Egg laying out of season??

[Pigeon Power]

Hello Everyone! Season greetings and all that stuff!

Its been awhile but I was thinking...Why is it that some of my pair lay during winter and some wait till spring...All are around the same age, breed, and live in the same type of housing....I'm thinking the one female is just a powerhouse...

 

[sourland]

Some breeds and some families within breeds just have very strong reproductive capabilities. If I would allow them to, my Birmingham rollers would raise young year round.

 

[Hokum Coco]

I have a few pairs of white homers the same way they will breed year round.

 

[jak2002003]

Yes, if you give them too much rich food they will breed out of season. It is not good to let them breed all year round as it will be very exhausting for them - particularly the female. Also the shorter hours in winter will lessen the time the parents can feed the squabs, often resulting in smaller weaker birds when they mature.

This is why its a good idea to feed a winter mix of pigeon feed, rather than the breeder mix.

Also it is a good idea to separate the males from the females for the winter, and then you can pair them back up next spring after they are rested.

 

[sourland]

I always separate the sexes in the winter. When I reintroduce them mid to late Feb., mates seek out one another and the courting begins.

 

[Pigeon Power]

Thank you all so very much! Very helpful! Seems like you have the feeding done to a science Jak, what would you recommend feed wise? The splitting the pairs up (maybe only the ones that do breed out f season) would be good for my hens and I am worried about the strain on there bodies but I would feel bad taking them away from their mates. I can't image laying eggs like that all the time nor raising babies...I hated being pregnant Urgh...awful.

 

[jak2002003]

Thank you all so very much! Very helpful! Seems like you have the feeding done to a science Jak, what would you recommend feed wise? The splitting the pairs up (maybe only the ones that do breed out f season) would be good for my hens and I am worried about the strain on there bodies but I would feel bad taking them away from their mates. I can't image laying eggs like that all the time nor raising babies...I hated being pregnant Urgh...awful.

A great idea is to throw away the pigeons real eggs and replace them with fake eggs.

The pigeons will be very happy to sit and brood these instead.

They will brood them longer than their normal eggs... past hatching time, then they will give up and try again after having a couple of weeks rest.

Not having to raise babies all year will keep the females much more healthy.

I feed mostly wheat and barley in the winter. In the summer I feed everything... I buy a wild bird mix (without sunflower seeds - which mine don't eat if they have a shell on). I add dried green peas to this mix, and some human grade unsalted peanuts as treats......they go mad for those.

They also eat my chickens layer pellets and chick starter. These are very good foods for breeding pairs. The layer pellets help the hen get enough calcium, and the chick starter is packed with protein for the growing squabs.

 

[Pigeon Power]

Great suggestions Jak!...I don't know why I didn't think of putting fake eggs under them...thats what we did when I was a kid..I will also think about switching there food...I've been thinking about it lately anyway!

 

[Jayrose17]

I have also heard that when it comes to breeding it all depends on the light cycle you keep them on.

 

[Zhoda-Dave]

Thanks for all the info.I just got into Pigeons again and it is -30 and I spotted the other day that one pair was spending a lot of time in the one nest so i checked and they have 2 eggs that they are hatching so good luck we will see what happens,it must be close to 3 week by now.we will wait and see.