Fertilized eggs further the pigeon species, a lot has been said about how pigeon reproduction happens but how about the egg-laying process. How do pigeons lay eggs?

When the female pigeon is ready to lay an egg she will isolate herself in her nest. During this time she will start shaking as she tries to lay the egg. The egg is much larger than the opening and this makes the egg difficult to pass, she pushes until the egg eventually comes out

Egg laying is how pigeons and all types of other birds populate their species. With all the pigeons filling up cities and urban areas one must assume that pigeons lay a lot of eggs. So, how do pigeons lay eggs? Do pigeons feel pain when laying eggs? Do pigeons lay eggs without mating? All of these questions will be answered in this article. So if you’re a pigeon lover, bird watcher or are simply curious read on.

How do pigeons lay eggs?

Once the egg is ready to be laid the female pigeon will start shaking as she tries to force the egg out. The egg size, compared to the opening where the egg comes out, is very different in size. The opening expands as the female is laying the egg. During this time the pigeon may try several times to release the egg and then suddenly with a pop! The egg is laid and the pigeon has a chance to relax

If the egg has blood on it don’t be alarmed. The pigeon’s egg is not attached to anything in the body so this isn’t internal bleeding. This simply means that while the pigeon was laying the egg a vent in the area burst and caused the blood on the egg

When she’s done laying her egg she will sit on it, she does this to protect it. The egg will never be alone as long as she or the male is with it to protect it. The male or female may even stand over the egg still protecting it but never leaving the egg alone.

Do pigeons lay eggs without mating?

Yes, pigeons can and do lay eggs without mating. In fact, this happens quite often. The female will start to lay eggs when she is of age and ready to breed. The eggs will develop and she will even incubate the eggs with no male assistance.

Just because the pigeon female lays eggs doesn’t mean that the eggs will hatch. The female and the male need to breed for the eggs that the female produces to hatch. If breeding happens you can expect some baby pigeons from the eggs/pair, if no breeding happens the eggs wont hatch.

Do birds feel pain when laying eggs?

It’s hard to say whether birds feel pain when laying eggs. We can only assess this from our point of view.

Firstly it seems that the size of the egg compared to the body size of the bird may be a factor. Take chickens, for example, chickens that are bred to lay larger eggs and lay larger numbers of eggs can develop bone breakage, osteoporosis and prolapse.

In addition, laying a large egg out of their tiny holes is difficult to watch, birds can shake and the process isn’t always swift. That being said animals seem to be very stoic and their bodies seem to be able to facilitate eggs being expelled from their bodies

Summary

In summary, when the pigeon is ready to lay the egg her body starts to shake as her body starts to expel the egg. The egg comes out of a small opening on her underside but this is generally not easy. She will push it out and it will come out bit by bit then back in until it finally pops out.

The female can lay eggs on her own without mating but these will not be fertilized eggs and thus will not hatch. We as humans do not know if the egg-laying process is painful, it looks painful but animals seem to be very stoic.

If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other pigeon related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: What do pigeons eat in summer? Why do pigeons attack humans? Why do pigeons make noise when they fly? What do carrier pigeons eat? How do pigeons communicate? What do pigeons do for the environment?