What to do...eggs

[taprock]

Today was the first day my pair both left the loft and nest to exercise at the same time. I went to candle eggs and found one cracked. The other looks like it quit at about a week, it should be further along as they were to hatch this coming Tuesday. So what do I do? Pull eggs, destroy the nest, leave them? How much time will I have to get proper nest boxes in place before she lays again.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I'm a little confused.

Did you only have 2 eggs set?

And you have 2 brooding hens who are co-sitting on this nest?

If one is broken, it is gone. If the other isn't developing, you can let it stay with the hopes it will develop into a chick or that you may not be seeing the development that is there.

If you are certain that the eggs are bad, then pull them.

Hens may sit for as long as 5 weeks, so with the right breed, you can set more eggs and have them hatch those. That is hard on a hen, but some will sit until they hatch something. For those, it is best to reset and supply nutrition (if you ever want to use them as a brooding hen again).

If you aren't particularly eager to have these hens hatch anything right now, then pull apart the nest and block it. In a few days, hopefully they will have given up the idea.

As to a brooding hen, she will begin to lay after she has finished brooding, often after a molt. This can take anywhere from a month to several months.

LofMc

 

[Hokum Coco]

So what do I do? Pull eggs,

Yes.

Every loft is a bit different and my birds are at the end of the breeding season and should start up again in February.
That being said you can expect another clutch of eggs from your pair about 10+- days after witnessing copulation.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Yes.

Every loft is a bit different and my birds are at the end of the breeding season and should start up again in February.
That being said you can expect another clutch of eggs from your pair about 10+- days after witnessing copulation.

What Hokum said...100%

I responded not realizing your category was pigeons and doves. Silly me.

I responded for chickens, so my comments don't apply.

So sorry. I will make note of the little category heading next time. I didn't see it this time.

LofMc