Pigeon hen on 2 fertile eggs - no mate, advice please.

[biophiliac]

The cockbird has abandoned her and is incubating eggs with his first love.
She is sitting so diligently I'm afraid she might hatch them. Could she possibly feed them on her own? Should I replace them with fakes? They have about a week to go. Any thoughts welcome! Thanks.

 

[Crzytrkr]

I think the hen will do the job as far as brooding goes, I would make water and food, grit available to her. the hen might have a problem when they hatched as far as the feeding goes once they get to fledgling you can moved them too the bottom of the coop where the other birds would help with the feeding!
Good luck my friend!!
Crzytrkr

 

[biophiliac]

I think the hen will do the job as far as brooding goes, I would make water and food, grit available to her. the hen might have a problem when they hatched as far as the feeding goes once they get to fledgling you can moved them too the bottom of the coop where the other birds would help with the feeding!
Good luck my friend!!
Crzytrkr

Thank you! It is the early feeding I'm most worried about. I did put food and water in the nest box with her. That's the only time her lover visits-to steal her food!

 

[Hokum Coco]

The cockbird has abandoned her and is incubating eggs with his first love.

I had something similar happen to me and the hen raised one solitary squab all by herself successfully. The only difference the squab was only a couple days old. I would think she stands a good chance where the weather is warmer and with just a week left in incubation the developing squabs can stand a bit of cold.
Wishing you good luck and I would let nature take it course.

Warning my cock bird went back to the abandoned hen's nest and scalped it's offspring squabs. In a effort to take over the nest box for it's new partner. Lucky I was vigilant and there just as this was in process.

One squab survived and made a full recovery but had to keep the hen and the squab in isolation in it's nest box until the squab could fend for itself. The other squab was always the weaker of the two and was at a disadvantage from the get go. Especially with only one parent.

This is pure coincidence but my abandoned hen pigeon was of the same colouration as yours. (When breeding for white pigeons you have to breed for brown before you can go to white).

I know of some fanciers that have their cock birds father two families in unison with no problems. As you probably are aware most pigeons mate for life and what we are discussing is more the exception than the rule.

 

[biophiliac]

Thanks Ron, that is encouraging.

what we are discussing is more the exception than the rule.

I also have a pair of hens raising one squab and one 'normal' pair, so there is quite a variety of lifestyle choices in this loft. (3 cocks and 5 hens)

I know of some fanciers that have their cock birds father two families in unison

here's hoping!

 

[LamarshFish]

Interesting scenario. Due to the recommendations above in regards to separate food, grit, water for her, as well as Ron's warning about the cock bird scalping the squabs, you might consider building a nest box front for her and closer her in there and control when it's opened, perhaps supervised. I would imagine this is feasible for the few weeks the solo hen and her squabs need to get out of the woods.

 

[Hokum Coco]

3 cocks and 5 hens

You can expect all sorts of scenarios when the sexes are at an imbalance in your loft I come to observe. It mirrors a lot of human life at times.

consider building a nest box front for her

I should have mentioned that is exactly what I did. My nest boxes are a minimum 2 feet in area and some are even a bit larger.

 

[jak2002003]

You have several options.

1. Put the single hens eggs under another broody pair to hatch and raise.

2. Let the single hen hatch the eggs. I am sure she will be fine raising them at first. The only problem I can see is later on after a couple of weeks.. because usually the hens start to stop feeding the squabs then and the males do most of the work. However, they are quite smart birds, and so long as there is plenty of feed the hen probably will keep feeding the squabs. This stage you can keep a close eye on them to check they are getting enough food... and its easy to 'top them up' yourself in the evening if their crops seem empty.

3. Throw away any other eggs that have just been laid from another pair and put these more advanced eggs under them.

I think that it is likely her mate (which has gone off with another hen) will actually come back and feed the squabs in both nest. After all its in his genetic interests to have as many babies as he can. Often the begging sounds of the squabs will induce other males to feed them when they are out of the nest.

Good luck!

 

[Hokum Coco]

her mate will actually come back and feed the squabs in both nest.

Good post. Yes it does happen but the voice of experience says only in a perfect world.
I experienced scalping in the same predicament.

You must stay vigilant.

 

[biophiliac]

Update - Both eggs hatched but one baby died soon after. The surviving baby is a red like mom.. Not too surprising as red is dominant over blue and brown. Here is a link to a foto of 'him'....
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/pigeon-bulletin-board.1174207/page-35#post-20076582
eta - sorry, wrong link. see below.