# Breeding for 2nd clutch



## de Vera Loft (Mar 11, 2009)

After the first clutch of breeding, I noticed that my pair breeders are molting especially the hen, but before they molt, the 1st clutch are about 25 day old and they lay another egg for my 2nd clutch, they are not sitting on it even when the hen had already laid the 2nd egg, I decided to foster the egg with another pair and they are sitting on it already, what could be the problem? are they stressed that's why they abandoned the 2nd batch? I know that its not advisable to breed when molting, right?


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## pigeon_racer (Jan 12, 2009)

De Vera Loft,

I could use some more information like; what are the ages of the hen and cock,
what are they being fed currently,
are the rest of your birds begining to molt,
when do you normally breed where you live?

Ralph


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## RodSD (Oct 24, 2008)

My birds did that one time where they raised babies while molting. It was bad for them. Molting takes a lot of energy from them. I am talking about severe molting here where you find lots of feathers all over your loft.


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## fresnobirdman (Dec 27, 2008)

i dont think that they will sit on the eggs if the other youngs are there,
the young have to be out of the nest befor they sit on the new eggs.


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## de Vera Loft (Mar 11, 2009)

pigeon_racer said:


> De Vera Loft,
> 
> I could use some more information like; what are the ages of the hen and cock,
> what are they being fed currently,
> ...


They are fed with the normal breeders' mix, it's very hot here in our place during the day and it's raining hard at night. A five year old cock and a 3 year old hen. I decided to foster the eggs with one of my pair breeder who is not molting, because they lay eggs the same time the said pair laid. So breeders are not all molting.. Does it affect the eggs when they hatch? Because the breeder starts to molt when they laid the 2nd clutch..


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## de Vera Loft (Mar 11, 2009)

RodSD said:


> My birds did that one time where they raised babies while molting. It was bad for them. Molting takes a lot of energy from them. I am talking about severe molting here where you find lots of feathers all over your loft.


What could be the possible effects on the young birds when they raise it while molting from incubation to weaning?


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## de Vera Loft (Mar 11, 2009)

fresnobirdman said:


> i dont think that they will sit on the eggs if the other youngs are there,
> the young have to be out of the nest befor they sit on the new eggs.


Actually, I have already transferred the First Clutch to the YB's loft before they laid the second clutch.. The cock sits on the eggs and the hen wouldn't incubate anytime at all.. So I decided to transfer the eggs to foster breeders..


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

fresnobirdman said:


> i dont think that they will sit on the eggs if the other youngs are there,
> the young have to be out of the nest befor they sit on the new eggs.


That is not true. Pigeons normally lay eggs when the current babies are around 2 weeks old.
I know you're new at this pigeon thing, but you really should check your facts before you give someone advice.


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## pigeon_racer (Jan 12, 2009)

de Vera Loft,

Trying to feed youngsters and molting at the same time puts alot of stress on the molting birds. The only effect I know of to young being reared, is that they may not get fed as well as they could by the parents because of the stress on the parents. This may be one reason the hen wouldn't set the eggs, instictively knowing that their present food would not provide enough protien for them to moult and also rear young which also takes an incredibale amount of protien. The only time I had success trying this was when I fed a pellet ration that was 28% protien and I gave them all they wanted! Keep an eye on the hen, she may or may not have a problem health wise.

Ralph


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## RodSD (Oct 24, 2008)

The parents are more vulnerable to diseases if molting and breeding at the same time. They also look weak, sleepy, really stress out. The babies seem to grow slower, too. That is just my observation on my loft after I tried breeding them while they are molting bad.

My birds will still incubate eggs even though the babies are still there. The hen will just pecked their heads off if they try to get inside the bowl so the babies ended up sitting/lying down besides the bowl. The problem is during feeding time where those babies can trample those eggs trying to beg for food. I do have one breeding pair though that will not lay second clutch until the babies are out of the nest box. Each bird is different, but most of the time they will incubate the eggs even the babies are still there.


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