Three eggs.
Finer in the morning, rain in the afternoon.
The surviving pigeon (presumably the hen) is sitting on a nest. Do not know whether it can survive, but possibly we may be able to get another cock for it.
The Oued Tensift has now filled up the whole of the valley it runs in, so that at the bridge it is about 300 yards wide (previously about 10 yards). Judging from the vegetation in the valley I should say this is unusual.
Orwell Diaries 1938-1942 
As a non-English speaker, I am a bit puzzled by this use of “hen” and “cock” as applied to pigeons. It’s the first time I see it, which makes me feel kind of… well, exposed before myself, as I should have known better. Why not simply use “male” and “female” I wonder, perhaps revealing my ignorance.
And why the surviving (hen?) pigeon cannot be a kind of merry widow? Why dear George should take for granted that the (probably hen) pigeon survival depends on getting it a good cock? Don’t you think there is a little cockiness in this?
Jordi,
Hen and cock are not specific to chicken, these terms apply to birds of all kinds (unless there are species-specific terms, e.g. ‘peacock’ for a grown male pheasant). Least, that’s my understanding..
Now that egg production is stable, collateral issues arise. I don’t believe we should read too much into the pigeon dilemma or go off, dare I say, half-cocked about it.
Jordi; Thanks for echoing my (horrific) thoughts of GO as some kind of a male chauvinist pig….(Imagining a bunch of 2008 grade 11 students reading that entry…)
Now is it possible that all this time he’s been referring to PIGEON eggs???
If so the shame on us,if not what the hell is he doing keeping pigeons? Was this some kind of universal 1938 hobby? Communication with his foreward troops? eating them ?….
If war is on the horizon food could soon be in short supply, therefore keeping pigeons is a most sensible “hobby” to pursue. They breed like rabbits, attract passing stray pigeons to join them, and don’t need much looking after.
Observing, I change
Nature must be humanized,
Roles must be assigned
He’s off to find another cock for his bird. That’s devotion, that is.
@Jordi Fibla: The terms “hen” and “cock” are acceptable for any species of poultry, which include pigeons.
Pigeon Keeping by Pigeon Fanciers from every demographic has been going on for millenia; some would say Noah would be on that list.
More recently, Pablo Picasso, a pigeon enthusiast, named his daughter Paloma (Pigeon [Dove]). Picasso’s father also kept pigeons and specialized in painting the same.
I do not own a pigeon named Pablo.
Pepe Le Pew never knows the names of his amorous pursuits but, even if he did, he would still call them, “My Little Pigeon,” using that odd accent as he sexually-harasses hapless female felines.
I do own a cat named Joe.
In fact, hen and cock are used by birders for any male and female birds, leading to a somewhat humorous situation at the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds last summer when their automated software began banning “cock”…
ok, now I’m totally confused. Does he have BOTH chickens and pigeons, or only pigeons and has he been tabulating pigeon eggs all this time, while we thought they were chicken eggs?
“…and one duck egg.”
–Groucho Marx
English is a bottomless well. I’m learning a lot just by following this blog. There is much more than eggs in here. I thank old good Eric and all of you.