Breeding
Pigeons are sexually mature at about six months of age. However, fanciers will often wait until the pigeon is at least a few months older before breeding. The first egg is laid and not incubated until the clutch is complete, with eggs being laid every other day. A hen bird will usually only lay two eggs in a clutch. The incubation period is 17 days. Pigeon breeders are careful in selecting birds to pair together so as to continue improving the breed and gain a competitive edge. It is this selective breeding that has given rise to the racing pigeons of today, capable of finding their way home from over 1600 km away and flying at speeds in excess of 130 km/h with a tail wind but average 60 km/h on a calm day. Hens are often capable of laying upwards of 12 eggs per year, and squabs usually leave the nest at approximately 3–4 weeks of age.
Read more about this topic: Pigeon Racing
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—Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl Chesterfield (1694–1773)
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—Joseph Addison (1672–1719)