Will they nest all year round?

I'm still a newby when it comes to having mated pairs. They've now been nesting all the time since February, and I was wondering if this will continue all year round, especially for the ones kept at an even temperature indoors.

I'm worried about Piper not having enough of a rest, as Hercules is not very good with nesting duties. (It's different with Sammy and Pippin, they share more). And I'm also concerned about nesting poop smells in the classroom once the weather gets colder and I have to shut the window.

I've heard where pigeons will nest all year despite the changes in temperature and daylight.

My birds are 'year round' nesters, for the most part.
There are times where Samantha and Dumpling will take a break from egg laying, but that's not the case with Pij'ette and Sadie.

It will be interesting to see how Piper and Hercules and Sammy and Pippin do during the 'real' winter months.

Please keep us posted.

With regard to odor, as attentive as you are, I don't foresee you having any problems.

From what I've read and heard, pigeons are supposed to stop breeding during the winter months because of reduced sunlight and less time to find food to feed babies. However, from experience (working at a wildlife rescue centre) we've had baby pigeons being rescued and brought to us all year round. Sometimes we think that the pigeons don't know when to stop for their own good, since many of the winter babies have calcium deficiencies due to lack of sunlight.

I believe that if there is a steady supply of food around then pigeons will breed whenever they want, however, for some reason my pigeon, Georgie, who is bonded to me, has stopped laying eggs in the past 6 months (she's nearly 3 years old). I cannot figure out why, but am glad for the break because I always worry about the strain it takes for her to develop and lay eggs.

Some say that one way to stop pigeons from laying eggs is to remove their nest, however, I find that the clever little guys just make a nest somewhere else.

I guess I'm not being of much help here.

Mrs.AviatorRodent wrote:

From what I've read and heard, pigeons are supposed to stop breeding during the winter months because of reduced sunlight and less time to find food to feed babies. However, from experience (working at a wildlife rescue centre) we've had baby pigeons being rescued and brought to us all year round. Sometimes we think that the pigeons don't know when to stop for their own good, since many of the winter babies have calcium deficiencies due to lack of sunlight.

I believe that if there is a steady supply of food around then pigeons will breed whenever they want, however, for some reason my pigeon, Georgie, who is bonded to me, has stopped laying eggs in the past 6 months (she's nearly 3 years old). I cannot figure out why, but am glad for the break because I always worry about the strain it takes for her to develop and lay eggs.

Some say that one way to stop pigeons from laying eggs is to remove their nest, however, I find that the clever little guys just make a nest somewhere else.

I guess I'm not being of much help here.

That would be the equivalent of taking one's bed away from them.

AZWhitefeather wrote:

That would be the equivalent of taking one's bed away from them.

Exactly! Which is why I don't do it. I don't like to see pigeons looking in desperation for a place to nest - better that they have a spot and can be comfortable and enjoy life.

Mrs.AviatorRodent wrote:

AZWhitefeather wrote:

That would be the equivalent of taking one's bed away from them.

Exactly! Which is why I don't do it. I don't like to see pigeons looking in desperation for a place to nest - better that they have a spot and can be comfortable and enjoy life.

Our pigeons in the lofts lay all year but they do seem to lessen the egg laying during the winter months.

Our house dove lays all year, it doesn't seem to matter whether the snow flying or it's 80 degrees out.

Mrs.AviatorRodent wrote:

I believe that if there is a steady supply of food around then pigeons will breed whenever they want

EgypSwiftLady wrote:

Our pigeons in the lofts lay all year but they do seem to lessen the egg laying during the winter months.

Our house dove lays all year, it doesn't seem to matter whether the snow flying or it's 80 degrees out.

Teresa - I can only agree to the above said. Our balcony pijies - especially Emma and Pete - are the ones which I can monitor best because they are here all the time and Emma is laying eggs like a clock no matter what the weather condition or time of the year is. Since I am monitoring her - since april 9th in 2008 - she has laid 53 eggs

Sometimes she has a longer pause in between especially when she sits on her fake eggs longer than the 18 days (once for 45 days!). But she does not seem to suffer from laying too much - at least she appears to be very healthy. Thank heaven she has only been very sick once - a severe respiratory infection due to very bad weather and too much stress - where she received antibiotics and everything. But this happened only once - since then nothing. I am very happy about this.

Good food and additional grit, always ACV in the water is certainly supportive.

Pigeons breed nearly all year here too, even if they don't have enough food. The exception would be December/January. I would suspect that in warmer climates, they breed all year round.

Thank you all so much for your advice.
I haven't seen any slowing down in egg laying from my pigeons, so I was starting to suspect what you confirmed, that if conditions are right they will just go on breeding.
My problem is largely of my own making, namely keeping pigeons in a room that is also used as a classroom, and if classes go on for 4 hours in a row or more, I can hardly interrupt them to clean the trays. If the windows were closed, the air would soon become unbreathable.

Having thought long and hard on the best course of action, I decided to move Sammy and Pippin's double cage into the veranda, beside George and Abby. They have a much nicer view there, and when the windows are open, all four get the early morning sunshine, which they clearly enjoy. When the sun is higher (and hotter) they are shaded. Now that the veranda is totally waterproofed it shouldn't be damp, and a heat lamp should be enough for cold nights, as the temperatures never get that low.
Piper and Hercules stay in the classroom, but the bookshelves their cage stands on were moved, so they will be further away from the students, facing the window. They should like that, but they don't know they'll be getting a better view yet, as I've been moving the furniture around this evening, so I had to put them and their cage in the dining room. I'll bring them back here in the morning.
Baby Strophe is staying here too, but I'm going to put up a screen to stop the ferals from coming into the room.

It sounds like you've been quite the busy little beaver with all the rearranging.
I'm sure all the pijjies will be happy with their 'new' spots.