Broken egg

[oakhill1863]

Hi! As a novice to pigeon raising I have a some egg laying questions. I have a pair of fantails who recently layed an egg before I was able to put a nest in their temporary cage. When we discovered it, it was warm. We waited for her to drop another egg but she did not. So we decided to transfer them to a larger cage with a grated floor which would allow us to clean the cage without disturbing them and put a terracota saucer from a plant pot in the cage with some dry hay as bedding. Unfortunately moving seemed to really upset them and when we checked them later the egg had cracked, we noticed that when the male tried to protect it he stood with his one foot on it. When we removed the egg to candle it a few days later we saw that it had cracked. The shell did not seem weak but of normal hardness. Does this just happen and eggs are often lost to cracking or do we need to do something differently? We just found our pair of ringnecks had layed an egg also, in their feed dish and my husband said it had small holes in it like they had tried to move it with their beaks. We have the Vriends books but they don't have the fine pointers about the eggs and nest so any help those of you with experience have would be greatly appreciated. What about galvanized nesting boxes? Someone recommended these to me for my doves, will they also work for the pigoens?I hate to see them lose anymore eggs. Thanks. Kathy

[robo squab]

Hi Kathy

You seem to have some trouble with your eggs while I don't know much about faintails mine are mostly feral I do know that when you move them to a different place than the one that they had layed in they almost all the time will abandone there eggs but sometimes you have to do so when the pigeons have layed there eggs in a place that is not padded then you might wait until the morning where they might both leave the nest briefly and come back in this time you can place some kind of nesting material underneath the eggs to be like a nest but I would not know if that would effect there sitting on the eggs if they are doves pigeons don't mind or if they layed in a bad place and you have to move the eggs to a completely different place they most likely won't sit on them about the male stepping on the egg that is normal when he tries to defend his nest he will back up and move around and might step on the egg but if they have abondened there eggs they will disregard them and not give attention to them bieng stepped on or not and end up breaking them I really hope this info. is of help to you and I know that there are many great people here that can help you even more
Thank You RoboSquab

[oakhill1863]

Thanks for the info. It is useful. Actually I think we've had problems with the eggs because we weren't expecting them and had not provided nesting material and were getting ready to move them to larger and better cages. We had thought it was still too early for them to lay because it isn't quite spring yet. With 5" of snow on the ground we just didn't think it was time yet. We knew they were starting to court but didn't realize things were that far along,lol. I just hate to see them pay for our inexperience. Kathy

[raynjudy]

My little hen has laid at least two clutches of eggs since Christmas... They will not hatch, as they are infertile. But she's very protective of them, and sticks by them whether we move them (in their nest) or not.
Keep in mind, that this is a very tame pigeon, kept indoors (Cosmo is family), so her behavior may vary from a loft situation.

A single egg is something of an anomaly--they most always lay two. Pigeons won't
"set" the egg in earnest, until the second one is laid, thus beginning the incubation cycle on the pair of eggs at the same time. In this way, the squabbies are born very close together, and can effectively compete with one another.

It is possible to "hold" eggs for up to one week in the veggie drawer of the fridge. The eggs should be replaced with fakes as soon as they're laid. You can then warm the real eggs at room temperature and pull the old switcheroo. While this has worked for others, there is no guaranty.

Punctured eggs may be repaired with white Elmer's Glue and a patch of extra egg shell.
Spread the glue thinly on a patch just big enough to cover the defect, and apply. Return the egg as soon as the glue is not tacky (a few minutes). I suppose, a THIN bead of Elmer's applied along a crack, would seal the shell...

With regard to the above two paragraphs, I have no practical experience. But I have read from responsible sources that these methods are used with success by breeders and enthusiasts.

Keep in mind that pigeons are as individual as all of us; and as with us, some behaviors are "hard-wired", while others must be learned. Even so, some individuals are more successful than others, and the "attitude" varies between them.

PIGEONS FOREVER!!!

--Ray

PS. A rich supply of calcium is vital to hens during breeding. Much of her calcium reserves go into the shells and yolks of her eggs.

[bigbird]

As Ray says "A rich supply of calcium is vital to hens during breeding. Much of her calcium reserves go into the shells and yolks of her eggs."

Good calcium balance makes hard shelled eggs.

Regarding the "glue trick". I believe that it is risky to apply foreign substances to an egg. Could cause problems to the young developing bird.
If the egg is just a few days old, remove it and discard. Others will appear later.
If the egg is fertil (candle the egg) and is over 2 weeks old, you might apply a bandaid strip (cut with scissors) over the crack.

Regards,
Carl

[sirpigeon]

I have successfully used masking tape on cracked eggs. I moved a breeding pair to another coop before the hen laid the second egg. I placed the first egg in a nest bowl in the new coop.After being moved the pair ignored the first egg and laid the second egg on the floor and ignored it also. So the next day I moved the pair back to the old coop and placed both eggs in their old nest,where the pair resumed incubation and successfully hatched and raised them.

[Scuiry]

Yes, try some masking tape.

d.

[oakhill1863]

Thanks for all the advice. Now I'd like to know more about enriching their diet with calcium for the egg laying. I had read that and made sure I found oyster shell grit only to be told the feed store isn't carrying it anymore and the grit at the pet store has lots of other stuff in it besides the calcium.And I'm aware while the pigeons use more grit the doves will use very little. So how do I get calcium into them? I use Hagan pigeon and dove food from the pet store and supplement with wild bird food(without cracked corn) and millet. What else should I be giving them? And how long do you give them this calcium rich diet? Thanks. Kathy

[raynjudy]

True enough, eggshells are gas permeable and contaminants can penetrate the shell. But Elmer's Glue is essentially a dairy product and contains no mutagens or real toxins. Eggs are lined with an elastic membrane. If this membrane is unbroken and a repair is made to the shell, there's a good chance the embryo will be unaffected. David Marx, DVM, is one of the sources from which I've read about "egg repair". He even claims to have salvaged eggs where the puncture has produced liquid and blood, by applying the patch described. Alternatively, you can use chicken egg whites as an adhesive.

Whether to save or discard an egg is a personal choice. If the pair breeds prolifically, discarding the egg early on is a small matter. If for some reason the egg is precious, then saving it may be the best option. This is a matter of the heart...

Calcium is a "lyte" as well as a constituent of bone tissue and eggshell. As Carl says, weak egg shells can result from calcium depletion. Worse still, paralysis and egg binding can result in a hen from calcium depletion (egg binding can be fatal). A concentrate called "Calcionate Syrup" is available--use precisely as directed. "L-M Animal Farms Grit" is an excellent source and is available at pet centers. Alternatively, shaved "Cuttle Bone" and even "Kix Cereal" can be offered as calcium supplements.

Kathy, I'd use the supplements during the breeding season.

Good Luck!

--Ray