Beginner's egg & setting questions... Parlor Roller pair

[bantyshanty]

I've had a pair of pigeons for about 6 months. New to this pair. I traded my pigmy pouter pair ( from a swap meet) for a parlor roller pair at a swap meet, and I've had this new pair for 3 weeks.
I love them! ....SO... here's the situation. The pigeons have lived in an enclosed aviary which was part of our lanai, for the past few weeks. The floor access is 25 sq ft., and they have a ramp up to a guinea pig cage, covered in small gravel & coarse sand, where I put them at night. I cover them as well. I'm nearly done with their starter loft, but about a week away.

My female roller just laid her first egg yesterday, on the pebble ground of the aviary they have, and I have no idea about them setting. When I put the egg up into their cage, and then them up into their cage, for the night,the male acted really alarmed and he walked over to the egg and stood over it for a while. I checked feed & water & left him standing over the egg, which is on the pebble floor.
I have an almost done nest box with a sliding door. Should I put the nest box on the floor, with the egg in it? Nesting material such as straw, wood chips, anything? Does the male incubate in turns with the female?

What kind of set up do they need?

More generally, do pigeons only lay eggs when they intend to raise squeakers, or do they lay regularly anyway, like a chicken?

My pouters never laid, and they had the same space.

 

[gunnarwordon]

I've had a pair of pigeons for about 6 months. New to this pair. I traded my pigmy pouter pair ( from a swap meet) for a parlor roller pair at a swap meet, and I've had this new pair for 3 weeks.
I love them! ....SO... here's the situation. The pigeons have lived in an enclosed aviary which was part of our lanai, for the past few weeks. The floor access is 25 sq ft., and they have a ramp up to a guinea pig cage, covered in small gravel & coarse sand, where I put them at night. I cover them as well. I'm nearly done with their starter loft, but about a week away.

My female roller just laid her first egg yesterday, on the pebble ground of the aviary they have, and I have no idea about them setting. When I put the egg up into their cage, and then them up into their cage, for the night,the male acted really alarmed and he walked over to the egg and stood over it for a while. I checked feed & water & left him standing over the egg, which is on the pebble floor.
I have an almost done nest box with a sliding door. Should I put the nest box on the floor, with the egg in it? Nesting material such as straw, wood chips, anything? Does the male incubate in turns with the female?

What kind of set up do they need?

More generally, do pigeons only lay eggs when they intend to raise squeakers, or do they lay regularly anyway, like a chicken?

My pouters never laid, and they had the same space.

mine only lay when they hare having babies.........

 

[deerman]

yes some will lay . like after being move or sometime when two females pair up, but most when wanting to raise young. with parlors let them lay in a caged or coop floor. they will not walk up a ramp to a nest.

 

[rmeltonknox]

Pigeons will only set where they layed the eggs. They lay only 2 eggs then set. Where they laid the first one, they will lay another in a day or two then will begin setting. If you move the egg, the pigeon will not set it. They pick strange places to lay sometimes, but that spot is where they have selected for the nest and will not move to your selected place. You can try placing a small nest box in the spot picked and once the parents begin setting, you can move the box in increments to a better place. As far as nesting material, they prefer straw or pine needles. Hens set at night, the rooster helps out setting during the day. Feel free to message me if you have any more questions. Rob

 

[rmeltonknox]

Pigeons lay 2 eggs then set. The spot she layed is the spot she has selected for a nest, If you move the egg, she will not set it. You can try putting a small shallow nest box in the spot an put the eggs in there on a bed of straw or pine needles and then slowly move it to a better place, in increments of a few inches at a time ONCE THE HAVE STARTED SETTING the eggs, NOT BEFORE. The hens set at night, rooster set during the day. Both incubate and feed the squabs. They like straw and pine needles for nesting material. Message me if you need anymore advice.