Pigeons are birds in which both parents sit on their eggs. They protect their eggs and even fight with other pigeons to protect themselves. At a certain time, one partner takes care of the eggs and the other flies away in search of food. Both cooperate with each other for the survival of their children.
Why do pigeons do not sit on their eggs? Pigeons do not sit on their eggs for the reasons listed below:
- Egg may not be enriched
- They are waiting for the second egg to be laid
- Change the location of the nest
- Comrade death
- Predators menace
Pigeons don’t usually do this. How do you deal with the situation and what to do? For pigeons’ life cycle, you can stick to this article.
7 things you need to know
The egg is not fertilized
The formation of eggs begins in the female pigeon when she reaches maturity. Mostly they touch puberty at 7 months. If she can’t find a mate she can lay an egg
This egg is sterile and cannot grow. Whenever you visit a lost egg and see an abandoned egg, the first possibility is that the egg is not fertilized.
There is a possibility that she sat for a few days early and later when she knew the egg could not hatch. You will abandon him.
So, what should you do?
Check the fertility of the egg. You can check it after 5 to 8 days when the nerves in the eggs start to form.
- Take the pigeon egg
- Use a flashlight (a cellphone flashlight can do the work)
- Take the egg in the dark room
- Shine a light on the egg to see what’s inside.
- If you see nerves and signs of life in them, then the egg is fertilized.
But what if the dove didn’t sit down then? You can place the egg under another pigeon or hatch it yourself in a home incubator. You can hatch your own eggs at home by reading this article.
Change the location of the nest
Repositioning the nest or eggs will also cause the bird to abandon its egg. The bathroom may feel insecure. There is a possibility that they will not recognize their eggs and their location. They might consider it as another bird’s egg.
It’s just a legend that when human hands touch white people, pigeons stop perching on them. Pigeons choose their site to lay eggs after mating.
The male pigeon forces the female to sit there. If we change the situation, he may forget it or take it as a sign of danger.
In short, I would recommend staying in their nest where they are to avoid any complications.
A second egg is laid
When birds lay eggs, it is an exciting moment for the owner. New breeders may not know that one mating pigeon lays two eggs.
The second egg is laid by the hen after 24-48 hours. Even then the first egg has not been incubated. When both eggs are laid, both parents take care of the eggs. It is a normal phenomenon.
If you buy a new pair of pet pigeons and an egg with them. There are two common reasons for not sitting
- She will lay another egg
- The location has changed
But what if she didn’t lay a second egg. The possibility here is that the egg you brought is indeed the second egg. The first egg may be broken or thrown by the previous owners.
Bad nest
This is also a reason if the nest is exposed to water and stays wet all the time. Pigeons may not be sitting there.
The nest should not be too hard. Be sure to add some soft stuff to it. If you are at home and do not have enough money for a bathroom attic, then you can hatch eggs in a shoebox.
Try to keep the nest clean. It should be comfortable for the bathroom. Keep it dry. Do not put it in a place where it is exposed to direct sunlight.
Harsh temperature
Although they breed throughout the year, the ideal season for breeding pigeons is fall and spring. If they lay eggs in the summer perhaps due to the high temperature they may not sit on the egg.
When the egg hatches, the minimum temperature should be between 37-38°C. If the temperature is too high, the hat may rot or the baby will die inside the egg.
Extremely low temperature is also dangerous. With very cold weather, the hatching process may not begin. Although you can provide the optimum temperature for the birds by providing them with a heater or air conditioner depending on the season. It is not recommended to breed them in severe weather.
Comrade death
Pigeons are very loyal to those or partners. They are smart and kind-hearted birds. Mostly they mate for life. But sometimes death approaches and one of the partners dies. In this state, they grieve and remain sad for several days. But they learn to move on like humans. After that, they are looking for a new partner.
Both male and female parents take care of the eggs. One partner sits on the eggs, and the other goes in search of food. One of them is present near the eggs during this time.
If one of the partners dies, it becomes more difficult for the person to hatch the eggs. Also you should take rest and eat food to survive. You may start looking for a new companion. This thing might make her not sit on the eggs either.
Predators danger
Pigeons have many predators. In forests, their survival is relatively lower than in cities. This is because there are more life-threatening predators in the forests. In cities, they have food readily available to them. Hawks are its main predators but they are lesser than pigeons.
Cats and dogs in homes can harm your bathroom. If they sense any predators around, they may not sit on their egg.
Mostly they attack predators as shown below in this video. The crows attack, but the pigeons fight for their eggs.
Related question
Do pigeons give up their eggs if you touch them?
Sometimes we have to touch a bird’s egg to check fertility or for some other reason. It’s a legend. Pigeons do not have a great sense of smell. They will not give up their eggs if you touch them. It is safe to touch the pigeon egg. Neither the mother nor the egg will harm you.
How long can a pigeon egg survive without heat?
Pigeons sit on their eggs to provide optimum heat so they can hatch easily. The temperature required for eggs to hatch ranges from 98.9 to 100.4 Fahrenheit.
Pigeon eggs can survive up to 5-7 days at normal temperature, and if the temperature is too hot, incubation may start on its own. You can chill pigeon eggs in the freezer for several days.
Remember that pigeon eggs cannot live longer than chicken eggs. They lose fertility over time. Although it is not recommended to put pigeon eggs in the refrigerator if you are looking to hatch eggs.
Do pigeons leave their eggs unattended?
Pigeons do not leave their eggs unattended until they are frightened off by predators. Each time, one parent is always there to hatch the eggs and the other goes in search of food. If the egg is sterile, he may abandon it. They care about their family. If foreign pigeons attack their birds, they may fight for it.
After hatching, pigeons sometimes kill their babies. Here you can read the reasons.
How long does the pigeon sit on the egg?
The pigeon may sit on the eggs until the egg hatches. The process may take up to 17-21 days depending on the species. The female may perch in the evening while the male may change his duty during the day.
Here is how you can take care of pigeons egg at home.
After hatching, you can take care of baby pigeon at home too.
