Swapping Eggs.

[Guest newcomer]

I wish to swap some of my stock birds eggs around so that others may sit them and rear them. Can you please tell me how many days before and after the stock laying it would be safe to swap them.I am thinking of the production of pigeon milk.

 

How long does the production of milk last, before hatching and after. Is there a period or time that the parents will abandon the eggs for natural reasons either to early or to late if you see what I mean.

[Guest LBuddle]

I wish to swap some of my stock birds eggs around so that others may sit them and rear them. Can you please tell me how many days before and after the stock laying it would be safe to swap them.I am thinking of the production of pigeon milk.

 

I personally wouldn't leave it any more than 2 days either way.

So if the Foster pair laid on the 10th then the eggs you want them to bring up would need to be laid between the 8th & 12th.

[Guest IB]

The riskiest part is having the foster birds sit 'overdue' for more than 2/3 days, as there is no telling when the pair will rise off the eggs after that time, and going back down to nest. Have had them sitting very tight on 4th night, only to rise on the 5th morning, with the egg chipping.

 

Some controversy on when the birds begin to produce pigeon milk. So what you believe will have a bearing on how 'early' you'll allow the eggs to hatch under the foster pair. Producing milk is sparked off by the birds sitting eggs. They'll have milk a good 10 days before their eggs are due to hatch. Have never tried any earlier than 7.

 

But same dates for stock & foster pairs laying is easiest & safest method of floating eggs.

[Guest TAMMY_1]

we never move them after a 24 hour difference

[gulkie]

there is another way if you take the stock eggs away from them as soon

as they lay put them somewhere safe until the feeders lay then slip

them to the feeders, no heat on them whatsoever while they are waiting

on the feeders to lay .a friend of mine experimented with this and his

findings were he could store eggs up to 3 weeks and they would still hatch.

[Guest TAMMY_1]

there is another way if you take the stock eggs away from them as soon

as they lay put them somewhere safe until the feeders lay then slip

them to the feeders, no heat on them whatsoever while they are waiting

on the feeders to lay .a friend of mine experimented with this and his

findings were he could store eggs up to 3 weeks and they would still hatch.

 

 

did try that once but was not very good for us,never got any to hatch so that is now why we pair up stock birds[we do not have many]along with the racers so that in theory they should be on eggs at the same time but even that does not always happen but they are never far away