# when exactly do pigeons produce crop milk before the eggs hatch ?



## Nazmul (Dec 8, 2009)

Hi everyone 

I wanted to know when exactly do pigeons produce crop milk before the eggs hatch ?

Thank You


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## Revolution Lofts (Aug 7, 2008)

I'm taking a shot in the dark here, but I am guessing that they probably start producing it a couple of days, maybe 2-3 days before the accepted time of the eggs hatching in the minds of the breeders. 

Or maybe they start producing it when they see they have squabs in the nest?


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## NZ Pigeon (Nov 12, 2011)

The crop milk is ready for the young on hatching so I think the second option is not quite right but I am stabbing in the dark too..

I would think either 2 days prior or when they feel the baby pip the first egg maybe??


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## Nazmul (Dec 8, 2009)

I need to know the exact time because sometimes I plan to switch the chicks to another foster pair which laid eggs earlier than the pair that I want chicks from. If foster pair dont produce crop milk by the time I switch the chicks then the chicks might die ....


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## Pijlover (May 5, 2010)

When its about switching eggs, it is recommended not to have a difference of more than 4 days, because if its earlier the parents may have not produced the crop milk if vice versa there is a chance that they will leave the eggs 

So i guess its 3-4 days before the expected hatching date otherwise there will be no time limitations in egg switching


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## Nazmul (Dec 8, 2009)

Pijlover said:


> When its about switching eggs, it is recommended not to have a difference of more than 4 days, because if its earlier the parents may have not produced the crop milk if vice versa there is a chance that they will leave the eggs
> 
> So i guess its 3-4 days before the expected hatching date otherwise there will be no time limitations in egg switching


So pigeons produce crop milk 4 days before the expected hatching date ?? Are you sure about this ? I dont want to take risks so I want to know the exact time.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

I have no idea what day exactly it is, but I can tell you I've put babies under a pair with infertile eggs and they were feeding it within a few hours. I think the movement stimulates the crop lining to secrete the "milk". And I imagine the babies start moving more a few days before hatch time.


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## Pijlover (May 5, 2010)

Nazmul said:


> So pigeons produce crop milk 4 days before the expected hatching date ?? Are you sure about this ? I dont want to take risks so I want to know the exact time.


I can't tell you the exact time to be honest, but in my practise i have a 3-4 day allowance factor and not any more than that and it works for me


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## Pijlover (May 5, 2010)

After taking a look at the above posts, make it 2 days after the first egg to be *risk-free*


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## Part Time Pigeons (Jul 27, 2012)

The incubation process is what triggers the crop glands to get ready for the milk production. Usually after 14-16 days of incubation the glands are thickened are ready, final production is triggered by the young moving around during hatching. It is likely parents will still feed even if they have not been incubating the entire time since it is instinctive for them to feed young; however the young may not get the benifit of a full dose of the pigeon milk and only regurgitated feed in their early days. Development of the young will tend to be a bit slower if in fact they survive.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

It is best to switch the eggs out early on if fostering, that way you have the timing close. one pair lays the eggs you want to foster, collect those, and hold them or put them under a foster pair that has layed their own eggs within 5 days of the other pair. the foster pair do the incubation and will have all that time to get their crop milk in.


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## Revolution Lofts (Aug 7, 2008)

Yeah I agree, unless its like really important that you need to switch babies after they hatch, I wouldn't recommend it. It's really risky and look at it this way, if you switch the babies and they die, your back to where you started. You've lost a month of the breeders time and their energy and you have no babies to show for it. I don't really like interfering with the breeding process unless I'm switching eggs in the first week of them being laid or if its truly necessary to intervene.


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## Nazmul (Dec 8, 2009)

I have this foster pair that will be on their 18th day on the 31st Oct...Im planning to switch the babies to them that will be one week old by then...Letz hope things work out fine...


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## Pijlover (May 5, 2010)

Lets hope for the best


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