Pigeon-Talk banner

Need Help Please!!!!

Tags
help!
2K views 24 replies 9 participants last post by  Jay3 
#1 · (Edited)
I need help PLEASE!! I wrote the other day about finding a broken egg on the loft floor, well this morning I went to see if the 2nd egg was laid, well it was, I found it on the floor broken....:(:(:(:mad: I am so bummed out, what can I do? Should I take the nest box out of the loft so they can nest on the floor?? How long will I have to wait for them to lay again. I am lost here and all the suggestion would be very much apreciated! I am posting some picks, so you can see where the egg was in relationship to where the nest is if you look you can see the cross board going across the front of the nest box. I did put a second one on there to help keep the egg from rolling out of the nest. Please help!!
 
#2 ·
I'm so sorry to hear the second egg was also broken.

Do you know which bird laid the egg, and how many couples and single birds do you have, are these young inexperienced birds? Have you observed the hen that has laid the egg?

Sorry about the questions, but I would like to try to help you get to the bottom of this.

Usually if an egg is laid on the floor, the bird either feels uncomfortable or insecure in other places or they have lost the rights to the nest box to another bird/couple and use the floor. Or perhaps it was flung out of the box or elsehwere by another bird.

They will lay another egg within 5 to 10 days of the mating ritual.
 
#3 ·
Trees Gray,
I have a total of 6 birds, I have two pair and I believe two single males and yes, they are young birds, born late last summer. I have observed the pair, but still not sure who is the hen. I am lost here, these would have been my first eggs and it hurts to see what happened here, all help is appreciated. Thank you for your help!!
 
#4 · (Edited)
You need to find out which pairs have coupled and watch their behavior, and see if the single birds are possibly bullying the couple/s to get out of the nest box. This can happen when aggressive single birds are in the same section of the loft along with breeders.

It is best to try to figure this out now while there are no babies, as they could be targets. Don't worry about the eggs, they will lay again. Remove the single birds from the breeders loft.

Make sure the hen has plenty of access to oyster grit.

That would be my guess.
 
#5 ·
You need to find out which pairs have coupled and watch their behavior, and see if the single birds are possibly bullying the couple/s to get out of the nest box. This can happen when aggressive single birds are in the same section of the loft along with breeders.

That would be my guess.
This pair is very protective with their nest box, if they see another bird around, they get it out of there. HOW LONG TILL THEY LAY AGIAN AND WOULD IT HURT TO REMOVE THE NEST BOX AND PUT NEST BOWLS ON THE FLOOR?
 
#6 · (Edited)
Rackerman, have you observed how the hen positions itself in the nest bowl ? That bowl is a deep one, I dont think it is likely that the egg fell out from the bowl. If the hen is using the front pane of the next box together with the nest bowl to position itself, then it can fall down.

I have had the case of my hen sitting very close to the rim of the earthen bowl and the egg fell in the nest box, which I later placed back in the bowl
 
#8 ·
Rackerman, have you observed how the hen positions itself in the nest bowl ? That bowl is a deep one, I dont think it is not likely that the egg fell out from the bowl. If the hen is using the front pane of the next box together with the nest bowl to position itself, then it can fall down.

I have had the case of my hen sitting very close to the rim of the earthen bowl and the egg fell in the nest box, which I later placed back in the bowl
sreeshs, they don't use the nest bowl, they made their nest next to it, you can see it in the pic.
 
#7 ·
For some reason they don't look like they are comfortable to begin with for that nest is hardly cared for and it looks like as your hen lands on the edge that she is just dropping the egg out and it" breaking maybe too much flying on her part and maybe she is just too young at this point and maybe their is fighting over the nest area--really would like to see the inside of the loft--why is the nesting so low to the floor? Sorry about your eggs but there will be plenty more....c.hert
 
#11 ·
sreeshs, I don't know what happened, I just don't want it to happen again and want to fix the problem. I am trying to get a young bird team. Can you tell me how long it takes for them to lay the next round? Would it be bad to take the nest box out and put the nest bowls on the floor?
 
#12 ·
They should start laying in 8 - 10 they start mating again soon.

As Treesa pointed out they may be feeling insecure in the nest box. Do fights happen often in the loft, you will generally have more frequent fights if the no. of cocks exceeds the hens.

I wont allow them to nest on the floor, there is a pretty good chance of a fight at any point when incubating on the floor and the pigeons will be in much more stress compared to incubating in the nest box
 
#14 · (Edited)
I agree with Screeshs. I think somehow when they lay the egg, it is falling to the floor. Also when you have singles males in the loft with breeding pairs, you are going to have trouble. You really need to get mates for the single males.

Also, don't ever just let them breed on the floor. For one, when they are on the floor, they tend to think of the whole floor in that surrounding area as theirs. Causes chasing and fights. Also, when the babies hatch, they they are not protected on the floor. Bad idea. Can you cage the single cocks and find them mates? That is what I would do. The nesting pairs shouldn't have to be fighting for their box.
If they prefer the nest box bottom to a bowl, why not take the bowl out. I took mine out to give my birds more room, and they seem to like it better. As long as they have planty of nesting material for a good nest, the bowl really isn't necessary, and some prefer not to use one. The cross board will keep them in the box without a bowl.
 
#16 ·
The reason why your birds layed their eggs in the nest floor vise the nest bowl is because you have more nesting material (hay) in the nest floor. I suggest remove the hay and put some on the bowl. Also I always remove the first egg and put a fake egg and once the second egg is layed I place the first egg back, I do this so that when the eggs hatch the young are about the same size and neither one will be over fed or under fed. Also what is the size of your nest box? A nest box should be atleast 16" deep. Go to my public profile and look at my album you will see the design of my nest boxes there and loft designs.
 
#17 ·
Soy might be right here...judging by your pictures it looks like the nesting material off to the side of the nest bowl looks like they've been flattened out by your pair sitting there instead. Put the nesting material in another area of your loft and they will take it to there nest themselves.
 
#18 ·
Henry is right. It should be put in the loft, but not in the bowl or box. They will collect it themselves, and put it in the bowl. First you'll have to empty the box of the straw. Duh! I was thinking that they put it there. LOL.
 
#24 ·
I am trying to make adjustments and getting over being bummerd out.
Rackerman,

I think we all have been where your at, and it can get frustrating at times but the end results are far more rewarding then the frustrations.

Follow the good advice you've been given be patient and it will all come together for you.

One thing I would do though is remove any excess cocks if possible this may help relieve any stress in the loft.

Walter
 
#22 ·
Supply a nesting area that is safe and comfortable enough for your pigeons to feel secure enough to reproduce.
Supply enough nesting material in the loft so that they will have plenty enough access to it to build their (own) nest. (don't put any in there, let them do it themselves!)
Supply more then enough nest boxes, this way they will choose, and keep their own.
Some pigeon pairs just don't breed when forced.
Supply plenty of food and clean water.
If nessary, Isolate them and see if they will breed.
Some pairs just won't breed together, no matter what you do for them.
Be patient, give it time, do your best, and they should to theirs.
Don't give up, but be patient.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top