# Eggs changing color???



## melissasue1968 (Jun 16, 2005)

Hi everyone! We have anxiously been waiting for two eggs to hatch. They where laid July 15 and/or 16. I didn't see any on the 15 but might have missed them, and I saw two eggs on the 16. Mom is great, very dedicated, immaculately clean nest, she holds her poops up all night until I let them out in the mornings and then poops the biggest poops as soon as she steps out of their house, then she dashes back in to her duties! These things are huge! I mean as big as her head! At first I thought someone was sick or something but then I realized she didn't want to mess up her nest, so I watched closely and saw that it was indeed her! 
OK, now onto these eggs! They where both there on the 16, so if my math is right  , they should be due to hatch today-August 3. Right? 18 days. It's night here now. still not hatched. But yesterday I noticed a small circular greyish area on one of the eggs. Today most of the egg has turned this greyish color. They where perfect large white eggs before. I never candled them. I didn't want to handle them and disturb Mom. But now I am wondering, as this is my first time to have eggs, is this a sign of hatching soon or does it mean that they are rotting inside  ! How long should I wait for them to hatch? I picked the eggs up today, they are heavy like they where when first laid, smooth, no cracks that I can see. I tried to put them back with the same side up, but Mom promptly started rolling them around to get them positioned just right, so I don't know. I know time will tell, but I am anxious and excited to be a god-pigeon/parent! Thanks in advance for any advice!
Melissa


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## melissasue1968 (Jun 16, 2005)

Also I should say that the pair has raised a pair of foster babies, they are fully fledged, now, I guess they should be called juveniles. The parents mated numerous times before the eggs where laid.


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Hi Melissa, 

Yes it does sound like the eggs are indeed fertile. When they are fertile and far along, they take on a blueish-grey cast to them unlike the chalk white when they were first laid.

If your math is right, they should start to hatch anytime now. In case you're wrong...give it another 5 days or so just to be sure.

Have you been letting your birds bathe? They need the moisture on their breast feathers so that the egg shell isn't too dry or hard. You can also lightly mist the birds on their breast with luke warm water and this will help.

Good luck and hope to hear some good news that you're a grandma-ma


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## Joey&Beeeeee (Aug 3, 2005)

Hey, I'm sure they'll be fine. It sometimes takes longer than usual for the eggs to hatch, but I seldom find they don't eventually! The parents will not usually sit any longer than a few days past the due date I find, so they wont loose much time if they fail to hatch (it'll be fine!) When they have chicks inside them, they do seem to loose their brilliant white colour, especially if the shell is particularly thin. It wont damage the eggs if they are a different orientation, so don't worry about that, and if they have chicks inside them, and you candle them, you will not see anything (or more importantly, no light comes through). Good luck! Oh yea! I became a father of two beautiful little squablets this morning!


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## melissasue1968 (Jun 16, 2005)

Wow! Thanks Pigeonpal and Joey&Bee,ee,ee! I am really relieved that it sounds like they will hatch! Congratulations Joey&Bee,ee,ee on your new babies! 
They have two large baths available everyday outside of their house, but they usually only use them to bathe in every three days or so. 
It is extremely dry here, so I think I'll try to put a small 'bathtub' inside their house near the nest box in the morning to make it easier for Mom if she wants to indulge! She is kind of reluctant to go outside for much longer than it takes her to poop and then run back. She does step outside the nestbox to eat and drink from her personal feeders but in that case she is right in front of the box, so maybe she would feel safer if a bath is just outside the nest box too. If she doesn't use it I'll give her a spritz underneath like you reccomended Brad. Thanks for thinking about that! I had no idea that could be a problem! 
Thank you so much for your replies. I feel much better about it now!
Melissa


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Hi Melissa, 

Any news on the eggs hatching? Hopefully they've begun to pip out by now at least. Well, let us know when you can


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## melissasue1968 (Jun 16, 2005)

*Some Good news(I hope) and sadly some bad news...*

Hi, sorry I didn't post yesterday. I have 'hopefully' some good news and sadly some bad news. First the bad. One egg is still all white, and I picked it up this morning and held it up to the sun. I can see what seems to be a watery glob that rolls around and a lot of air. So I guess that one is definately not going to hatch. The other egg seems ok though. As far as my little knowledge goes. It has turned completely bluish grey now. But no signs of pipping. I put a bath inside near the nest box yesterday and since she didn't act interested in it after a while I took her out and sprayed a little water on her underside like you reccomended. I am leaving a bath inside if she feels the need. All the other birds decided it was bath day today and had a grand old time in the courtyard bathing facilities! Including the Daddy bird. I haven't seen the hen bathe yet today, but she usually does later in the day when they change shifts. I'll keep watching and waiting. We are keeping our fingers crossed and saying a little prayer for the second egg to hatch. Should I remove the infertile egg? What might have happened? It is extremely hot here, around 120F+ everyday. But I would think that birds from this climate would not have a problem with the temp. My brother in law who has a huge aviary full doesn't seem to have any problems, and he doesn't give them 1/4 of the care I give our small flock. Maybe I am giving too much care?  . Everything is thoroughly cleaned everyday They have good shade and plenty of water and good food and vitamins, pick stone + crushed egg shells available all the time, occasional fresh greens and sprouts. Maybe the egg just wasn't fertile in the first place....This should be about day 20 since they where laid. But I guess it is a good sign that the other egg has changed color...right??? I'll keep watching and keep you posted!
Thanks for all your help, and following up on us! 
Gratefully, Melissa


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Hi Melissa, 

Sorry to hear that the one egg isn't fertile. You don't have to remove it but you may as well since it's not. 

Hmmm....I'm getting a little worried that the other egg may have been fertile at one point, but the chick died during development. If this is day 20, and there are no signs of pipping whatsoever, it could very well be dead in shell 

Try to candle it again and listen carefully for sounds or peeping. There are various reasons why chicks fail to thrive in the egg as well as one being infertile.

Your care of your pigeons sounds wonderful and surely keeping them healthy so I wouldn't worry about "over doing it".


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## melissasue1968 (Jun 16, 2005)

*More bad news and maybe some good. Lots of ?'s*

My son and I just went out to check again, and we found the egg that I thought had a chance outside thier house broken on the ground......
So, sigh, I guess we start over waiting again.... There was no chick inside, just bluish/grey goo. At least it wasn't a fully formed chick...That would have been horrible. We removed the other egg, the parents are both outside, doing what pigeons do. 
We do have some more good news (I hope) My sons pigeon "Cecil" finally laid an egg yesterday. She and her mate have been trying for 2-3 months. I figured maybe she was just too young. But so far only the one egg. How long is it usually between eggs being laid? I read somewhere that it can be up to 2 days between eggs-is that right? She is in the nest box with it, but she is not sitting on it. She stands near it but doesn't seem to know what to do other than that. Maybe she is inexperienced?? I'm not sure about her age, I just figured since they where mating like crazy with no eggs, that maybe she is just too young. I thought maybe I should try to give it to the other pair whose eggs where just lost-they successfully raised a pair of foster babies previously from eggs, so they are capable of it, but I'm not sure how to go about it, or should I just wait and see if she lays another egg? then maybe she will start incubating the eggs? If this egg is not being sat on and it is fertile will the chick die? If I give it to the other pair, should I lock them in by themselves with the egg, I wonder if since they just finished with these other eggs if they will think it is not fertile, and ignore it? 
My eight year old son is concerned about egg binding in Cecil, since she hasn't laid another egg yet. He wants to know if I should give her olive oil. 
I just went out and tried to feel for another egg, I don't. She was out of the nest box wandering around outside, and the Dad was not inside either. I tried to candle it, it just kind of glows yellow. Is it supposed to be dark? I put the Dad in the nest box before I came back inside, maybe he doesn't know what he is supposed to do either  .
I'm totally baffled now. I guess there is nothing else I can do except wait and hope for better luck in the future.
Thanks for all your help!
Melissa


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hi Melissa,

Give the bird another day, they usually lay the next one in 48 hours. She might just lay one as some hens only lay one egg, especially if this is her very first time laying eggs. They usually don't go in serious egg brooding until the second egg arrives. Just wait and give them a chance.

If you give one birds eggs to another couple, that couple has to be currently sitting on dummy eggs, or their own eggs, that are at the same stage of development. 

I have had several egg bound hens and they usually take a very noticeable position when they are egg bound, they have a huntch back look. She is probably not egg bound.

Treesa


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Hi Melissa, 

I'm sorry to hear that the other egg was not viable either. I'm glad there wasn't a dead chick inside as well however  There will be other eggs coming along in no time because pigeons are such prolific breeders  

You're doing a fabulous job of caring for your pigeons so you should be a grandma in the near furture. Hopefully Cecil's egg(s) will be fertile and hatch out some beautiful babies

Keep us posted,


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## melissasue1968 (Jun 16, 2005)

Thanks Treesa and Brad for all your caring and concern. She's not sitting on the egg at all now, and she went into a different house tonight! 
I'll just have to be patient. I'll keep you posted!
Yours, Melissa


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## melissasue1968 (Jun 16, 2005)

*Update*

Cecil still has only one egg so far today. She's not in the nest at all. Guess I'll give her a little more time though. The other pair have been trying out all the other nest boxes and houses for size! Last time I checked they where trying to kick out their foster babies-who are now juveniles- from the small house they had chosen as theirs! Hopefully we'll see some more eggs soon!
Yours, Melissa


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