# AGE.. FERTILITY poll



## iffan (Jun 15, 2002)

Hello all,
I dont know if this question has been asked yet. But i thought it would be nice to know the average age that pigeons live and the average age that they become sterile (inability for males and females to produce a fertile egg).Let me start off by giving my opinion. And would love yours as well. I know there are other unforseen factors concerning age and fertility as i have encountered before, but just give your opinion if you may.
I think the average life span of pigeons is 10 years.
The age when fertility stops for females i believe is around 6-7 years and cockbird i belive can be fertile until it passes away. 
hope to hear from you all,
Jim


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## raynjudy (Aug 22, 2000)

Well, Those are great questions to be sure.

And I don't know about the age thingy, because I'd qualify everything. You see, the longest lived pigeon in loving, competent captivity, lived over 30-years. A typical feral, they say, lives between 2 - 4 years.
So you can see how the "averages" get skewed.

As for fertility, in the broad strokes, cocks have been known to be fertile at 18-years or more, but on average, they're fertile till about 14 or 15 years (a variable of 4-years is a big deal in a life of, say, 20-years). Hens, are usually fertile as long as they're laying--again up to 14-years, but some quit at 7 - 8 years, while living on to a ripe "old" teenage.

--Ray


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## iffan (Jun 15, 2002)

Hi Ray,
Great answers !! Yes captive bred animals live much longer than their wild cousins. I have heard of a pigeon living near 30 years in captivity. 
Thanks for your response, anymore takers,
Ji,


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## WhiteWingsCa (Mar 1, 2002)

interesting questions!

The oldest cock bird in our loft was hatched in 1989. He's still helping produce babies on a regular basis!

The topic of hens came up recently in another forum I frequent. It was said that a hen could lay a pre-set number of eggs in her lifetime....once that number was reached, they'd stop laying. So, I guess that it depends on how often they lay as to how old they are when they stop!?

If so, THAT would really squew the averages, since in cooler climates, they'd lay less often than in warmer ones!


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## raynjudy (Aug 22, 2000)

WhiteWings said, in part, "The topic of hens came up recently in another forum I frequent. It was said that a hen could lay a pre-set number of eggs in her lifetime....once that number was reached, they'd stop laying..."

Yes. That rings true. I've read the same thing with regard to human females--the number of eggs is preset, and genetically predetermined. My grandmother's sister, lived to age 98, without ever going through menopause! My grandmother lived to age 97, but I was not privy to such details...

--Ray


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## Pigeonrh (Oct 3, 2001)

Hi,
My oldest cock is a 87 hatch... and he has filled every egg cents I got him... My oldest hen is 7 and still lays 2 nice eggs every nest...



------------------
Ryan Harvey
~*~Crossbreed Lofts~*~
http://www.angelfire.com/or3/crossbreedloft


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## Psion (Mar 1, 2002)

That bird that lived over 30 years was a carrier (the ones that looks like barbs, with the big wattles)... he died when he was 32, it was in a December I think, just a few months after his birthday.

Nick


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## iffan (Jun 15, 2002)

Nick, 
Do you know how old the 32 yr old carrier remained fertile.
Thanks everyone for your replies , hopefully more will come, the answers are very interesting. Yes , most females have a preset amount of eggs which can be fertilized.
Jim


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## Psion (Mar 1, 2002)

No I don't, sorry. I'll see if I can find out...

Nick


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## Psion (Mar 1, 2002)

His name was Kaiser and was from Germany. He was captured by the US and lived the rest of his life there (which was a long time, lol). Try searching on the net. I can't find much on him.

Nick


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