# Constant egg laying...



## phillychad (Jan 24, 2007)

Hello, I have an all white pigeon who has been our indoor pal since she was a little bird. A friend brought her to us and she has been here ever since. She is about 2 years old, maybe a little older. 

Here is my problem. She has been laying eggs for a long time... I would guess this last one to be maybe the 8th or 9th egg so far. The problem is something always happens to the eggs. I was on this board about a year ago and it was suggested to me that I either replace them with dummy eggs or hard boil the ones she layed. Well we tried the dummy eggs and we must have done something wrong because she never took to them. Also the hard boiling method never seemed to work right. Anyway, Once again she was acting strange all week so we figured she was about to lay another one so we set her up with a sort of nest. Long story short, we just came home to a broken egg on the floor! We were determined to watch this egg carefully so she would be able to keep it until she got bored of it. She won't stop laying eggs and I figure it's due to the constant breaking of her old ones. Obviously this can't be good for her, can it? So what do we do? I want her to be healthy... At a loss for what else to do I just hard boiled a chicken egg and set it real low in her nest and I am watching to see if she will take to it. Please help me as I want to do right by this bird, She is our buddy. In case I haven't made it clear, she has never been around a male bird so all of these eggs are infertile. She is on a seed diet, we give her grit and fresh water daily. She is not in a cage and has the run of the house. What about letting her fly outside? Is this a good idea? We just moved here a few months ago. So this is new to her. Please, any help will greatly be appreciated! Thank you! Philly Chad


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Have you tried the plastic dummy eggs, do you replace them where she laid the egg, because if you move the egg somewhere else, she will give it up?

The egg laying does slow down when they are brooding, but that just delays it until they grow tired of the dummy eggs. Yes, it is not good for pigeons to constantly lay eggs as it depletes their calcium reserves and also just plain weats them out.

She is laying eggs because she has bonded or "fallen in love" with someone or something. 
If you are petting her on the back, that may be an instigater. That seems to stimulate egg production. You can pet her around the neck area, but not the back, this worked with my hen Mieke, who was laying eggs, she stopped laying so much.


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## Birdmom4ever (Jan 14, 2003)

If you haven't already, try a different type of dummy egg. I found that some of my hens were smart enough to know that wooden or hollow plastic eggs were not the real thing. I switched to weighted plastic eggs and they take to those better. Check Foys or Global--I believe they both sell several types.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

phillychad said:


> What about letting her fly outside? Is this a good idea? We just moved here a few months ago. So this is new to her. Please, any help will greatly be appreciated! Thank you! Philly Chad


Letting her free fly outside is an extremely poor idea, in my opinion. Being all white, she is an easy target for predators, and since you have recently moved to your current location she could become lost if she gets spooked and takes off. 

Terry


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## pigeon poop (May 21, 2007)

hi
i had kind of the same proberlem once. I have a white ringneck dove (lilly) and she was paired up with a mate (also white-Gracy). she would continuosly lay eggs but in the wrong seasons. Instead of Spring she layed in Winter or Summer and sometimes Autumn. so i had to chuck the eggs out (once they were layed of course, so there weren't any babies yet). then one Spring day i was like 'ok lilly lets see what you got' so i let her sit on a clutch of eggs. Sure enough she sat on them and continued to do so....only they didn't end up hatching as they were duds (don't worry i was 100% sure before they were chucked). Well then she was back to laying throughout the seasons and one day in Winter i was fed up with her. i said to myself 'if she wants to lay in Winter so be it!  ) so i let her. i know, i know kinda bad to let her raise her young in Winter. Then sure enough, 3 weeks later, they hatched. My mum kept on telling me to not get my hopes up as it was her first time in winter and anything could go wrong. But she did it  !! The two white babies are alive and well (very fat and healthy). they have their feathers now and are learning how to fly. 

so i guess the question is are your eggs fertile or not? if they are let her hatch them out.


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## phillychad (Jan 24, 2007)

She is sitting on the hard boiled chicken egg... Should I just leave her be? No, there are no males near her so the eggs are infetel. I always pet her down the back...you think this could be making her lay more?


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

I'll second the thought that it wouldn't be a good idea to give free flight
outside, inside...fine, or in an aviary w/a small 'safe' room where you can enter and close the door behind you, then enter the aviary w/out worry of a bird
flying past you to what they think is freedom but w/many pit falls and tradgedies for pets not in a flock situation. The flock will warn each other
of dangers and a single bird that has been a pet just won't have the same
"radar" in place for the dangers in the wild. 

Petting on the back....maybe yes, maybe no...she is your pet and she does
need attention. She's probably sight bonded and might lay anyway. I know 
folks do get eggs sometimes w/out the back petting issue being prevalent.

Here's a link to an informative thread on this topic that you might get
a fuller picture with:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=11287&highlight=Lolita's

fp


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## warriec (Feb 2, 2007)

my suggestion is to pair her up with a male.


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## phillychad (Jan 24, 2007)

I have a quick question.... I went to the link you provided and she said..."I am giving her lots of broken eggshells for calcium."...... what is she talking about? Is it a good idea? How can I provide my hen with calcium? Thanx....


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

I have heard of people using broken egg shells, I'm not sure how good it is, as I have not used it.

You can buy a good calcium containing pigeon grit and/or oyster shell grit from a supply house or local feed store. Pigeons need grit for digestion and hens need the calcium to form healthy egg shells and for keeping up their reserves, you can buy one for both needs.


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

I give Squeaks the Oyster Shell grit.

I had read that egg shells were good extra calcium for birds. I save my hard boiled egg shells, crushed them finely and sprinkle over the bird seed in my feeder on my balcony.


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## warriec (Feb 2, 2007)

I am a breeding addict and 1 of my main reasons why I started pigeons.

What is your feeding plan and what are you feeding. I found out that certain foods make your pigeons lay often and lot. I know of a supplement that will make your bird lay more than 2 eggs at a time breaking the norm of 2 eggs but I dont recommend it unless you have a lot of pumpers is hand.


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

Hi phillychad, here's a link to our Resource section:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=25

Now scroll down about seven (7) links to the Pigeon Supply Houses
link:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=9455

You can find vitamins, supplements, medications etc. at 
these sites. Just walked you through the Resource Section
to make sure you knew about it  .

New England Pij supply has oyster shell grit at a good quality and price
and comes in a tub. Good luck.

fp


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## phillychad (Jan 24, 2007)

THANK YOU! I will get that supplement with the calcium because she really needs it. Well this week she has layed and lost two more eggs.... I don't know what to do!?! Once again they are infertile as she has never been around other pigeons. I am just scared that she is laying too many and is going to die on us. Any suggestions, or am I worrying for nothing? I feed her a wild pigeon/dove mix. I have also been giving her corn kernels and grit (the kind for pet birds at petco) Is there anything else we should be doing? Thanks so much!!! Chad


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

phillychad said:


> THANK YOU! I will get that supplement with the calcium because she really needs it. Well this week she has layed and lost two more eggs.... I don't know what to do!?! Once again they are infertile as she has never been around other pigeons. I am just scared that she is laying too many and is going to die on us. Any suggestions, or am I worrying for nothing? I feed her a wild pigeon/dove mix. I have also been giving her corn kernels and grit (the kind for pet birds at petco) Is there anything else we should be doing? Thanks so much!!! Chad



Chad, did these eggs break, and how did they break? 
It isn't great for her to be laying so many eggs, she's not
even getting the benefit of sitting on the ones lain for the
duration. It may just be time for you to help her to break
the cycle and get a shot of Lupron or the like. Do you have
a vet that you trust where you live?

Also, check out the Resource Section regarding Nutritional needs for
your bird, here's the link again:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=25

Usually the grit in Petco or the like isn't geared towards pigeons. They 
do need the minerals that are provided by the grit, so maybe call around
to the local pigeon clubs and see if there is a local breeder who acts as a distributor for the pigeon folks in the area. That way, you can get a real pigeon mix and a grit intended for pigeons.

fp


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## Birdmom4ever (Jan 14, 2003)

It definitely sounds like she's not getting enough calcium if her eggs are so thin-shelled that they keep breaking. Cage bird grit isn't enough--she needs proper pigeon grit. If there isn't any available in your area you can order some from one of the pigeon supply houses such as Foy's or Global.

If she's indoors she may not be getting enough Vitamin D, either. Recently a life-long pigeon breeder showed me a simple solution for hens that have trouble absorbing calcium. Around the time they are due to lay he gives his hens human calcium supplements such as Citracal. A large pigeon such as a homer can have a whole pill; for a smaller one, cut the supplement in half and give the pigeon half a pill. I use Citracal petites, which are smaller than other calcium supplements, but he uses the big ones from Costco and it works just fine. Just pry your hen's beak open and pop the pill down her throat. I've been doing this with my problem hens and it completely reversed their egg-shell problems. 

Hopefully if she lays eggs with proper shells she can then sit on them until she gets bored and gives up, usually around 20 days.


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