# Sitting on fake eggs for how long?!



## diddy (Feb 9, 2007)

I have two pigeons that I have hand reared from tiny babies. They are now all grown up and they live outside in their delux house and come and go as they please. They spend most of their day wandering aorund the roof and the garden and then they go off for about 2 hours and then come back. They are about 5 mths old I guess. They are brother and sister but they have mated and there was two eggs laid I took the eggs away and immediately replaced each one as it arrived with a fake egg as I don't want any more pigeons! So now what the poor female is sitting on the two fake eggs stuck in the box all day, the male does a little sitting (it has given her a rest from being pecked and chased by the ever randy male though!) What do we do next just leave her on the fake eggs till she gives up on them or take them away after a certain period? the eggs have been in there for about 10 days now? Any suggestions please?
Thanks


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## Heather-Mole (May 16, 2006)

*Hi Diddy*

Usually leaving mine with theirs works they just roll them out when they have realised there not going to hatch...However i replace their real onces with fake eggs because i dont want them breeding in the winter and it would give them a break from baby rearing but they seem to have caught me out as everytime they have real eggs i replace them with fake ones .. the next morning the eggs are rolled out and then they wait for themselfs to lay more..crafty buggers.. 

Heather


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## pigeonpoo (Sep 16, 2005)

You must have very clever pijjies Heather-Mole mine will sit on anything I replace their eggs with!!  

*diddy* I know _exactly_ how you feel and, about 18 months ago, was posting exactly the same question on here!! It seems so cruel that one poor bird is staying inside needlessly, trying to incubate eggs that are never going to hatch and she could be enjoying the outdoors with her mate! 

If you don't replace the eggs with fakes and keep simply removing them, the hen will continue to lay every ten days or so, she would soon become calcium depleted. So, replacing the eggs is not only an effective contraceptive but, it is helping your hen stay healthy. They will take turns at sitting on the dummy eggs for about 20 days then, when they realise that they are not going to hatch, they will come off the eggs and prepare to lay again. You will notice that they are both out and about again and the cock will be driving the hen..then it's time to watch out for more eggs if you don't want any oops babies!!!


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hi diddy,

I think it is very kind and thoughtful of you to replace the eggs, knowing that you cannot have a population of pigeons running around, it is also best since they are related. 

Most people don't forsee the future and just let the eggs hatch, until they have too many pigeons and are crying to get rid of them...or the neighbors are upset and call the authorities and then the birds HAVE to leave. That is what is REALLY sad, you on the other hand, are doing the responsible thing.

Please don't feel sorry for her laying on the fake eggs. Just make sure she has all the comforts like access to seed and water next to her nest box, that way she will not have to run out to eat. I would also give them a softgel garlic cap down the throat once a week. I would also be very careful of their comings and goings and make sure they can easily hide from hawks and such.


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## diddy (Feb 9, 2007)

*So its eggs or mating for life then?!*

Ok so I get the gist we leave the female and male sitting on eggs, but then when they start both coming out we take the eggs away?
Do they ever stop trying to mate and have babies!! or is the poor female going to have to spend the rest of her life (how long do they live by the way?!) either sitting on eggs or being wooed at and chased constantly by mr randy head?
Its all too much I should have let the RSPCA put them down when they arrived and said thats what they were going to do! Not really I love them both dearly they are very sweet and I so proud we managed to rear them and now they are 'free' and enjoying life. But by god its stressful worring about them all the time.


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

diddy said:


> Ok so I get the gist we leave the female and male sitting on eggs, but then when they start both coming out we take the eggs away?
> Do they ever stop trying to mate and have babies!! or is the poor female going to have to spend the rest of her life (how long do they live by the way?!) either sitting on eggs or being wooed at and chased constantly by mr randy head?
> Its all too much I should have let the RSPCA put them down when they arrived and said thats what they were going to do! Not really I love them both dearly they are very sweet and I so proud we managed to rear them and now they are 'free' and enjoying life. But by god its stressful worring about them all the time.


Diddy, your pair of birds are doing exactly what they love to do. Don't worry about the hen sitting or the cock for that matter. Don't think for a minute they sit there all day saying to themselves "why the heck do I have to do this????" They are doing what pigeons do. Trust me, if the hen didn't want to lay eggs and didn't want to be bothered, she wouldn't give her mate the time of day.


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## Guest (Feb 10, 2007)

i would have to say that sitting on wooden eggs is a walk in the park compared to them having to raise those babies time an time again lol  dont feel bad because when they are on eggs at least they get to relax lol


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## Jack Wooldridge (Dec 28, 2006)

Yes, birth control is practiced by all responsible pigeon owners. As to the length of time left on eggs some birds will stay longer than others, but I believe some consideration should be given to the fact that pigeon milk forms in the crop shortly before hatching time. I pull the dummy eggs at about 16 days so the adults will not have to deal with reabsorbing the unused crop milk.


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## Crazy Pete (Nov 13, 2008)

With them only 5 mo old the hen will sit more, next time they will share the responsibility more.
Dave


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## Libis (Oct 8, 2010)

I know sometimes my birds will continuously sit fake eggs and then sit real ones without a break (this is how I got some oops babies--I thought they were still on the fakes when actually they were on reals and fakes.) So be sure to check the nest each day, especially getting closer to, and after the 18 day mark. (My same pair has been sitting on a fake for 4 months now--so I'm really keeping an eye out.)


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

just to let you know the thread is from 2007.


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## Crazy Pete (Nov 13, 2008)

Now that's a long time to sit eggs...lol
Dave


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## RemmyGx (Sep 4, 2018)

Someone commented in 2011 that this thread was from 2007. It’s now 2019 and old or not, I’m finding it very valuable as I am a first time pigeon owner of a hen that’s now sitting on fake eggs instead of real ones. Thanks to all.


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