ZajelZajel عربي Get the app

Pigeon: incubation period, weaning age and breeding

Pigeon eggs hatch after 17–18 days of incubation. Chicks fledge at 25–35 days and are weaned and independent at about 25–30 days. A typical clutch is 2 eggs.

Breeding numbers

ItemValue
Adult weight (g)250-1500 (racer 380-550; roller/tippler 200-300; Egyptian swift 300-450; king/runt 700-1500)
Length (cm)28-45
Clutch size2 (rarely 1)
Incubation (days)17-18 (counted from the 2nd egg; both parents sit)
Fledging (days)25-35 (leave nest ~4 weeks)
Weaning / independence (days)25-30 (racers weaned ~24-28 d; large fancy breeds later)
Lifespan (years)10-15 (20+ recorded)
Breeding seasonAll year in Egypt/Gulf if managed; racing lofts pair Dec-Jan (Europe) or Sep-Nov (Egypt/Gulf, for winter-spring races). Rest pairs during summer heat and main moult.
SexingBehaviour (cock drives/coos/bows), pelvic-bone test, sex-linked matings (ash-red, almond, dilute, faded); DNA feather test is definitive.

Origin: Domesticated from the rock dove (Middle East) — Scientific name: Columba livia domestica

Size: 28-45 cm, 250-1500 (racer 380-550; roller/tippler 200-300; Egyptian swift 300-450; king/runt 700-1500) g

Breeding and care tips

Dry, well-ventilated loft without draughts, about one bird per 0.25-0.5 m³. Balanced grain mix (maize, peas, wheat, barley) plus grit, minerals and clean water daily. Vaccinate against paramyxovirus (PMV-1) and pox; treat periodically for canker (trichomonas), coccidia and worms. Annual moult follows breeding: primaries drop one at a time from inside out roughly every 2-3 weeks, complete in 5-6 months.

Mutations and colours

Mutations Zajel calculates: Ash-red, Brown, T-check, Check, Barless, Spread, Recessive red, Dilute, Pale, Reduced, Almond, Faded, Grizzle, Indigo, Recessive opal, Dominant opal, Milky, Smoky, Dirty, Kite bronze, Frill stencil, Gazzi, Recessive white, Albino, Peak / shell crest, Grouse (feathered feet), Slipper (feathered feet), Pearl eye, Achondroplasia (lethal). Named only (not confirmed or polygenic — not used in the calculation): Ember, Extreme dilute, Rubella, Qualmond, Hickory, Sandy, Frosty, Chalky, Tiger grizzle, Cherry, Sooty, Toy stencil, Ice, Mahogany, Mottle, Baldhead, White flights / white sides, White tail, Magpie marking, Badge / bellneck, Pied (piebald), Nasal crest / beak rosette, Muffs (long foot feathering), Frizzle / frillback curl, Silky (lace), Bull eye, Rolling / tumbling behaviour.

Zajel's genetics lab predicts chick colours from both parents for established mutations only; disputed ones are shown with a note and left out of the calculation.

Need the exact date? Use the egg hatch calculator and the weaning age chart.

Frequently asked questions

How long do Pigeon eggs take to hatch?

Pigeon eggs hatch after 17-18 (counted from the 2nd egg; both parents sit) days of incubation.

How many eggs does a Pigeon lay?

Usually 2 (rarely 1) eggs per clutch.

When do Pigeon chicks leave the nest?

Chicks fledge at about 25-35 (leave nest ~4 weeks) days old.

When are Pigeon chicks weaned?

They are weaned and independent at about 25-30 (racers weaned ~24-28 d; large fancy breeds later) days.

What is the Pigeon breeding season?

All year in Egypt/Gulf if managed; racing lofts pair Dec-Jan (Europe) or Sep-Nov (Egypt/Gulf, for winter-spring races). Rest pairs during summer heat and main moult.

How do you tell a male Pigeon from a female?

Behaviour (cock drives/coos/bows), pelvic-bone test, sex-linked matings (ash-red, almond, dilute, faded); DNA feather test is definitive.

How long does a Pigeon live?

About 10-15 (20+ recorded) years with good care.

Sources