# Too many babies?



## Jiin Lee (Jan 8, 2012)

A feral pigeon couple took over a potted plant on my windowsill and have been regularly raising their young in it. It's been an almost non-stop process since last May. 

Is it healthy for them to be constantly on this pigeon assembly line? They still have young in the nest now and she lay a new egg next to them today already. I've been wanting to take the pot away because it's hard to keep up with the mess on the windowsill, but I can't catch a moment when there's no eggs or babies! Are they ever going to take a break?


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

You can throw the egg out if you'd like, or when she lays the second one, swap them out for a chicken egg (you know, like you get from the store...unless you don't eat eggs, then a golf ball or anything small and round would work). The substitute egg wouldn't hatch but would keep her from laying again for a while, thus giving her a break. Then once the baby is weaned you can throw the substitute egg out and take the pot away.


Pigeons can be very productive birds and are like that naturally, so yeah they'll probably be okay. They are good parents and love having kids. But I'm sure she would appreciate a little break every now and then  They usually slow down a bit in the winter (the shorter days don't motivate them as much as the longer spring/summer days) but each pair is different!


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## Jiin Lee (Jan 8, 2012)

MaryOfExeter said:


> They are good parents and love having kids. But I'm sure she would appreciate a little break every now and then  They usually slow down a bit in the winter (the shorter days don't motivate them as much as the longer spring/summer days) but each pair is different!


Ha! They certainly do seem to love the eggs and newbies, but once the babies get big enough to start beating the parents around the head when they're hungry, I've always thought that the parents start to look a little frazzled. 

As far as them slowing down in the winter, I think the light from my window might be keeping them laying regularly. I'm a night person, and I just realized today while thinking about it that she's getting a near constant glow right there. 

Alas, I'm reluctant to remove their nest at all. They seem so happy, but I'm supposed to be moving soon. Maybe I'll try to move them with me.


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

If you are moving soon, then I would not hesitate start removing their eggs. Becky's advice above is good.

You can let them sit a few days on new ones (it takes 18 days to hatch, and egg #2 comes about 3 days after egg #1)...I usually remove at around day 7 or 8...maybe one at a time with a 3-day spread.

If the hatched babies haven't fledged yet and are still reliant on mom and dad, though....you don't wanna remove both eggs quickly or you may spook the parents away from the site while their babies are still there.

It does no harm to unhatched eggs and it will also sorta make the couple aware that their spot isn't as much of a paradise as they thought...so when the time comes where you are no longer there....more of a chance it will not be an ugly, mean eviction for the Pigeons.


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