# How often should pigeons be allowed to breed ?



## Nazmul (Dec 8, 2009)

Hi everyone 
How often should pigeons be allowed to breed ? I usually put them on dummy eggs and then allow them to breed the next time and then I put them on dummy eggs again and then I let them breed the next time ...This process goes on....what do u guyz do ??  


Thank You


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## Goodger (Sep 21, 2011)

3 rounds in the breeding season otherwise the stock birds immune system comes under stress and you end up with runt or sick squeakers,


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## dublin boy (Jun 4, 2011)

Goodger said:


> 3 rounds in the breeding season otherwise the stock birds immune system comes under stress and you end up with runt or sick squeakers,


i agree, any more than 3 rounds, and the parents start to feel the toll, plus you never end up keeping these youngsters,there always lacking in something,
i split my birds after the 3rd round till the next year,so they can moult out in peace .


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Nazmul said:


> Hi everyone
> How often should pigeons be allowed to breed ? I usually put them on dummy eggs and then allow them to breed the next time and then I put them on dummy eggs again and then I let them breed the next time ...This process goes on....what do u guyz do ??
> 
> 
> Thank You


three rounds for the year as said... I don't do back back three rounds because I don't race, but giving them the break say between the three rounds sounds like the best.. some just do three rounds back to back and then seperate the pairs for the year..that is what the racing hobbiest do.


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## Nazmul (Dec 8, 2009)

Is it for all kinds of pigeons ???


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Nazmul said:


> Is it for all kinds of pigeons ???


yes.. a pigeon is a pigeon and they all get stressed if overbred.


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## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

2 to 3 rounds is the standard Some will do 4 but the need is not there to do it. It is best to rest both hens and cocks after breeding season. Letting them lay and sit the eggs then letting them lay agin then hatch The hen still gets RUN DOWN. It would be better to let them raise the 2 to 3 rounds then break them up and rest them the rest of a year. Now some do not have there loft set up to seperate there birds But should make plans to do so for the health of the birds. NOW how many rounds do you currently raise and do you seperate or not That helps knowing your program. Late bred birdsThat hatch near the moult and during the moult are also stressed a little more because often the weather change from hot to warm to winter cold This takes them a little more to mature out right.


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## Nazmul (Dec 8, 2009)

but breeding is a natural process....if they have food available then they breed and think that they have plenty of food available for their chicks .....dont they realise that too much breeding is bad for their health ?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

Nazmul said:


> but breeding is a natural process....if they have food available then they breed and think that they have plenty of food available for their chicks .....dont they realise that too much breeding is bad for their health ?


no..that is one reason why ferals have allot shorter life span. stress can open the door to sickness...just like for humans.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Nazmul said:


> but breeding is a natural process....if they have food available then they breed and think that they have plenty of food available for their chicks .....dont they realise that too much breeding is bad for their health ?


Breeding and raising young is what they do by instinct. But it takes a toll on them, and is very stressful. If you let them continuously breed, you will run them down.


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## ippychick (Sep 19, 2007)

I have the same issue. Well, the bird thinks her mate is a human, so she keep laying those eggs all the time, like once a month (around 10 days of 'mating' and then around 3 weeks of sitting on the infertile eggs, then the round starts all over again and this has been going on for 3-4 years now). 

So what is there to do? Her health is the main issue and we don't want her to make all those eggs ~ but how can we make her stop when she's an indoor pigeon and her 'human mate' is always around?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

ippychick said:


> I have the same issue. Well, the bird thinks her mate is a human, so she keep laying those eggs all the time, like once a month (around 10 days of 'mating' and then around 3 weeks of sitting on the infertile eggs, then the round starts all over again and this has been going on for 3-4 years now).
> 
> So what is there to do? Her health is the main issue and we don't want her to make all those eggs ~ but how can we make her stop when she's an indoor pigeon and her 'human mate' is always around?



Try not to cuddle her and inspire her to lay. Other than switching the eggs out for fake, and letting her sit them for the 18 days or so, there really isn't anything else you can do.


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## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

ippychick said:


> I have the same issue. Well, the bird thinks her mate is a human, so she keep laying those eggs all the time, like once a month (around 10 days of 'mating' and then around 3 weeks of sitting on the infertile eggs, then the round starts all over again and this has been going on for 3-4 years now).
> 
> So what is there to do? Her health is the main issue and we don't want her to make all those eggs ~ but how can we make her stop when she's an indoor pigeon and her 'human mate' is always around?


DO NOT provide any type of nest. And perhaps the bird will not lay as much. Now wild type ferals they do not breed as often as a person thinks. They have 1 find a nest location Face daily dangers. get scared off the nest eggs fail to hatch young fail to live. But in the loft birds are safe feed is plentyful shelter from the weather They breed and do slow down But the get run down from raisin round after round. And that is when they are more prone to get sick while in a weaker state.. Rest brings them back in form. Hens it has been said for many a year have only so many eggs they can lay in a life time And there health is stressed each time they lay. Seperation of the pairs is perhaps the best known way to rest the birds.


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## Nazmul (Dec 8, 2009)

but then again the hen will keep on laying eggs right ?? moreover seperating will disappoint them...so isnt it better to keep them on dummy eggs ???


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

If the hen is separated from the cockbird, she will not lay eggs. Unless she pairs up with another hen, in which you will get 4 eggs.

As for the ferals, I doubt they breed quite as often as domestic birds unless someone is feeding them pretty heavily. A lot of domestic birds, if provided enough nesting spots, will have babies in one and eggs in another. That can really take a toll on them. I used to let mine do that, but now I only put an additional bowl in the cage if I see them building a new nest or if she lays in the nest with the babies. 
The ferals seem to really slack off during the coldest part of the year too. Of course there are exceptions. I've been contacted about babies in the city with snow on the ground. Often times they end up dead though. Which is another thing to keep in mind. Not all baby ferals live to fledge the nest, which would give the parents a break.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I think it depends on why you keep the birds also. Many keep them as pairs, and just switch out the eggs for fake.


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## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

Jay3 said:


> I think it depends on why you keep the birds also. Many keep them as pairs, and just switch out the eggs for fake.


Yes most that keep pigeons lets say for just pets to have a few backyard bird Might keep theres together year around. BUT most who keep pigeons to show ,race or any other select reason will seperate the birds for best control and rest Plus Over health, feathere quality, and selection for breeding, showing, racing, ect. When seperated You could have say 50 hens And just a small number say 3 to 5 may lay from time to time NOT often over the entire months of seperation. It adds up to how the loft is built Building a loft that meets your needs and the birds needs Keeping the number of birds that meets your needs and the needed room and health needs of the pigeons.


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## Nazmul (Dec 8, 2009)

I have one hen which is caged and seperated from the cockbird but still lays eggs ...


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Nazmul said:


> I have one hen which is caged and seperated from the cockbird but still lays eggs ...


They may be separated, but can they hear and see each other?


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## Nazmul (Dec 8, 2009)

yess they can hear and see each other , may be thats why she is still laying eggs because it keeps her hormones going .......will she stop laying if she is seperated from the cock completely like for example if I keep it somewhere else...??????


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

She should. Usually if pairs are separated to different sides of the loft, I believe they don't see each other. Try separating them where they cannot see or hear each other. Let us know how it goes. Good luck!


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## Nazmul (Dec 8, 2009)

Ok thank You..I'll let you know....shez on eggz now ..I'll seperate her and let u know....


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Be waiting to hear.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

Yeah often times birds will "mate" through the wire and will try their hardest to get to each other. All hens need are a little stimulation to get started laying. That's why a lot of single pet hens will lay constantly, because they see us as their mate. When I separate mine, they can't see each other, but they can hear each other of course. Their hearing is better than ours. My breeder loft is separated into a cock and hen section by a solid wall. Even the aviary is split by a solid wall, that way they don't drive themselves crazy trying to get to the other side.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Thanks Becky, for explaining.


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## Libis (Oct 8, 2010)

Nazmul said:


> but breeding is a natural process....if they have food available then they breed and think that they have plenty of food available for their chicks .....dont they realise that too much breeding is bad for their health ?


It's just like with dogs. Wild dogs will breed a lot, but it's hard on the female dog to have lots and lots of puppies. But, in the wild not all the babies will make it, so the parents make sacrifices of their heath in order to have as many babies as they can support. 

You can really see the effect of overbreeding in puppy mill mamma dogs. They don't get breaks between and as soon as they can be bred again they are and they have to raise another group of puppies. It eventually wears down the animal and causes her to be prone to illness. It also shortens lifespan.

This is also why before contraceptives one of the leading causes of human female death was childbirth. Having and/or caring for too many babies is not good for any body.


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## Nazmul (Dec 8, 2009)

I get it now...Let me conclude ..so pigeons should not be allowed to breed for more than 3-4 times a year ..and should be on dummy eggs or seperated from their mate when we dont want them to breed..Am I right ??


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## Wayne Johnson (Oct 1, 2010)

For most birds laying the egg is not the most stressful part. Raising a chick or two with constant feedings is the serious drain. That is why even though over breeding is hardest on the hen it is also hard on the cock.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Wayne Johnson said:


> *For most birds laying the egg is not the most stressful part. *Raising a chick or two with constant feedings is the serious drain. That is why even though over breeding is hardest on the hen it is also hard on the cock.



Have to disagree with you there. As laying the egg is surely hard on the female. When the female lays too often, it depletes her body of calcium. This can cause many problems with her health, her bones, muscles etc. She can run into reproductive problems that can kill her. That is why the use of dummy eggs. So that they will sit them for the 18 days or so, rather then just removing the eggs, which just causes her to lay right away again. Also another reason for separating them. If she were to just keep laying, she will become run down and calcium depleted, even if they don't hatch or raise the babies.

And 2 or 3 rounds would be much better.


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## ippychick (Sep 19, 2007)

*So..*

I'm silently following this thread here. 

What I gather is the following (regarding my indoor pigeon who lays eggs 'with a human');

There's not much to do, except perhaps not to give her too much petting etc. And no nest. Plus make sure she gets added calcium (+other vitamins/minerals) in her diet, to make up for all that loss that occurs due to the egg laying. 

That's it, right?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

ippychick said:


> I'm silently following this thread here.
> 
> What I gather is the following (regarding my indoor pigeon who lays eggs 'with a human');
> 
> ...


That's about all you can do. She may lay without a nest though.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

The only other thing you could do is make her an outdoor pet so that she only sees you when you want her to. But they are more fun as lovey-dovey indoor pets I think


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## Georgia123 (Oct 3, 2011)

I breed pigeons back in the day and going to start again next month . I would let my pigeon breed 3 times in the breeding season .


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## Libis (Oct 8, 2010)

ippychick said:


> I'm silently following this thread here.
> 
> What I gather is the following (regarding my indoor pigeon who lays eggs 'with a human');
> 
> ...


Yeah, that and take away any fertile eggs and replace with fakes (not a problem in your case--but it is in mine.)


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## ippychick (Sep 19, 2007)

MaryOfExeter said:


> The only other thing you could do is make her an outdoor pet so that she only sees you when you want her to. But they are more fun as lovey-dovey indoor pets I think


Ohhh, my heart just skipped a beat when I thought about Vivi as an outdoor pigeon!  

 

Seriously though, we've had her indoors since she was about 2 weeks old ~ she's a rescue, had fallen out of the nest. She's also a cripple, so walking on rough surfaces would create a lot of pain to her (she walks on her 'elbow' with the bad leg). 

Oh, my (and the pigeon's) boyfriend just read what I was writing, and corrected me; "she's not a cripple, she's handicapped" 

So let me correct myself here; Vivi is handicapped, not a cripple. *coughs*


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## ippychick (Sep 19, 2007)

Thanks to all who replied!! Appreciate it.


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