Stole an egg...sort of...

[shelleyd2008]

Yesterday I found an egg in my pigeon pen, it had been laid on the floor. Today I put a new nest in there (I'm slacking so didn't have any nests yet), and put the egg in the nest.

It's supposed to freeze tonight, so I took a wooden egg out and swapped it with the real egg. What I'm wondering is if the hen that laid this egg will lay her next egg with the wood egg? Or is it just a toss up? Surprisingly none of my pigeons or doves are setting at the moment, though some of the doves are trying to woo their girls. Wish they were, they'd be getting a new edition

How long is the egg viable after laying? Is it 7-10 days like chicken eggs if I keep it turned? I'm hoping that maybe another hen will start a nest and I can add this egg to it if the 'real' mama doesn't lay another and go broody.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

I imagine she will lay where she layed the first egg.

It's best not to move the eggs around, and if she's been off of it for more than a day, it may be too late anyway.

They can hatch successfully in cold weather , and on the floor, but you have to let THEM do it

 

[shelleyd2008]

She was never on it and she laid the egg on the floor. It got down to 24 last night but this is the only night that's supposed to freeze. She hasn't started setting on the egg yet, that's why I felt it was okay to take it out. They are currently in a pen with some d'uccle chickens so leaving it on the floor was not an option. Had she started setting the eggs on the floor the chickens would have pestered her to death.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

She hasn't started setting on the egg yet, that's why I felt it was okay to take it out.

If the egg was cold it probably won't hatch.

Mine normally sit from the time the first egg is laid, and they always feel warm.

If she continues to lay on the floor, you might be able to make a "cage" with some wire to keep the chickens away but allow the pigeon in from the top. or partition off part of the coop for her

I have a lot of nest boxes, but some birds just seem to prefer laying on the floor​

 

[shelleyd2008]

They are supposed to lay 2 eggs then sit, not sit from the first egg. I've not had any do that before, if they sit on only one egg then all they have is one egg.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

They are supposed to lay 2 eggs then sit, not sit from the first egg. I've not had any do that before, if they sit on only one egg then all they have is one egg.

Evidently my pigeons don't know that.

I often see them sitting on one egg, and within a day or two they lay the second

I've got about 15 new babies in the coop right now​

 

[Mary Of Exeter]

Some wait, some don't.

 

[shelleyd2008]

They haven't laid another egg yet, in the nests or on the floor. So how long is this one good for?

 

[Mary Of Exeter]

I wouldn't wait anymore than a week to put it under someone else. Like chicken eggs, the hatch rate drops as they get older.

 

[shelleyd2008]

That's what I figured, but so far none of the doves or pigeons are setting yet. Maybe soon, we'll see.