Fantail pigeon (thought was male) laid an egg

[TXchickmum]

My daughter's pigeon, that we inherited about a year ago, laid an egg on my daughter's desk while my daughter was sitting there studying for a test. -didn't have any idea whether it was a male or female when we got it, but assumed it was male due to the calls/sounds it made (and the fact that there weren't eggs). -pretty much know nothing about pigeons (just chickens, around here). -any advice???? -daughter moved the egg to the flight cage in her room, and the pigeon has been sitting on it. What should we do? -don't want an egg to sit in the cage indefinitely. -perplexed.

 

[LamarshFish]

It is presumably unfertilized (unless she's had access to a male), and therefore will not hatch. Pigeons lay clutches of 2 eggs, so expect another. She may give up 3-5 days after they are due (so in about 20-23 days), but she may attempt to lay again thereafter. She will likely eventually give up the process, since they will not hatch, but keep an eye on it. Just make sure she has enough calcium and such, but they are not like chickens and some game birds and won't keep laying an egg a day and run too high of a risk of calcium deficiencies, but I'd still make sure she has some access to calcium, such as through oyster shell grit. You may opt to replace the egg with a dummy pigeon egg, which are inexpensive and can be ordered online.

 

[TXchickmum]

Thanks! -definitely unfertilized. She is our only pigeon. -follows my daughter all over the house, and pretty much stays with her when she's home (sits on her shoulder like a parrot - hilarious). -will give her some calcium. (don't have a clue as to her age, either. -like stated, we've almost had her a year and never had an egg before) Hopefully, she will return to her usual (non-laying) behavior.

 

[LamarshFish]

Thanks! -definitely unfertilized. She is our only pigeon. -follows my daughter all over the house, and pretty much stays with her when she's home (sits on her shoulder like a parrot - hilarious). -will give her some calcium. (don't have a clue as to her age, either. -like stated, we've almost had her a year and never had an egg before) Hopefully, she will return to her usual (non-laying) behavior.

Pigeons typically don't start breeding until they are about 9 months of age, so if you got the pigeon when it was a youngster, it makes sense that it did not start laying until recently. I am not sure how common it is for a solo hen to lay without having been paired up with another bird though...

 

[TXchickmum]

We got the pigeon from someone in the neighborhood who found it in their tree. It kept coming down and landing on them (so they determined it must be a pet). They attempted to find the owners (via various postings/neighborhood websites) for a good month with no luck, so we took it.
It did lay a second egg yesterday, and has been sitting on both eggs. -comes off to eat and drink, then goes back. -added some calcium grit near food. -not sure what else to do.

 

[Maddison]

I know jack squat about pigeons, but just a thought, do you think it would be possible for it to hatch a bantam chicken egg??

 

[biophiliac]

I know jack squat about pigeons, but just a thought, do you think it would be possible for it to hatch a bantam chicken egg??

I have heard of them hatching quail eggs.

 

[TXchickmum]

That is indeed interesting (quail/bantam). Hmm.
We definitely don't need any more critters. -have five 7-year-old hens, three 3-year-old hens, a 15-year-old yorkie, and this lovely pigeon. -would prefer it to return to normal, not wanting to sit on eggs
I do want to make certain that its diet is adequate right now. -guess we'll just watch her and continue on.

 

[biophiliac]

Your pigeon seems to have a very nice life!
Did you post a pic of her?

 

[TXchickmum]

Yep. I had posted another thread on this forum. Here's some pics: