I'm almost embarrassed to tell you...

[Rockie]

one of my rescues "Whitie", who I always thought was a boy, laid an egg last Tuesday, for the 1st time w/me.

The thing is, she has no other pijies w/her. After about 10 months of yelling at me to get away from her, a few weeks ago she finally wanted to make friends w/me. I didn't realize that my petting her on her back was stimulating her! My local pigeon store told me that she is now "mated" to me for life! Well that's no problem for me.

To many of you this may be yesterday's news, but to me it's unbelievable. When my other half came home last Tuesday, I greeted him at the door w/a glass of wine, insisting he drink a little before we go into our "boy" Whitie's room.

Anyway, I have a question as I've never dealt w/this before. She laid one egg on Tues 1/31/06. I was told she will have a 2nd one 2 days later. So far nothing. She has been showing a puffy lump on her back & a couple of times I saw her laying in my homemade nest for her. Do I need to be concerned and is there anything special I should be doing for her?

Also, her once beautiful poops have changed to large splatters. It was checked today and came up negative. I read on another post recently about when they sit on their nest for long periods of time it may cause this type of poops, but she's not sitting on her 1st egg. For the record, she never sat on her 1st egg & would only peck at it & throw it out of the nest until it finally cracked.

Please advise.

[Pigeonpal2002]

Hi Leslie,

Do you know the approximate age of Whitie? If she's fairly young they sometimes only lay one egg the first time. Has she layed eggs before? As for a possibly eggbound situation, I don't think so. How is she acting, does she seem in distress in any way? My pigeon, Henny has recently layed only 1 egg and about a month before that, there was only one egg as well.

The poops do tend to go funny a few days before and a few days after egg laying in my experience and depending upon individual birds.

[Rockie]

Hi Brad,

Thanks for your reply. I don't have a clue as to Whitie's age. I've had her for 1 year. She has never laid any other eggs w/me during that time.

She is acting ok, I guess. I don't think she's in distress. However, she seems very restless, walking in circles alot. She is a PMV bird, but the circling is not ususal for her.

If she has another egg in her, would I be able to feel it when picking her up? I thought I felt a lump underneath her today when I put my hand there for her to hop up on.

I guess I'll just watch her and monitor any changes in her personality.

[Pigeonpal2002]

Hi Leslie,

I'm not sure if you could feel an egg inside or not, I think it would depend where it is. Do keep an eye on her for signs of distress in case she is going to lay a second egg but I think it's been too long since the first one now.

Is her tail pumping up and down at all or is her cloaca opening and closing in contractions?

[Rockie]

Originally Posted by Pigeonpal2002

Is her tail pumping up and down at all or is her cloaca opening and closing in contractions?

Not that I've seen, but I'll keep my eyes on her. If I see anything questionable, I'll post.

Thanks again.

[Trees Gray]

Originally Posted by Rockie

Anyway, I have a question as I've never dealt w/this before. She laid one egg on Tues 1/31/06. I was told she will have a 2nd one 2 days later. So far nothing. She has been showing a puffy lump on her back & a couple of times I saw her laying in my homemade nest for her. Do I need to be concerned and is there anything special I should be doing for her?

Also, her once beautiful poops have changed to large splatters. It was checked today and came up negative. I read on another post recently about when they sit on their nest for long periods of time it may cause this type of poops, but she's not sitting on her 1st egg. For the record, she never sat on her 1st egg & would only peck at it & throw it out of the nest until it finally cracked.
Please advise.

Hi Leslie,

It does sound like she is egg bound or has another related issue and possibly infection. You should get her to an avian vet if she does not lay an egg within a couple of days.

Meanwhile, Isolate her so she is not stressed, and I would give her a half dropper of olive oil, per day. Put her on a warm heating pad, set on low, with a towel between the heating pad and her, keep her out of any drafts.

See if she will bathe, a warm bath sometimes helps.

Give her extra calcium as that will help with muscle relaxation, and will help to move the egg out. Sometimes hens will get an egg with a thin shell stuck, they can't get a grip on it to move it out, but they can still poop.

If she is not eating then make sure she is hand fed. Make sure she gets plenty to drink.

The messy poops can be a symptom of coccidiosis which can multiply once the bird is under stress.A healthy dose or two of probiotics will initiate good bacteria and will help crowd out the bad bacteria and poops will get back to normal.

I would also administer a drop of colloidal silver in the water or down the throat, in case of infection.

If you don't see an egg after that I definitely would take her to a vet.