Pigeon Breeding Season?

[Layira]

I just had my pair lay their first egg last night and am anxiously awaiting their second. But do pigeons lay only one set of eggs per year or will they keep mating and laying eggs if I keep the pair together?

 

[Towman72gmc]

They will keep laying. By the time the older squabs are out of the nest they'll be on the next clutch.

 

[PaigeHgibson]

they breed year round if conditions are right and they have space , enough food , etc

 

[cochinGurl]

to PaigeHgibson: CUTE PIGEON!!!

 

[Layira]

Ok so some bad news. I went to check on the pigeons last night and both eggs were smashed!! Is this a common thing for young pigeons to do? (the man I bought them from a few months ago told me they're only a year old) And will they continue to do this? I have three pigeons together, the pair and another bird....should I separate them while they're nesting or does it have nothing to do with the other bird?

 

[Mary Of Exeter]

Sounds like someone was fighting over the nest and smashed the eggs.

 

[Layira]

Quote:
That's what I thought too, but I'm pretty sure the bird is a female and I'm not sure if she would feel possessive of the eggs or if she would try to harm them because they were competing for the nest or something. However, I don't want it to happen again if the pair lays another set of eggs.

 

[LD Jackson]

I would have to agree with Mary. I suspect the pigeons were arguing over who the nest belonged to and the eggs suffered the consequences. It happens more when males, but I have seen the same behavior out of females.

 

[Mary Of Exeter]

Both males and females will fight to protect their nest. Usually it is other males who trespass and start fights. But if a hen wants to claim it, then she will try. Some hens are more dominant than some males I've had!

They can all get pretty rowdy. Lots of eggs and new babies fall out of nests or get trampled like that

Hopefully everyone will get settled down and accept defeat, so it won't happen again

How many nest boxes and perches do you have available, by the way? Another thought, maybe both hens want the same man and that's how the fight started

I've had lonely hens think they're going to mate and stay in the cockbird's box...even though he already had a mate. The mated hens don't appreciate that much! I don't blame'em!

 

[Layira]

Quote:
I see... well that's no good!

I only have one nest box because I figured there would only be one pair at a time (i've got 1 male and 2 females, I'm almost positive) and 2 perches available. I think maybe the mated pair just need some privacy.