Pigeons are intelligent, gentle birds that are surprisingly easy to raise. Whether you’re starting a small loft or simply curious about the hatching process, this guide will help you successfully hatch pigeon eggs at home—from start to finish.

📋 Supplies You’ll Need

Before getting started, make sure you have:

• Fertile pigeon eggs (available from Bolton Birds)
• Small incubator with accurate temperature and humidity control
• Egg candler for checking development
• Brooder for warm post-hatch care

🌡️ Step 1: Set Up the Incubator

• Temperature: Keep at 99.5°F (37.5°C)
• Humidity: Start with 50–55% humidity, then raise to 65% near hatching
• Turning: Turn the eggs 3–5 times a day until day 15

Use a soft pencil to mark each egg with an “X” and “O” to track turns.

🔦 Step 2: Monitor with Candling

By day 5–7, candle the eggs to look for:

• Clear development of blood vessels
• Embryo movement
• Infertile or “clear” eggs (which should be removed)

🐣 Step 3: Time to Hatch

Pigeon eggs typically hatch after 17–19 days of incubation.

Near hatching:

• Stop turning the eggs
• Increase humidity to 65–70%
• Keep the incubator closed and warm

Chicks will start “pipping” (cracking the shell) and usually fully emerge within 24 hours.

🍼 Step 4: Caring for Baby Pigeons

Once hatched:

• Let them dry in the incubator before moving to the brooder
• Keep brooder at 90–95°F, and lower gradually over weeks
• Feed with a special pigeon crop milk formula or hand-feeding formula

Pigeon chicks need warmth and a stress-free environment to thrive.

✅ Quick Tips

• Avoid over-handling during incubation
• Wash hands before touching eggs or chicks
• Keep the incubator in a quiet, temperature-stable room
• Always source fertile pigeon eggs from reliable breeders like Bolton Birds