Breeding Help

[fantailgirl]

I bought a pair of Figuritas over eggbid and I just got them on Friday. I noticed them billing yesterday, and in the evening my male was cooing very loudly and got all my other birds cooing. This morning he was 'dancing' in circles about my hen and it looked like he was pushing her about. She was bowing her head at him and cooing back. Does this mean my pigeons want to make babies? I up-ended a rabbit nest box and put a bowl and some straw in the cage, but I've never had birds even bill each other before, let alone make a nest and lay eggs.

Will the modified box and bowl be enough for them? I know zip about breeding pigeons, and some of the nests on my web search look something similar to what I have. I payed alot of money for these beautiful birds and I want to get offspring form them. If anybody could constructivly critize my nest I would really appreciate it!

I'll have a picture of my nest here in a little bit.

[Trees Gray]

Hi Fantailgirl,

Congratulations on the purchase of these birds!

If they were billing they soon will be mating. That is how it is in my coop. How old are these beauties?

It would be good for them to have a seperate nest box, if they are in with your other birds, big enough for a nest bowl, a small water bowl and their own seed. Also, it should have a front on it, where they can go in and out, and mostly have privacy. This takes off a lot of stress on a breeding couple.

They should have access to pigeon breeding mix (18% protein) and water, grit and the female will need access to a calium block, or pick cake, or other form of calcium, magnesium, phospohurs, etc. A good avian multi wouldn't hurt, either.

Treesa

[fantailgirl]

They were in the box when I came out there. I would have gotten closer, but I didn't want to upset them...

[Trees Gray]

They are just beautiful, do you know how old they are?

Treesa

[fantailgirl]

They are a year old. They were on a 20% chick feed, but someone told me that's a bit high for them, so I just got a pigeon mix that's 15% today. I guess I could mix the two feeds together; say 3/4 cup 15%, 1/4 cup 20%.
As for calcium, I don't know. We give our chickens oyster shells, but I can't imagine my tiny pigeons swallowing one of those big chunks. The chick feed has a conisderable amount of calcium in it, but I don't think it's enough. Is there a liquid calcium supplement that's readily available that I coud put in their water?

[Trees Gray]

The 15% mix is just fine. Can you order from one of the pigeon supply houses? It would be better for the hen to have access to pick cake, when she feels the need. Also, if you haven't gotten any, you can get the red grit there.

You could crush the oyster shell in smaller pieces as long as it as been properly cleaned for all bird types.

Treesa

[sportsman]

It sounds like your going to have eggs soon. there is suppose to be a liquid calcium supplement, someone told me to check the pigeon supply house link in the resource section of this site when I asked about oyster shells. Also, you should put another box is the cage because pigeons will have two nests, one with babies, the other with eggs.

[fantailgirl]

I could order from a pigeon supply, what one would you recomend?

[sportsman]

Don't know, never ordered anything from any of those sites, but I did look at one of the sites on the resource page, and they had several liquid calcium supplements.

[Trees Gray]

Originally Posted by fantailgirl

I could order from a pigeon supply, what one would you recomend?

I would get a pigeon red grit for them, and a calcium pickcake, like Duval Pick stones. It is a better way for the hens to obtain calcium, and there many different kinds you can buy. I recommend the liquid calcium gluconate only for hens with thin shelled eggs, that can't absorb the calcium from other sources like the pick cakes.

My hens love the pick cake, and the red grit is also important, if you don't have that one already.

Treesa

[fantailgirl]

Ok, thanks! But... were would I get a pick cake? I found places for just about everything else, but nothing like what I'm thinking a pick cake is. As for 'red grit', the grit I use is a cockateil mix. From what I understand, they really don't need grit because they are on a pelleted feed, but I like to keep some for them to peck at if they want just in case. It has red, grey, white, blue, and even some dark green stones in it. But mostly red. My utility kings get oyster shells and chicken grit, but that pair doesn't get along too well most of the time, and I would doubt that they would raise babies.

[Joey&Bee,ee,ee]

In my opinion, what you have got is fine. The pigeons themselves will decide whether to use it or not! The dancing is the male showing off to the lady (if you didn't know), and it does mean that they have paired, and will probably soon want to make babies! On the note of dancing, it seems to work on human girls aswell. Good luck.

[Joey&Bee,ee,ee]

Oh, I almost forgot, try offering them limescale from inside the kettle for extra calcium for the eggs, mine love it.

[Trees Gray]

Originally Posted by fantailgirl

Ok, thanks! But... were would I get a pick cake? I found places for just about everything else, but nothing like what I'm thinking a pick cake is. As for 'red grit', the grit I use is a cockateil mix. From what I understand, they really don't need grit because they are on a pelleted feed, but I like to keep some for them to peck at if they want just in case. It has red, grey, white, blue, and even some dark green stones in it. But mostly red. My utility kings get oyster shells and chicken grit, but that pair doesn't get along too well most of the time, and I would doubt that they would raise babies.

You can get any kind of picking cake, different brand names, and pigeon grit from one of the pigeon supply houses.

Treesa

[fantailgirl]

Ok, sounds great!

My fantails are doing something similar, but my male is being evil to me now. He's my showmanship bird and I have to work with him, but now he attacks me when I open the cage. Being so small he doesn't hurt me, but it certainly is surprising. This bird has always been very shy and quiet. Now he growls at me when I walk by the cage and pecks me when I reach in there. He's fine when I put him in a holding pen by himself for a while, but put him back with his hen and he starts it right back up again. I've never heard of pigeons doing this, they are usually shy birds, right? Is this normal and I just don't know it?