# Best realistic fake eggs?



## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Fiona and Lucy have both laud eggs. Lucys won't hatch because she lives with Tracy, but Fiona us mated with Blue, who is a male. We already have two five week old oops babies and want to avoid more. I swapped Fionas egg today for a fake plastic egg. She was angry and wasn't fooled. She will not sit on it. I don't want her to lay lots of eggs continuing to try to make babies. Where can I get really really realistic eggs that will fool her? I feel bad removing the eggs but we can't care for a thousand pigeons...we already have six now. Thanks!


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## JennyM (Sep 21, 2015)

I feel like the wooden ones look a little more realistic than the plastic ones. When my Speedy was about to lay her first egg I wasn't sure which one to get (I had never seen a pigeon egg in my life) so I got both. When she laid it I compared it to both plastic and wooden and in my opinion it was closer to the wooden in shape and also in size. The only problem is that is a lot lighter than the real one but she didn't have any problem with it.

I got mine from Jedds, only because she was about to lay her egg and it was the only place I could drive to. Here's a picture of them, the one in the middle is the real, wooden on the left and plastic on the right.


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## Jr Brown (May 22, 2012)

Thanks for the info, especially like the picture.
I wish more post were like this.
Great question.
Great answer based on actual user experience and a picture to back it up.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*I found the wooden ones to be best for realistic eggs, due to them having some weight to them, unlike the plastic ones which are empty, and most important my birds seem to stay with them longer.*


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Thanks for the very informative post! Will try to get some wooden eggs from Jedds.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

The plastic ones also come solid plastic with good weight. I used to buy the wooden ones from Jedd's. Then one time I ordered the same thing, and the white paint was peeling off, and if you washed them, most of it came off. I called them, and they had me return them and said I would probably like the solid plastic better, which I did buy. They said that they had changed where they got the eggs, so they weren't getting the good ones that I used to get. 
I also ordered some from Pigeons International, and they were solid plastic and weren't a bright white like some are. They looked just like the real egg in the middle that Jenny has posted. They were the most real looking I had found, so I quickly bought more. A short while later I ordered from them again and got some awful things that were nothing like what I had gotten from them before. I wouldn't even use them. 
So what I'm saying is that the pigeon supplies do order them from different places, and you can never be sure that you are getting the same thing. It isn't quite that easy. What you get from a place at one time, may very well be different the next time. Nice to be close enough to be able to walk in and pick them out. Often what is pictured on the website is not what they send you. They don't change the picture every time they change suppliers. If you can get solid plastic that look real, so much the better, as they are not painted, and the color is never going to peel or wear off. I have hens that lay large eggs, and some lay very small eggs, so I keep a mix of fake eggs.


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## JennyM (Sep 21, 2015)

Jay is right! when I bought those eggs the guy at Jedds said the wooden ones peel off with time, but so far mine are fine, my pigeons have used the same ones for 4 months and they are in perfect condition. 

The plastic ones they sell are solid and are pretty heavy, which I liked, but I didn't like that they were a lot smaller than the real eggs.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

JennyM said:


> Jay is right! when I bought those eggs the guy at Jedds said the wooden ones peel off with time, but so far mine are fine, my pigeons have used the same ones for 4 months and they are in perfect condition.
> 
> The plastic ones they sell are solid and are pretty heavy, which I liked, but I didn't like that they were a lot smaller than the real eggs.


Hi Jenny. Actually the good wooden eggs I used to buy there, didn't peel off. I have used the same ones for years. It was the new ones that peeled off right away, and some of them even came with peeled paint. I don't buy the wooden ones anymore. But even the plastic either look real or sometimes they don't. All depends on where the supplier buys them. I use the larger wooden ones for my hens that lay larger eggs. But the smaller are handy for the hens that lay smaller eggs. The ones (from international pigeon supply),I loved even came in the color of your real egg. But they don't send those now. That's what I'm trying to warn people about. They do change their suppliers, so all depends on what they are getting in at the time. Unless you can actually see the eggs, you can't be sure of what you are getting. If you like the ones you have hang on to them. 

I don't care how real they look, there will always be a couple of my hens who can tell the difference. That makes it hard, as they lay too much.


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## FredaH (Apr 5, 2016)

I got mine off of eBay, solid plastic and I compared them to real eggs, good size wise. I hope they work when the time comes.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

The lousy plastic ones I got that I don't use, and the perfect ones, came from Pigeons International on ebay. It's hit or miss when you buy them. And pigeons lay different sized eggs. Depends on the bird.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Ordered both wooden and plastic ones from Jedds earlier today and will try the others suggested if Fiona won't sit on them. Thanks to all!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I hope they work for you. Sometimes hens are just too smart. One thing you don't need is a hen who lays too much. You have had enough problems with hens. More than you need.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Fiona and Blue have a new egg. It is orangish like the middle egg posted above by JennyM. I swapped it for a fake wooden egg but she rejected it. I swapped it for a plastic egg but she rejected that too. I warmed each egg and waited until she was preoccupied, eating, but she was angry and won't sit on a fake egg. I feel terrible taking it away from her.


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## Jr Brown (May 22, 2012)

cwebster said:


> Fiona and Blue have a new egg. It is orangish like the middle egg posted above by JennyM. I swapped it for a fake wooden egg but she rejected it. I swapped it for a plastic egg but she rejected that too. I warmed each egg and waited until she was preoccupied, eating, but she was angry and won't sit on a fake egg. I feel terrible taking it away from her.


Did she lay just one egg?
I have a hen that abandoned fake eggs until I started putting a fake egg in the nest with her first egg. After she lays her second egg I take the first egg and discard it. Then a day or 2 later I take her second egg, leaving her with just one fake egg. It works with her.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

cwebster, some people take the real eggs and boil them, then put them back. But then of course, you would have to take it away for a while, so unless you can keep her occupied while doing that, it probably won't work. Maybe switch them out for fake while he is on the nest, then replace them before she gets back on.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Will try putting a fake egg with the real. Am just so afraid it will get hatched! Jay 3, will next try boiling it. Just seems so heartless I don't know if I can do it to the real egg.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I know what you mean, but it isn't growing yet. Just keep thinking about that.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

cwebster, if her eggs have that pink cast to them, she may need more calcium/D3. Mine get that way sometimes too. Maybe with a bit more calcium, the shell will be thicker, and will therefore be whiter. Then maybe she won't see the difference.


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## JennyM (Sep 21, 2015)

Jay3 said:


> cwebster, if her eggs have that pink cast to them, she may need more calcium/D3. Mine get that way sometimes too. Maybe with a bit more calcium, the shell will be thicker, and will therefore be whiter. Then maybe she won't see the difference.


is the pink shell always a sign of calcium deficiency? my pigeon's eggs always have that pinkish/yellowish color. Should I worry?


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Just gave Fiona calciboost two days ago but will increase it to twice per week. The pinkish coloring did seem unusual for her. Lucys and Tracy's eggs are white like the fake eggs.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

JennyM said:


> is the pink shell always a sign of calcium deficiency? my pigeon's eggs always have that pinkish/yellowish color. Should I worry?


Yes, it's usually because the shell is a bit thinner. My hens that have the thicker shell are white. The ones that will dent or break easier are that pinkish color.
Jenny, I wouldn't worry. Just increase the calcium/D3 a bit. What do you give and how often?


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

This morning I swapped the real egg so for a second fake egg and Fiona seemed to accept it. Now will have to watch for the second real egg. She is a determined very maternal bird.


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## Crazy Pete (Nov 13, 2008)

I wish you lived closer I would let her raise some young for me, do you know any one that has birds so she could raise a round for them?
Dave


I have a pair that just layed, I'll bet she would be a good mother for them.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Fiona seems like the worlds most devoted mother, to me. If we weren't full up I'd be happy to let her raise lots of young. Her babies are really cute too but then I guess I'm prejudiced.


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## JennyM (Sep 21, 2015)

Jay3 said:


> Yes, it's usually because the shell is a bit thinner. My hens that have the thicker shell are white. The ones that will dent or break easier are that pinkish color.
> Jenny, I wouldn't worry. Just increase the calcium/D3 a bit. What do you give and how often?


That's interesting, I had no idea! My birds have 2 water bowls, each bowl holds a little more than half a cup of water and to that I add 5 drops of Calciboost. When they are mating, I add calcium every other day until she has laid both eggs and after that, I give calcium twice a week. 

I don't add more because I'm scared to over do it! it's like when cooking, I'm scared to add too much salt lol What do you think, should I increase it?


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## JennyM (Sep 21, 2015)

cwebster said:


> This morning I swapped the real egg so for a second fake egg and Fiona seemed to accept it. Now will have to watch for the second real egg. She is a determined very maternal bird.


yay! so glad she finally accepted it!!


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

JennyM said:


> That's interesting, I had no idea! My birds have 2 water bowls, each bowl holds a little more than half a cup of water and to that I add 5 drops of Calciboost. When they are mating, I add calcium every other day until she has laid both eggs and after that, I give calcium twice a week.
> 
> I don't add more because I'm scared to over do it! it's like when cooking, I'm scared to add too much salt lol What do you think, should I increase it?


Sounds good, but you could try increasing just a bit and see how that goes.


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## FredaH (Apr 5, 2016)

Well the calcium you add is interesting because I'm definitely under dosing mine with the calcivet. I put three drops to a full mug of water in all of their bowls every other day because I'm scared of over doing it but now I'm going to up it to five, they're all young and still growing and I feel daft now that I didn't realise how little I've been giving them.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

What do the directions say? It says (0.5 to 1 fl oz) 1 to 2 Tablespoons to a quart of water. It also says that if you have hard drinking water, that the lower dose will probably suffice. Why? Because hard water contains calcium. We have hard water, so I go with the lower dose. When I use Doxy, and other antibiotics that the calcium will bind to, I use distilled water.
Okay, it also says to use once or twice a week to non breeding birds, and five times a week to breeding birds. (They have to have enough to give to the babies).
So about 1/2 Tablespoon to 1 Tablespoon would go into 1 pint (or 2 cups of water) once or twice a week, unless they are raising babies, then it would be like 4 or 5 days weekly.
You are right FredaH to err on the side of caution, because too much calcium is harmful, and will have the opposite effect than what you want. Hope this helps some.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Have increased from once per week to three times per week of the calciboost for the girls. Hope there isn't another real egg out there tonight! I know Fiona loves babies. If we didn't have to control our population I know she'd love to keep the youngsters coming. She is a very devoted mom. Poor sweet Lucy and bitey Tracy are sitting on their nonfertile eggs too very cheerfully.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Yes, I have a hen like that. She's precious, and always trying to feed any babies that get by me in the loft. She tries to sneak into the nest box when she hears them squeaking and feeds them. Often gets into trouble with the parents. I just love her.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Jay3, your hen sounds like Fiona. Very very maternal. Just swapped out her second slightly pinkish real egg for a pink one, feeling guilty as I did it. I covered the fake eggs with some straw while she was eating and she sat on them. Have increased the calciboost to every other day for a while to make sure she gets enough calcium and d3.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I always feel bad switching them out too. They love hatching eggs. But I just think about how to give the ones we have the best we can, that we cannot crowd them. It still bothers me though.


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## JennyM (Sep 21, 2015)

Jay3 said:


> Sounds good, but you could try increasing just a bit and see how that goes.


Thank you! I will add a couple of more drops and see how that goes!


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## JennyM (Sep 21, 2015)

cwebster said:


> Jay3, your hen sounds like Fiona. Very very maternal. Just swapped out her second slightly pinkish real egg for a pink one, feeling guilty as I did it. I covered the fake eggs with some straw while she was eating and she sat on them. Have increased the calciboost to every other day for a while to make sure she gets enough calcium and d3.


I feel bad when I switch my pigeon's eggs too, especially when I see them taking such good care of the fake ones, they truly think I little chick is going to come out of them


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Just keep telling yourself...........They are only parents for a month, then you just have more birds. Also remember that you can only give your birds a good life, if you do not have too many. So actually, you are doing it for them.


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