# Nesting instinct



## Guest (Jan 2, 2006)

Greetings, and happy new year.

Izze has been spending more time in his little nesting bowl than usual. Starting about a week ago I noticed he was really getting into working on his nest. He isn't doing any actual nest building but he has been distressing the newspaper in the nest with his beak, and putting lots of effort pushing out with his feet. I've seen this with my sighted birds when they are setting up a nest. Izze used to poop in his nest, but now I notice he doesn't. He will stay in his nest for a long time, come out and make those big poops that I associated with parents incubating.

I guess something triggered Izze to think he should be incubating even though he has no mate or eggs. Maybe some of you have a better theory. I sort of tempted to see how he would react to a couple of plastic eggs.

Monica


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## badbird (Aug 15, 2005)

i dont have an answer but i think its very cute! i keep seeing izze do that. i tried to get my bird to do that but he'd run away from the nest i made for him outside the cage and inside. so is izze really a boy then? that's interesting that he is nesting like that.

i wish there was a way to 'train' my bird to go into his nest.... or at least train the bird to poop in one place such as on a perch or nest. when i let him out he randomly poops all over.... but i dont think such training really works out from what i heard.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hi Monica,

The big question is....do you know for sure if Izze is a boy?


...and has anyone or any bird been spending some personal quality time with Izze other then us here, on the web cam?

It doesn't take any physical act for them to start nesting, they just need to think they are "in love."


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Monica, you might want to substitute the newspaper in his bed with paper towels. It may be that the paper is a little slick and harder to lay on than paper towels would be and he may just be trying to "soften" up his bed. Also, if he is trying to build a nest the paper towels will be easier for him to tear. 

I really do enjoy watching him. 

Maggie


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## badbird (Aug 15, 2005)

Trees Gray said:


> Hi Monica,
> 
> The big question is....do you know for sure if Izze is a boy?
> 
> ...


izze is in love with pigeons.com


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## Guest (Jan 2, 2006)

*Boy/Girl?*

Well -- I'm pretty sure Izze is a boy. He will occasionally do a strutting cooing, "ruck-ruck" dance. Maybe he does that because that is what he hears, not because he is a boy. The hens don't talk much.

Yes, softer paper like paper towels in the nest might be a good idea. I'll give it a try.

I can't help but think life must be very confusing for Izze. He has never seen me. He hears my other pigeons, which I hope comforts him, but might just make the world that much more mystifying. 

I suspect it would be very difficult for anyone to really known what goes through his mind. I spend lots of time with him, and I can't always tell. I know he is attached to me. I'll sometimes have him on my desk while I'm on the computer and he will perch on my wrist as I'm using my mouse. He is always open to crawling onto my hand when I put my hand in his cage. Does he think he has a family coming?...I don't know. Is he in love?...Maybe!

Monica


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## Guest (Jan 2, 2006)

Monica said:


> Well -- I'm pretty sure Izze is a boy. He will occasionally do a strutting cooing, "ruck-ruck" dance. Maybe he does that because that is what he hears, not because he is a boy. The hens don't talk much.
> 
> Monica



The egg now in Izze's nest shows I was wrong. What more can I say?


Monica


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

Awesome!!! Congratulations!!!


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

*Well, son of a gun!*

I was just getting ready to say that Squeakers, DEFINITELY a male, seemed to be doing similar stuff! Cindy is going to give me one of her nesting containers that I'll put in the corner of his home, just to see if he'll start a nest. 

CONGRATULATIONS IZZE on your egg! Looks like Izze must think you are her mate, Monica???


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## Poulette (Feb 5, 2002)

What, Izze is a girl! What a surprise  

Monical last week I went to the natural products store, and I passed by some Izze soda bottles... I was alone, but I made a "Hééééé Izze" shout, smiling at everybody in there! I bought some, very good natural sodas, I drank it thinking "Cheers, Izze and Monica"  

Suz.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Monica,

*Congratulations! Izze is a girl!*  

She is "in-love" with you then!


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## dnrslucky1 (Oct 13, 2005)

Monica,
Congratulations! Now Izzy will be busy for a while! Now I must go check her out!

Denise


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

What great fun this is.

Maggie


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

*Now that we know*

that Izze is a hen, I bet we start seeing a LOT of "sitting!"


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## Guest (Jan 2, 2006)

Poulette said:


> What, Izze is a girl! What a surprise
> 
> Monical last week I went to the natural products store, and I passed by some Izze soda bottles... I was alone, but I made a "Hééééé Izze" shout, smiling at everybody in there! I bought some, very good natural sodas, I drank it thinking "Cheers, Izze and Monica"
> 
> Suz.


And cheers to you Poulette.
When I first named Izze I was thinking to myself "Better have a more-or-less gender neutral name." Then I saw the box and thought "Izze" seemed good. Afterward I was thinking how uncreative I was by just naming her after the name on the box. Then I worried "what if the soda is really crappy?" It was just a box I found; I had never tried the drinks. I tried the Izze drinks and found they were good. I was relieved! They're a little overpriced, but what the hell.

It's so strange to think that she is laying eggs because of me. However it does make sense in retrospect. I pet her and she squats down. And though she does eat on her own, I still hand feed her some because I think she has trouble eating enough to keep up her weight. Those two things no doubt made her feel like she had a mate.

Monica


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Monica said:


> I pet her and she squats down. And though she does eat on her own, I still hand feed her some because I think she has trouble eating enough to keep up her weight. Those two things no doubt made her feel like she had a mate.
> Monica



Yep, that is what hens do when they are in "love"....and hand feeding or giving them meds or pills down their throat. That is all part of courtship, and then it is just a matter of time when the egg appears.


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

*Mr Squeaks*

squats when I pet him too! But, I KNOW he is a male!  

I sure hope to eventually see Izze's egg(s?)! I'm sure she will be sitting for awhile...now, if only I can time my Izze check at _*just*_ the right time!

I bet you are soooo excited, Monica AND a proud parent (well, in a manner of speaking...you know what I mean) 

Now, are you SURE that Izze didn't have a "quick affair?" 

Just checked back and I think I saw her egg! White on white is kinda hard to see...


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## badbird (Aug 15, 2005)

AWWWWWWWW i am so happy for Monica and Izze. 

I want a girl pigeon. I want my bird to nest and lay eggs and start a pigeon family.

Now that an egg has been laid, its sterile unless a male fertilizes it right? Can a male pigeons fertilize it or is it to late?


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

badbird said:


> AWWWWWWWW i am so happy for Monica and Izze.
> 
> I want a girl pigeon. I want my bird to nest and lay eggs and start a pigeon family.
> 
> Now that an egg has been laid, its sterile unless a male fertilizes it right? Can a male pigeons fertilize it or is it to late?


Too late! Male has to fertilize BEFORE egg is laid - unless there is something I'm missing?


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## Larry_Cologne (Jul 6, 2004)

*Izze and the egg*

Izze? No. Sheez. 
Great to hear about Izze's laying an egg.
Our four month old rescued and hand-raised male pigeon Wieteke has been sitting in a nest bowl in a pet carrier for a couple of hours every day now for the past week, calling for a mate to come (either one of the several female street pigeons who are interested in him, or my wife, who cuddles him. It seems either species will do for now). He has been nest searching and locating nests in various places all over the house, high and low, for more than a month now, and calling for a mate. It was the same with our male Pidgiepoo last December and first half of January, before we lost him. 
It seems to be pretty stressful for the males. The female pigeons won't come into the apartment, and it takes a lot of curiosity and courage for te females to land briefly on the window sill, while the male vociferously extolls the benefits of a nest in our apartment.


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

We have a young juvenile, Otis, that was rescued too late in the year to release until spring and it was too cold to leave him in the aviary overnight so he goes outside with the others for about 5 hours a day and we bring him back inside about 4 pm. After he eats and sleeps awhile he starts "hollering". That is the only way I can describe it - you know, the sound a male makes when it wants its mate to come to the nest. He goes on and on and on until you go to his cage and tell him to cut it out. He stops about 5 minutes and starts again. I believe he has fallen for one of our girls in the aviary and is just mad because we bring him in the house.

Aren't their little personalities just wonderful. 

Maggie


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Lady Tarheel said:


> We have a young juvenile, Otis, that was rescued too late in the year to release until spring and it was too cold to leave him in the aviary overnight so he goes outside with the others for about 5 hours a day and we bring him back inside about 4 pm. After he eats and sleeps awhile he starts "hollering". That is the only way I can describe it - you know, the sound a male makes when it wants its mate to come to the nest. He goes on and on and on until you go to his cage and tell him to cut it out. He stops about 5 minutes and starts again. I believe he has fallen for one of our girls in the aviary and is just mad because we bring him in the house.
> 
> Aren't their little personalities just wonderful.
> 
> Maggie


LOL  Boy, do I know what you mean Maggie! I call it moaning but hollering will do too. Squeaks starts softly and then progressively gets louder and louder! Also, when I put him home and he wants out, sometimes, in addition to the hollering, he'll STOMP around making all kinds of noise. He has an inch raised section and will stomp from this to the cage bottom and back again trying to get my attention. If I'm trying to sleep a little longer in the morning, forget it! Unfortunately, he knows it too! Spoiled? Nah - not much!


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

i have a bunch of pigeons who roost on my balcony. I'm not actually here too often (work away), but when I am I hear one of 'em doing the 'moaning' or nest-calling in the morning before daybreak. 

I have a floor length curtain I pull in the evning so the light inside doesn't disturb their roosting. When the calling starts up, I'll pull the curtain aside a little, and look at the little shapes out there and tell them "quiet, you guys!". All is silent - for a few minutes. Then it starts up again. 

Of course, daybreak is heralded by pigeons in steel-capped boots (or so it sounds) dancing on my wooden window ledge outside the bedroom.

Ah well, you can't keep a good pigeon down 

John


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

When we first set up our coop, the males were calling all the time. One day I came home after work to a silent coop. I panicked, thinking something had happened and all the birds were dead!  When I looked in, all three hens calmly looked up from setting on their eggs, with their mates standing ready to protect what was theirs. Amazing how quiet things are when the pairs are on eggs.


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## Brownieluv (Dec 12, 2005)

Monica said:


> The egg now in Izze's nest shows I was wrong. What more can I say?
> 
> 
> Monica


How exciting! Izze was in love - with you.


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## Brownieluv (Dec 12, 2005)

*Pre-torn?*



Lady Tarheel said:


> Monica, you might want to substitute the newspaper in his bed with paper towels. It may be that the paper is a little slick and harder to lay on than paper towels would be and he may just be trying to "soften" up his bed. Also, if he is trying to build a nest the paper towels will be easier for him to tear.
> 
> I really do enjoy watching him.
> 
> Maggie


I made the same mistake, used shredded paper. Switching to cottonelle tomorrow! Should I tear it up or let him do that?

I love checking in on Izzie too.


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