Undecided.. appreciate opinions.

[biophiliac]

She laid the second egg this evening... more than 48 hours after the first one!

She laid it outside the nesting bowl. At first I thought it was the first egg... and it had got chilled. Thankfully the other egg is still in the nest and being brooded.

The second egg had a hole in the top. The shell was all chalky and very rough. So this leads me to think this hen does have something wrong with her egg making equipment.

So now have the single egg and the 2 eggs in the other pairs nest. Very exciting. Hope no more worries!!

Congrats!
for a successful hatch.

 

[Quacking Pigeon]

Good they are finally beginning to reproduce.

 

[BirdGal]

Research Salmonella as to see if your symptoms match closer than pmv.This affects more the reproductive system in addition to the symptoms which are similar. But can be treated with antibiotics.

 

[jak2002003]

One pair now has 2 healthy and fast growing squabs. Kind of 'cute' yellow fuzzy things that look like some weird prehistoric monster.

The other pair failed completely. The first egg was a good strong egg and was being brooded for a week before they managed to somehow crack it! The second egg had a weird shell.. dry and thin. And it was laid on the floor out of the nest. They also broke that before I discovered it.

I am hoping on of the squabs from the good pair will be female. Then I can pair it to the good male. The old female which keeps having egg problems will be retired for a few months. Maybe in the future I will see if she can be used to foster some other squabs.

 

[biophiliac]

One pair now has 2 healthy and fast growing squabs. Kind of 'cute' yellow fuzzy things that look like some weird prehistoric monster.

The other pair failed completely. The first egg was a good strong egg and was being brooded for a week before they managed to somehow crack it! The second egg had a weird shell.. dry and thin. And it was laid on the floor out of the nest. They also broke that before I discovered it.

I am hoping on of the squabs from the good pair will be female. Then I can pair it to the good male. The old female which keeps having egg problems will be retired for a few months. Maybe in the future I will see if she can be used to foster some other squabs.

I'm happy for you. Amazing to watch them develop. I wish i could ask them what it feels like to double and triple your body mass so quickly?! and then sprout a full set of feathers!

 

[jak2002003]

I'm happy for you. Amazing to watch them develop. I wish i could ask them what it feels like to double and triple your body mass so quickly?! and then sprout a full set of feathers!

I know what gaining weight fast feels like... usually happens at Christmas time.. then I have to loos it again.. which is less fun.

I always thought then the feathers coming through the skin (at the spiky porcupine stage) must be really itchy and irritating for the squabs.

 

[Jrose]

An interesting read! I'm very happy things are working out I've had many kinds of birds most of my life, from parakeet to turkeys. I will just add my $.02; I find it in no way cruel to clip a bird's wings. Is it cruel to cut an animal's hair? Or an animal's nails?

The only cruelty I can see is if the bird's pinions are clipped too far into the shaft or clipped too short when the feather is young and still has blood flow. These are the two ways you might cause a bird pain during clipping.

Otherwise, feathers are a bit like hair or fur. The bird will eventually (or quickly) molt the damaged feathers and grow new ones. Clipping is a constant routine.

My favorite trick is clipping just one side of the chicken's or turkey's wings so they can't get any balance for lift. These things are sometimes our only option for balancing the freedom and safety of the birds!

 

[Quacking Pigeon]

@jak2002003 how are the pigeons going?