Will a pair sit on three eggs?

[Ralph]

I have 7 pair of white homers and all have laid eggs. One pair doesn't like the nesting bowl and won't use it. I have placed the eggs from the wire floor of their breeding cage into the nesting bowl along with pine needles. All the rest are nesting. I took the eggs tonight as the second was laid 2 days ago and placed one each in other nests where the pairs laid around the same time.

Now I have 2 pair sitting on 3 eggs each. I know I will probobly have to hand feed one after a few days after birth, but will the pairs sit on three eggs for the duration? Should I sacrifice the two eggs or am I now endangering 6 squabs'? They seem to be sitting on them fine. Any advice????

[pdpbison]

Hi Ralph,


Take your time...just forget the Eggs which the Parents do not wish to sit on.

You will have endless Eggs, and increasing Pigeons in n o time even if you are in no hurry.

The three Eggs in one nest mightr work, but it will tax the Parents to feed three instead of two babys, or, will tax you to feed two babys and maybe you have other things to do that would be more productive to the health and well being of your Birds.

Many Birds prefer their own elevated nest 'Boxes' in which any simple Bowl may be accepted, or a cake pan or the likes, something roundish with low sides anyway, and, let them elect the materials for their Nests if possible from what they like to bring back from their flights and outings.

Have fun...!

Phil
Las Vegas

[WhiteWingsCa]

Two problems with this situation, IMHO.

1. as already pointed out, it will be taxing for the parents to raise 3 squabs. All or at least one will end up not getting fed enough.

2. It's always best to keep track of what birds are from what parents... to avoid inbreeding too heavily, and to keep track of which parents produce the best babies. When you mix up eggs like this, you now have no way of knowing what parents produces this 6 babies.

[Ralph]

Thanks everyone for the excellent advice. I will remove the extra eggs tomorrow. Much appreciated!

[pigeonlover01]

dont worry about it, mine are constantly under more than 2 eggs but the isssue you may face is that one may hatch earlier or later than the others ................the have to be about the right age (the egg must have been laid about the same time the other egg was laid) so that the one young wont be big and the other small, if that happens the young may end up squishing the other young by accident you got to be carefull
mine are currently raising 5 young
if one pair first lais eggs for the first time i take the eggs and put them under another mother to incubate then i switch it again to onther pair that has similar sized young
the homer or king (whatever you raise) they are usaully pretty good at adopting.