I need help with a l'il mystery ;)

[magicpigeon]

I posted a while back with a question regarding how long pigeons remain fertile and am now proud to say I completely agree with y'all..a 3 year old pigeon is DEFINETELY still capable of laying fertile eggs

Within a few days of introducing Homer's new 'mate' she laid a pair of eggs..eggs we assumed wouldn't be fertile because four days? seriously?!
As a result I didn't bother to note when she went broody.

Well I've just candled the eggs and the pics are below;


(Egg 1)

(Egg 2)

Any ideas on how old these eggs are and when (give or take a few days) they'll hatch? I'm not even sure if any people around here DO candle pigeon eggs (I'm still sane enough to realise I'm going crazy)..blame this baby chicken-less New year

And try as I might I can't remember when we got Woody..sorry for the lack of help there

Thanks =)

 

[Tippler]

Good deal, definitely a good looking egg!
Yeah 3 years is nothing for most Pigeons.
Now for a show breeder it is getting old.
I don't show but a buddy does and say they toss them (breeders) at 4 years. =[
They push them many times and will breed them all year long so it takes its course quickly wearing the body down.
A good healthily raised bird can still be fertile at 15 years.

 

[Mary Of Exeter]

Show breeds are no different, it's just some people like to keep only the young blood in the breeding loft. Nothing wrong with keeping birds much older though. I have an 11 year old hen that I will be breeding this year.

That egg is definitely a keeper! I don't know how old it is because I don't candle mine. I just wait and see what happens.

 

[rittert3]

It looks to be about a 3rd of the way alont and if I remember right pigeons take 17 days so my best guess would be beween the 28th and 31st. I agree with Mary though just wait and see.

 

[Tippler]

Show breeds are no different, it's just some people like to keep only the young blood in the breeding loft. Nothing wrong with keeping birds much older though. I have an 11 year old hen that I will be breeding this year.

That egg is definitely a keeper! I don't know how old it is because I don't candle mine. I just wait and see what happens.

Not the bird, but rather the way it is bred. Some of these guys push them all year round. Also using pumpers as well so they can push even more eggs out. So I would suppose that wears them down quick.

 

[deerman]

looks like about 7 days old on the incubation....yes many pigeon are still breeding at 15 years.

Show birds also. only thing with show bird, people may replace with better birds from the youngs.

Most good breeders of top show stock would never over breed their birds. Yes many do use fosters to get more than the normal 3 sets per year. That doesn't stress the show birds. Heck most good show people don't breed all year long only in the spring. That way their birds are in top shape for the fall shows.



edit to add......i reread if she layed two egg ,after the male was introduced within four days....they are fertile from another male. at least one is. she can be fertile for a week or more from another male.