Sometimes I feel that the only thing I write about Georgie is about her laying eggs. Since it is such a common occurance I decided to count how many eggs Georgie has laid in her life so far. I keep a record of her egg laying in my little pigeon notebook (see: Pet Pigeon Book).
The first egg Georgie ever laid – back in the day when we thought she was a boy! – was on the 17th October 2008 (when she was 1 year old).
Georgie with her first egg!
Here are the numbers:
- 2008 – 2 eggs
- 2009 – 16 eggs
- 2010 – 7 eggs
- 2011 – 8 eggs
- 2012 – 20 eggs
- 2013 – 2 eggs so far
All together that makes 55 eggs.
Last year Georgie laid 10 pairs of eggs, almost a pair a month, which is definitely not what I want for her since egg laying is so energy and calcium draining (please read my previous post: The problem of chronic egg laying). I hope 2013 is the year she takes it easy (although we’re not off to a good start with 2 eggs already). I’ll have to try harder not to encourage the behaviour, but it is hard since Georgie is the one that comes to me for affection. How can I deny her a cuddle when I’m all she has?
I just have to ensure that Georgie is healthy enough to handle the egg laying. I have already taken away her nest to discourage nest building, but with the absence of her nest she goes looking for another:
Georgie sneaking up on Elmo in his nest
We too thought our Oreo was a boy,until 2 months ago. She’s laid 4 eggs so far. Can you tell me where you found the cute little nests for them?
Love your posts ~_~
Hi Robyn, it seems that it is quite easy to mis-sex a pigeon.
The nests I bought at a local pet store, but I’ve found them online here: http://www.wagglespets.co.uk/trixie-guinea-pig-cosy-bed-p-726.html They are machine-washable so easy to clean! And Elmo and Georgie LOVE them!! 
Hello Georgie and Elmo happy belated valentines = a regret on being late concerning important dates and how lucky you are to have a human who is well versed in the social graces.
It has been a while since i looked in on lovely pigeons. Ms piggles has been laying eggs. I have since been doing as much as possible to distract her from her pleadings – you know what i mean ^v^ – when the moaning and groaning start i say loudly “nightnight do u want to go to the nightnight box” – she stops immediately – i have started putting her into an enclosed blackout curtain area – usually she goes in around 8pm. Or i or friends make her perch on our hands and take her out to the hallway and run down the stairs saying bye bye and then she skips halfway down the carpeted stairway than flies to find us around the corner – peekaboo.
She does not like to go to bed but stay up with her fellow human pigeons.
The bird gets liquid calcium every other week and liquid vitamins the other. She also gets a homing pigeon feed mix plus a toss of dried mung beans and quinoa and kasha. For treats she gets rapeseed and toasted sesame seeds. O she also loves basil plant flowrs in bud as well as budding bok choy (chinese greens but ones with the yellow flowering buds)
Have not done anything about the lighting as you have done. But a blacklight was suggested by her vet, Finally took her to one after 1 1/2 years. She is free of all things evil. yayyy
If interested there is a link on The phylogenetic distribution of ultraviolet sensitivity in birds within this sites article:
http://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.com/2013/02/birds-evolved-ultraviolet-vision.html#.UR7HeN076eU
Hello Ara and Lala, thanks for commenting. It sounds like your pigeon is well cared for and has a good life with you.