pigeons?

[nzpouter]

about 18 days, the hen will only lay 2 eggs/ brood.

 

[gaeamama]

Those are great coops!! Now you've got me thinking!

Do you have nesting spaces inside the spools? and if so, how are they made? I really like that idea you have going there.

 

[FrChuckW]

If you have 5 eggs in the nest, then either you have 3 hens using the same nest, or one hen is laying eggs that are infertile and hasn't dumped the old eggs from the nest. You might want to candle the eggs to see if they are viable.

18 days is usual hatch date for the eggs. Usually the hen won't really start to set on them until after the second egg is laid. It just depends on the hen.

Racing Homers are a Breed of Pigeon, White ones are just a color variation. Young birds that haven't been flown yet can be trained to home to your loft. However, you have to train them, you can't just let them loose and expect them to find their way home from someplace else. You have to let them first fly around your loft, then take them a few blocks away and release them, then gradually increase the distance up to one mile. Then you jump to five miles, 10 miles, 15 , 20 and so on. Also it is a good idea to train them in all directions from your home. As the birds get older and stronger and gain some flying experience you will find that they return home faster and faster. Also, don't feed them before you release them. Put them in the basket or whatever you are using to transport them. Then fill the feed hoppers in the loft or coop as well as the water. Take them to the release point and let them go.

 

[gaeamama]

How can you tell if the egg is viable by candling? That's only if it's started incubating, right?

I have 2 eggs in an empty nest which I think my yellow pigeon laid before she disappeared last week.. most likely due to a hawk. (I don't have netting up yet on their outside run, but I will!) I'm considering incubating those eggs myself and raising the young (I do have the time right now) so that I can have some different blood in the new group of pigeons. Currently I have one pair of parents raising approx 10day old young, and these two eggs.

 

[greenfamilyfarms]

Quote:
We cut a hole in the center part and they use the inside as a nest box.

 

[gaeamama]

Adorable! I just saw that post a few minutes ago and realized it was you! Congrats on the baby!

 

[cajunlizz]

Quote:
Could you post pictures please ?

 

[gaeamama]

These are the babies yesterday:

The parents:

and the lonely eggs: