and we switched them. Her birds hatched the eggs succesfully and fed them for the first few days and then Mary took over from there. Obviously they are still alive and well so the theory of disease is unlikely and leads me back to believe it was the parent birds somehow who were unfit to raise their own young. I could have a few more birds I suppose but that would require Mary's help again and I just feel it would be more stress given my current housing setup for the birds right now. It's a challenge sometimes to work with these runts since their needs are a little different from a flying pigeons needs.


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## ZigZagMarquis (Aug 31, 2004)

zoo keeper said:


> Zig, I think a pumper is the one that egg sits for the other bird. I think that is what you are now doing ... you are sitting on eggs awaiting hatchings. I think I have a new name for you. The pumper



Well then... we'll just have to keep an eye out for something to name you...


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## Lin Hansen (Jan 9, 2004)

ZK and Zig,

Thanks for clarifying what a "pumper" is. I was toying with asking, but hated to expose my ignorance!  

Zig, no wonder you thought it was something dirty, with all your "pigeon porn" talk!  LOLOLOL But I DO have to admit, I was kind of thinking the same thing  LOL

Linda


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## zoo keeper (Oct 3, 2004)

OK Pumpers is like a foster parents. I am actually using pumpers right now for eggs. If I have two birds that lay eggs with in a day or two of each other I take the eggs from the good bird and put under the other bird that I dont want babies from and discard her eggs. Then the original bird that I took the eggs from will lay eggs again in 8-10 days. In the end I have four birds from a set of parents when I would have only had two. I have been doing that right now because I am trying to build a young bird race team and I need a lot of birds in a short amount of time.


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Speaking of first eggs, Henny layed her first egg yesterday in about 6 months. She should lay her second egg by tomorrow morning at some point. Boy do I wish I could allow her to hatch them. I'd like to give the babies another brother and sister to hang with. I can dream right? LOL


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## ZigZagMarquis (Aug 31, 2004)

Pigeonpal2002 said:


> Speaking of first eggs, Henny layed her first egg yesterday in about 6 months. She should lay her second egg by tomorrow morning at some point. Boy do I wish I could allow her to hatch them. I'd like to give the babies another brother and sister to hang with. I can dream right? LOL


Haven't there been some folk here that said they wanted some giant runts...  of course taking care of a 23lb pigeon could be a challenge...  


Anyway, question for you PP2002... I've heard told that Giant Runts don't fly. Is it they don't fly at all... or are they just really bad at it? I take it you've never had your birds outside, but has anyone seen a Giant Runt try to fly outside??


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## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

Really a giant runt will only go from 2 to 3 pounds. Not 23 lbs. They are more of a ground bird do to there size. A good runt should be about 3 lbs. And feed there young well. i saw a few last month at a show. They are make a come back in interest. So are the french mondines. Whish are just a little smaller then runts. Kind of odd that the runt name went to such a large bird.


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## ZigZagMarquis (Aug 31, 2004)

... yeah, I know Runts are supposed to run about 2 to 3 lbs... it was awhile back that I posted about Runts and typo'ed 2 - 3lbs as 23lbs, and its been a bit of a running joke, sorry, I guess its run its course and I should drop it...


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Hi Zig, 

Re lee is right, they are mostly ground birds. They can fly but are rather lazy about it and don't have much stamina. I have in fact had my birds outside before. In the summer, on my back deck and they didn't even attempt to fly anywhere. I think because they are never flown and always kept indoors wherever they are raised, they don't seem to understand the concept of the great blue yonder. Mary had a bird visit her balcony before and she thinks it might have been a runt. The bird basically flew from the apartments across from her to her building and back. When I first got my runts, I got in contact with a woman in North Carolina who raised runts. One of her birds got loose one day she said and managed to do a wide circle of her property but on it's way around, was taken by a red tail hawk. So, they are not good flyers but can do better than your average chicken.


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## ZigZagMarquis (Aug 31, 2004)

Okay, so the weather is warm and sunny enough today to do the scrape, sweep, hose & scrub the loft thing. No sooner do I get everything all cleaned up and am clearing out of the loft... then Honey comes down off of her nest and takes *TWO* of her patented 5lb... I've been sitting on eggs all night... poops!  ... all over the clean floor!!  ... and then right back up to her nest box and back on her eggs she went.


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

ZigZagMarquis said:


> No sooner do I get everything all cleaned up and am clearing out of the loft...


I know how frustrating that can be! I try to wait till all the hens have relieved themselves before hosing down in the morning. Keeps things much cleaner! Morning poops are also a convenient time to check for general health since you can see who produced what.


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## ZigZagMarquis (Aug 31, 2004)

TerriB said:


> I know how frustrating that can be! I try to wait till all the hens have relieved themselves before hosing down in the morning. Keeps things much cleaner! Morning poops are also a convenient time to check for general health since you can see who produced what.


I know what you mean... I was mostly kidding around though...


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## ZigZagMarquis (Aug 31, 2004)

*Restless On The Nest*

Quetion... I've noticed that Honey is getting a bit more "restless" on the nest yesterday and today, as in she seems to change positions more often rather then just sitting in the same position on her eggs for long periods of time... could it be because she's been on them for about 2 weeks now (except for when the cock sits them between noon and 5pm) and must be getting "stiff"?? ... OR... could it be because she needs to turn them more seeing as how they should hatch in about a week??


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## ZigZagMarquis (Aug 31, 2004)

*Wooooo! Whoooooooo!!!!*

I just checked and one of Honey's eggs has hatched!!!

She's sitting on the second egg and new little squab. I didn't disturb them much, but the baby is moving, so I know its alive!!!


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## relofts (Apr 8, 2004)

Zig,

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Is it a boy or girl???  

Just kidding, great job you can stop pacing now.

Ellen


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## Motherlodelofts (Oct 9, 2004)

This Is What It"s All About !!!!!!!!


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## ZigZagMarquis (Aug 31, 2004)

relofts said:


> Zig,
> 
> CONGRATULATIONS!!!!
> 
> ...


Its got a little blue bow on it... what does that mean?  


Anyway... thanks for the email... here's my same reply, figured I share it with the board...

"Thanks Ellen. Do I need to take the egg shell out of the nest or will mom take care of that? I figure I should just leave it there and they'll deal with it.

Also, I figure they should be banded come next Thur or Friday. When I go to band them, should I take both babies out of the nest, set one aside in something safe or just take one out, band it and put it back and then do the other? I suppose I should do them one at a time and not remove both from the nest at the same time?"


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## zoo keeper (Oct 3, 2004)

Cool Tim, you are a papa


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## relofts (Apr 8, 2004)

Tim,

You can either pull the shell out or the parents will toss it, if Ron sees 
them or I we usually just get them and throw them out.

Normally 5 to 7 days they should be banded, band on the right leg, put the 
band on upside down so when the bird is standing you have to read it upside 
down, this way when you hold the bird later and the bird kicks it's legs 
back the band is right side up for you to read, your other birds should 
already be banded that way.

When you band them take the front 3 toes put them together and put through 
first and sometimes you have to use a ball point pen to pull down the back 
toe inside the ring, you do not want to be able to easily pull the band off 
the leg when you put it on, if it comes off easily it is to soon and the 
parents will take it and hide it from you if they get a hold of it. It is no fun digging through pigeon droppings to locate a band, and then there are those ones that think they make pretty nest material so they roundup all the bands and hide them in there boxes, I have spent days looking for missing bands before only to find them months later under the loft buried.

We usually pull one youngster out at a time and do them.

Ellen


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## relofts (Apr 8, 2004)

Oh also check the bands after they are put on the next day to make sure they are still on there and that the band has not slipped down over the back toe.

Ellen


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## ZigZagMarquis (Aug 31, 2004)

Ellen, ZK,

Thanks.

I found this...

http://www.pigeonology.com/banding.php

... on the web awhile ago. Pictures... GOOD!


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## Motherlodelofts (Oct 9, 2004)

Zig If I catch it I allway remove the shell as I've seen the shell from the first hatch cover the other egg. If not caught there could be a problem. My pairs went down last weekend and the first egg was laid last night, most of the other girls are looking eggy so breeding season is on around here. I have a few new birds stocked that is the cream of the last couple of years so I'm pretty excited to see the outcome of some of these new pairings.


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## Lin Hansen (Jan 9, 2004)

Zig,

Great news....congratulations... good luck and best wishes with the new babies.

Linda


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## relofts (Apr 8, 2004)

Zig,

That site is a really a nice one, I really like the pictures. Sure wish I would have know about that before I went and typed it all out Geezzzz.  


Ellen


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## ZigZagMarquis (Aug 31, 2004)

Ellen,

No worries. Both helped. I'm sure I'll be real nervous the first time I band one of them. I'm currious to see what the mama does when I take one of her babies out of the nest. I've pretty much figured out that the bitting and wing-slaping they do to me when I get close isn't going to do me any harm, I just don't want one of the babies to get hurt.


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## maryco (Apr 1, 2002)

Just a note about the banding.. sometimes the babies manage to get the band off so you have to watch them closely to make sure it stays on as one day of growth can make a big difference and if the band is laying at the bottom of the nest and the pigeon grows too big it would be hard to fit it back on.

When I banded Brad's babies they got theirs off afew times and I had to keep putting it back on even though their feet were big and the band would fit nice and snuggly but they are smart and managed to remove it afew times.

Just keep that in mind and make sure you put the band on the right way, Pearl has it upside down for some reason. : )


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## relofts (Apr 8, 2004)

Zig,

When you band them and have to remove them always keep your hand between the parents and the youngster as the parent can injure the youngster popping it or pecking at you they will tear their skin open as they have really thin skin.

Ellen


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