Raising Pigeons

[chilling in muscadine]

I have them two nice nest boxes and they are building in one of them. I have pine straw and today I threw in a handful of hay plus I have put many twigs in there for them. I think they like there new condo. At least they can fly in it. We are already planning to expand there condo. I'm finding out I really like pigeons.

 

[chilling in muscadine]

Well good news, even though watching how picky the female pigeon was as to the peices of pine straw to go in her nest she must be satisfied because today I found an egg in the nest. She is not setting on the egg yet but I have my fingers crossed that this one will make it and hatch. I am excited about trying the homing thing. Thanks for all the info guys and wish us luck on this egg and I know I will have a thousand more questions. I'm really enjoying these pigeons. They are cool birds. I wish I had found out about them years earlier.
SARA

 

[deerman]

Sara , good luck you should have two eggs by Sunday. If you are going to band them, must be done before they are 10 days old. You can get 2009 bands now. Then if they get lost they can be track back to you.

 

[Feathered Wings]

Good Luck Sara

Some pigeons sit on the first egg while others wait for the second to be laid before they sit.

Waiting to sit when the second is a good thing as the babys will hatch the same day.

When they sit on the first egg till the other is laid that first egg has developed 2 days and will hatch before the second this can cause problems with competeing for food. The smaller late hatcher has a difficult time with the older larger one pushing it aside at feeding time.
If you have a pair that sit on the first from the start just remove the first egg when its laid and replace it when they lay the second.

 

[deerman]

Woooo Dont remove the first egg unless you replace it with a plastic egg. They may leave the nest. Really no harm if they hatch 2 days apart. Heck parakeets do the same and they lay as many as 7 eggs, so first chick can be 2 week older than the last.

Pigeon,doves,and parrot have been doing this for year. No harm for real!!

All these feed the young on crop milk(pigeon milk). They even feed the older ones grain and the newly hatch crop milk

 

[deerman]

Well think to all you BYC Pigeon people, you got me hooked again.

Went to the show, oh and how I miss the pigeons.

Yep going to blame you .

Glad I am back. Now just have to join a racing club.

 

[chilling in muscadine]

I lost my Sadie so I have just now gotton out of bed for the day. I didn't get to look at my pigeons. Snakeman feed everyone and took care of things today. I was wondering where to get the leg bands? How all that works?

 

[Feathered Wings]

You can order leg bands from Cutlers Pheasant and poultry supply they have all sizes.
I use the zip ties like you tie up computer cables with you can get 500 for about $6 at walmart.



Deerman seems you and i are always at different ends of the stick and we seem to not agree on some things as well.

 

[FrChuckW]

You can also order them from Foy's Pigeon Supply or New England Poultry Supply.

Sorry to hear about your Sadie, I know you tried very hard to save her.

I would to see some pictures of your new pigeon Condo when you feel up to it.

 

[Feathered Wings]

FrChuckW I really like your avatar