# Pigeons breaking own eggs?



## BHenderson

Hi all,

One of my pigeon couples, Gerty and Gayser, seem to keep abandoning and breaking their own eggs? I am not quite sure what is going on. Gayser is getting over PMV and is still unable to mate with Gerty properly. Could it be that they know the eggs are infertile?

On the last set of eggs, Gayser came out of the nest twice with an egg stuck to his chest. I assumed this was caused by Gerty having to make too many eggs too soon and I increased her oyster shell supply. I am not sure now what exactly happened.
The moved to a new box and Gerty layed another 2 infertile eggs, but this morning I found that one had been broken into and the other was on the other side of the box and was cold. Gerty was sitting on the nest like she was still sitting on eggs, but I don't think there is another set there.

Does anyone know what is going on? I fully expect them to start TRYING to mate again shortly and looking for another box to lay more eggs in. This can't be good for Gerty to have to keep producing eggs like this?

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Brian.


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## Reti

You can buy wooden or plastic eggs and replace the real ones with the fake ones as soon as they lay them. Then they wouldn't break them and hopefully they will sit on them for a while before laying more eggs, which is not good for the hen.

Reti


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## Skyeking

Hi Brian,

In addition to Reti's advice, I would also get them a real nest bowl and see if that helps. Remove the eggs after they are laid and replace with dummy eggs. 

Is Gayser perhaps breaking the eggs by accident because of handicap?


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## BHenderson

It looks like Gayser may be the culprit as with the last two eggs he came out with one stuck to his chest one day and then the remaining egg the following day. I thought this may indicate a weakness in the egg shell and so increased Gerty's oyster shell.

I have some false eggs already and I will see if they accept them, I may have left it too long.

Thanks,
Brian.


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## amyable

Hi Brian,

Yes I was going to say it's probably due to the egg shells being a bit thin.
I've had this happen a few times when they've broken and got stuck on their chests.
Upping the calcium hopefully will help with that side.

Janet


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## billgarb

Do they have sufficient nesting materiaI? Is the surface of the box hard to the point that, without any nesting material under the egg, a heavy bird may break the egg.The better the nest the less likely the eggs will crack unless they are not getting sufficient grit/limestone. Had that happen to me twice, the lack of a proper nest and clay surface resulted in broken eggs. Get a proper nest bowl. Good luck.


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## BHenderson

You know, Because they look so happy when they are building their nests, I used to love to provide them with lots of different materials to build with. Since the council has been trying to make me get rid of the birds I have had to get rid of a lot of the natural materials that I let them use because I am worried the council may spring a surprise inspection on me. Until I am sure the court case is over, I am having to keep to this. I do think you could be right though billgarb, and that they are not able to build such good nests because I cannot let them have all the old materials. I hope this situation will end soon. Lets hope for the best.......

Brian.


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## ljb107

BHenderson said:


> You know, Because they look so happy when they are building their nests, I used to love to provide them with lots of different materials to build with. Since the council has been trying to make me get rid of the birds I have had to get rid of a lot of the natural materials that I let them use because I am worried the council may spring a surprise inspection on me. Until I am sure the court case is over, I am having to keep to this. I do think you could be right though billgarb, and that they are not able to build such good nests because I cannot let them have all the old materials. I hope this situation will end soon. Lets hope for the best.......
> 
> Brian.


Hi Brian

Try getting some tobacco stalks and nest felts. Thats what i use in my bowls.

Lloyd


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## Jay3

BHenderson said:


> You know, Because they look so happy when they are building their nests, I used to love to provide them with lots of different materials to build with. Since the council has been trying to make me get rid of the birds I have had to get rid of a lot of the natural materials that I let them use because I am worried the council may spring a surprise inspection on me. Until I am sure the court case is over, I am having to keep to this. I do think you could be right though billgarb, and that they are not able to build such good nests because I cannot let them have all the old materials. I hope this situation will end soon. Lets hope for the best.......
> 
> Brian.


What were you using for nesting materials before? Could you put it in plastic trash barrels and cover them? Who would know what was in there?


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## russ973

i have watched my cock bird peck the eggs and he will keep doing so until it is broken / good nest, good strong egg , good feed ,good home ect ect ???
why do,s he kill his egg,s ????


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## russ973

break there eggs
can you tell me y the my cock pigeons 2 of them break there eggs , ??? 1 egg is breaken so i have swopped them for plastic egg,s for now , and the cock is
still peck,s them ????
Edit/Delete Message


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## Jay3

Do you give them enough calcium and other minerals? What are they getting in the way of calcium?


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## russ973

they receive a complete vit/min mix from Germany in powder form feed with a grain brood mix and garlic oil ,2 days a week ; they all so have a vit/min block in each pen , and permanent grit in a bowl from our pigeon supplier.


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## Jay3

Is it a high calcium grit? They should be getting crushed oyster shell as well. They may be trying to get more calcium. The vitamins do include vitamin D3 right? Do they get out in the sun light?


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## BHenderson

I didn't realise that this thread was still goiing lol. I'm afraid I am having the same problem still, the male is often coming out of the nest with an egg stuck to the front of his chest. He does still have problems with PMV so it could be that he is leaning on them in an unbalanced way.
Poor Gerty has been knocking the eggs out as fast as she can, and I give her extra vitamins and oyster grit. I cannot afford expensive vitamins although the grit should be pretty good quality.
To give Gerty a break I slipped an egg that Blondie had laid and abandoned because Baby was not doing his half of the brooding, so I stuck one of the eggs under Gerty and that egg seems to be lasting, so maybe it is something to do with Gerty's eggs. I hope it hatches because Gerty is such a good mother and loves to raise babies.

Brian.

P.s. withdraw that comment, I was just watching them switch over and Gayser has come out with Blondies egg stuck to the bottom of his chest. It must be something Gayser is doing. Poor Gerty, when she was with Squeaker she laid an egg with him and raised it really well. She would really love another egg but Gayser keeps breaking them because of the way he is leaning on them. What can I do?


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## Jay3

BHenderson said:


> I didn't realise that this thread was still goiing lol. I'm afraid I am having the same problem still, the male is often coming out of the nest with an egg stuck to the front of his chest. He does still have problems with PMV so it could be that he is leaning on them in an unbalanced way.
> Poor Gerty has been knocking the eggs out as fast as she can, and I give her extra vitamins and oyster grit. I cannot afford expensive vitamins although the grit should be pretty good quality.
> To give Gerty a break I slipped an egg that Blondie had laid and abandoned because Baby was not doing his half of the brooding, so I stuck one of the eggs under Gerty and that egg seems to be lasting, so maybe it is something to do with Gerty's eggs. I hope it hatches because Gerty is such a good mother and loves to raise babies.
> 
> Brian.
> 
> 
> 
> P.s. withdraw that comment, I was just watching them switch over and Gayser has come out with Blondies egg stuck to the bottom of his chest. It must be something Gayser is doing. Poor Gerty, when she was with Squeaker she laid an egg with him and raised it really well. She would really love another egg but Gayser keeps breaking them because of the way he is leaning on them. What can I do?



I wouldn't let them keep their eggs. I would switch them out with wooden eggs as soon as she lays them. If you allow them to sit their real eggs, and he keeps breaking them, she will keep laying eggs. If she keeps doing that then she is going to have problems. That's if you are sure that they are getting enough calcium and vitamin D3. Do they get sunshine or vitamin D3?


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## Msfreebird

I would most definitely leave fake eggs under her, and not let them have babies together. If he's breaking eggs with his chest.......just imagine what he would do to a newly hatched baby .....unfortunately


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## BHenderson

I don't think he is able to mate with her because he still has balance problems from the PMV, so I don't think any of the eggs will hatch, however I do think she might wear herself out laying eggs. She gets D3 in a good vitamin mix. Its hard to make sure she gets extra as they all share bowls.
I have just given her 2 plastic eggs that she is sitting on at the moment, but she usually throws them out in a couple of days. I need to get better quality ones.


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## Jay3

I like the wooden eggs. They work pretty well for me except with one hen who always can tell. She will eventually run into problems as she is depleting herself of calcium.


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## Msfreebird

Jay3 said:


> I like the wooden eggs. They work pretty well for me except with one hen who always can tell. She will eventually run into problems as she is depleting herself of calcium.


LOL, I got both plastic and wooden eggs and marked them with a magic marker....because they look soooooo real (and I wanted to see which ones the birds liked best)! The marker wore off the plastic eggs! So I have 1 oops baby!!...and I was doing so good  So I just ordered 3 dozen more WOODEN eggs 
The plastic eggs look and feel more like real eggs.


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## Jay3

Msfreebird said:


> LOL, I got both plastic and wooden eggs and marked them with a magic marker....because they look soooooo real (and I wanted to see which ones the birds liked best)! The marker wore off the plastic eggs! So I have 1 oops baby!!...and I was doing so good  So I just ordered 3 dozen more WOODEN eggs
> The plastic eggs look and feel more like real eggs.


Waynette, where do you buy yours? I had ordered some a long time ago that were very real, but since then, when ever I order them anywhere, they are flattened on one end, so not quite as real. Anyway, I just ordered some more from Jedd's which I think are the ones I got originally that I liked so much. But would be willing to give yours a try. Do they have the weight of real eggs?


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## russ973

the problem with my cock is he or they are no eating the shell only killing the egg i watched him to day when it was his turn to sit on the egg,s he walked on top of them and put on a bit of a show when the eggs would not brake (as they are plastic eggs) he just pushed them to 1 side trying to push them out of the nest , when that failed he just sat next to them .. not looking after at all. the hen is good its only the cock bird


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## russ973

I HAVE A COCK BRAKING HIS EGGS the problem with my cock is he is not eating the shell =NOT LAKING IN VIT/MIN. only killing the egg i watched him to day when it was his turn to sit on the egg,s he walked on top of them and put on a bit of a show when the eggs would not brake (as they are plastic eggs) he just pushed them to 1 side trying to push them out of the nest , when that failed he just sat next to them .. not looking after at all. the hen is good its only the cock bird


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## Jay3

How old is he? Maybe he's just to young to parent babies.


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## Msfreebird

Jay3 said:


> Waynette, where do you buy yours? I had ordered some a long time ago that were very real, but since then, when ever I order them anywhere, they are flattened on one end, so not quite as real. Anyway, I just ordered some more from Jedd's which I think are the ones I got originally that I liked so much. But would be willing to give yours a try. Do they have the weight of real eggs?


I get mine at Foye's....I just got my new wooden ones this morning. They are a little flat on one end now that you mention it. They have the plastic ones too (not flat on the end). I like the plastic better, but...they look and feel too real so its harder to check everyone and make sure they have fakes.....you can't just 'look', you have to feel the plastic eggs to make sure that there not real. The wooden eggs have a 'gloss' to them, so I can just 'look' when I check. I also mark them, but the marker wears off the plastic eggs


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## Jay3

Msfreebird said:


> I get mine at Foye's....I just got my new wooden ones this morning. They are a little flat on one end now that you mention it. They have the plastic ones too (not flat on the end). I like the plastic better, but...they look and feel too real so its harder to check everyone and make sure they have fakes.....you can't just 'look', you have to feel the plastic eggs to make sure that there not real. The wooden eggs have a 'gloss' to them, so I can just 'look' when I check. I also mark them, but the marker wears off the plastic eggs


Thanks Waynette. I mark them too, with a tiny dot from a magic marker. LOL. That gloss does wear off a bit with washing. The dot stays on the wooden eggs fairly well, by eventually you do have to remark them. I know, as I have screwed up at times, and missed an egg thinking it was a fake. Darn birds are smarter than we are.


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## spirit wings

Msfreebird said:


> I get mine at Foye's....I just got my new wooden ones this morning. They are a little flat on one end now that you mention it. They have the plastic ones too (not flat on the end). I like the plastic better, but...they look and feel too real so its harder to check everyone and make sure they have fakes.....you can't just 'look', you have to feel the plastic eggs to make sure that there not real. The wooden eggs have a 'gloss' to them, so I can just 'look' when I check. I also mark them, but the marker wears off the plastic eggs


you must of bought the same plastic eggs I did.. they look so real I also have to feel them to be sure.. I just put my hand under the bird and touch it then I know I did not miss that pair.. sometimes it is hard to keep up with if you have many pairs. one time a year I take everyones eggs out at the same time.. then all the pairs lay within close time to each other which make it a bit easier to get everyone checked at about the same time frame.. within the same week they all lay..then I go around and give the fakes at one time., or close to it.. then they can get off schedule through the year..then I do it again. I only do it once in the year so not to stress the hens calcium of course.


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