# laying eggs and no mate



## beethumper (Sep 21, 2009)

I have a 2 year old homing pigeon. She was found in my yard and the owner never came after her. She is no longer a homing pigeon but a stay at home pigeon. She is now a pet. The problem is the past few months she keeps laying eggs. I leave them in for 10 days plus but she lays more. Now she is malting (pluking her feathers). Does this mean she wants bread or being distressed because the eggs are not hatching? Would love to have some advice.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Leave the eggs until she loses interest. 10 days isn't long enough. She is just molting. Do you give her a bath pan? She would probably like to bathe, and that will help with her itching from the molting.

Terry


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## prophecy (Jul 10, 2008)

Pigeons will lay even if there is no mate,but the eggs are not fertile.As Terry said,10 days is not long enough.You may want to get a few ''dummy eggs'' and switch her egg out.Less chance of breaking,than a real egg.The loss of feathers may be a moulting period.Let her get a bath.She'll feel a lot better with the itching.You may want to make sure no parasites are present as well,just to be ''safe''.


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## FloridaLuv (Dec 19, 2008)

It's important to just let her sit the eggs until she looses intrest in them. As long as she is sitting on them ...let her, the reason being....she will continue to lay eggs if you keep removing them... when you do this her body depletes of calcium ...which she needs when she is laying. SO make sure she has a *high calcium grit *to help her replenish the calcium... you can get high cal grit at Petsmart, etc.

Also, since she is your only pigeon...I would highly recommend that you "egg" sit for her... Willow my hen who considers me her mate will sit her eggs for 3 weeks... While she is sitting the eggs...I give her breaks and sit next to the cage with my hand on the basket... and she will hop out to take a break from sitting on them... I let her have her free time for about 10-15 minutes... then when I leave the rooom shes right back on them.

The eggs your hen has layed are not fertile...so just let her sit on them...she won't break them. At least none of mine have ever broken theirs. And in a month you can toss them away...they wont go rotten until then, so no worries. Once she looses interest... it will be only another week or so before she lays you some more. She most likely considers YOU her mate...and is honoring you, with laying them... It will be a continious thing... Willow lays alllllllll the time... 

As for the itchies... add a few teaspoons of 20 mule Borax to the water when she bathes.... it will help to get her feathers nice and clean. and like the others above said... check for mites, lice...etc.
Like mentioned it could be just a moult...mine are all moulting! 

*You mentioned "plucking" her feathers...is SHE plucking her own feathers?* IF yes.. I'd treat for parasites.. If not .....and she just has feather loss.... then it most likely is a moult.

Best of Luck to you!


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

It has been over a week, where did beethumper go......? oh well.


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