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Abstract The Behaviour and performance of animal and poultry is a reflection of their management. This study was carried out on the domestic pigeon (Columba livia domestica) of local Baladi Egyptian breeds (hybrid breeds) to determine the prevalence of the effect of different nurturing squabs or incubated eggs number on behaviour and performance of pigeons, the effect of egg removal procedures during the breeding cycle on behaviour and performance of pigeon parents and the behaviour, performance and welfare of squabs in relation to stress conditions in different stages of the rearing period. Pigeon pairs can incubate three eggs and rear three squabs until the weaning age with some effect on the condition and performance of the parents and the additional squab mainly on delaying the incubation period and egg laying interval, increasing the weight loss of parents during rearing period, enhancing the prolactin level and changing the crop milk components. On the other hand, the ability and acceptance of the parent to incubate dummy eggs, allow the keepers to artificially incubate the eggs and faster the hatching date and egg laying cycle, but removing of one egg could affect the laying of the second one so during the rearing of pigeons should keep the first egg safe until the second one be laid successfully. Furthermore, removing of two eggs for more than 18 to 24 hours led to the refusal of eggs by parents and leaving the nests as they became not safe for them to incubate them again. The stress to which the squabs (1st and 2nd squab) were exposed especially food shortage during early life and/or one or both parent separation could effect on their normal behaviour and performance, as some of stressed behaviour exhibited by squabs as (increasing squab begging, rapid wing shaking, bill searching, nest defecate, seeking for warm, following and disturbing of parents) also decreased squab`s body weight, increased mortality & dwarfism and through tonic immobility & novel object test found that these stress conditions decreased squab`s welfare at end of rearing period. |