First Squab!

[LamarshFish]

Well, my first egg laid has hatched! Day 19. I expect #2 will hatch today or tomorrow. I get only one chance to look at the eggs per day, and it is first thing in the morning when I open the loft door and the hen gets off them and stretches and wants peanuts. Any other time her or the cock bird are sitting on them and WILL NOT move. Anyways, I get in there this morning, she gets up, and I see an egg that is partially cracked in half, and a few seconds after she gets off of it the squab sort of pops out of it lol. The hen getting off the egg must have sort of triggered the squab to get out! I went in there about an hour later and the squab was sitting just under the hen's neck and the hen was feeding it! The squab is squeaking and looks very healthy! I was not able to get any pictures yet.

Very exciting! Especially since most of the incubation period it was 10-20 degrees here. People aren't kidding when they say homers are excellent parents! This clutch is these two birds' first eggs, they are only 8 month old birds.

 

[Dani4Hedgies]

ohh so cool can't wait to see pictures

 

[biophiliac]

Well, my first egg laid has hatched! Day 19. I expect #2 will hatch today or tomorrow. I get only one chance to look at the eggs per day, and it is first thing in the morning when I open the loft door and the hen gets off them and stretches and wants peanuts. Any other time her or the cock bird are sitting on them and WILL NOT move. Anyways, I get in there this morning, she gets up, and I see an egg that is partially cracked in half, and a few seconds after she gets off of it the squab sort of pops out of it lol. The hen getting off the egg must have sort of triggered the squab to get out! I went in there about an hour later and the squab was sitting just under the hen's neck and the hen was feeding it! The squab is squeaking and looks very healthy! I was not able to get any pictures yet.

Very exciting! Especially since most of the incubation period it was 10-20 degrees here. People aren't kidding when they say homers are excellent parents! This clutch is these two birds' first eggs, they are only 8 month old birds.

....

 

[LamarshFish]

I am interested in any advice anybody has for dealing with a potential second clutch. I imagine it is possible she is done since it is winter, but if she lays two more I'm wondering how I should deal with it. Where is she likely to lay them, in the same nest box? Should I put a second nest bowl in that nest box, or will that run the risk of the parents killing the older squabs? Should I let her lay in the same nest box and simply move the squabs to a different nest box?

 

[JedJackson]

I am interested in any advice anybody has for dealing with a potential second clutch. I imagine it is possible she is done since it is winter, but if she lays two more I'm wondering how I should deal with it. Where is she likely to lay them, in the same nest box? Should I put a second nest bowl in that nest box, or will that run the risk of the parents killing the older squabs? Should I let her lay in the same nest box and simply move the squabs to a different nest box?

She won't lay eggs again until the squabs she has have fledged and left the nest, and she'll likely lay in the same box when she does lay again. I would clean and disinfect the nest box once the squabs are out of it, put it back and then see what happens. But I suspect she probably won't be laying again until Spring.

 

[LamarshFish]

She won't lay eggs again until the squabs she has have fledged and left the nest, and she'll likely lay in the same box when she does lay again. I would clean and disinfect the nest box once the squabs are out of it, put it back and then see what happens. But I suspect she probably won't be laying again until Spring.

Really? I have heard that they often will lay again before the previous squabs fledged, sometimes creating the problem of parents being threatened by their own squab, fearing the squabs would do something to the newer eggs. I imagine this is only likely to occur during the heavy breeding season though.

 

[Hokum Coco]

Well, my first egg laid has hatched! Day 19.

I am happy for you good buddy.

You had more than your fair share of trials getting started.

I would not train or toss your breeders until your flock begins to build. Fly your new squeakers at about 8 weeks of age is a good time to start training. Caution you may loose one of your squabs to hypothermia near 2 weeks of age when they become too big to incubate for the parents.

Merry Christmas to you Backyard buddy.

 

[LamarshFish]

I am happy for you good buddy.

Thank you, my friend. Your advice has been very helpful since this past spring, when I started. For that I am very thankful!

I would not train or toss your breeders until your flock begins to build. Fly your new squeakers at about 8 weeks of age is a good time to start training.

That is the plan.

Merry Christmas to you Backyard buddy.

Same to you and your family!

 

[sourland]

My rollers would start on the next nest about 3 weeks after the squabs hatched. Homers took a little longer. Most of the roller cocks would brood the squabs during the night while the hen set the second round of eggs. Hokum Coco is correct in that you have to keep an eye on things to make sure the squabs do not experience hypothermia. I always put my breeders together Feb. 14 that way first eggs were generally early March with squabs hatching late March and next round mid April. I would remove the first egg and replace it with a wooden nest egg. When the second egg was laid, I would return the first to the nest - assuring that the first egg did not get over chilled. Sometimes birds do not set 'tight' on the first egg. With this method both squabs hatched at the same time and I generally did not have to deal with one squab being underfed.

Congratulations, and hope that all continues to go well.

 

[LamarshFish]

you have to keep an eye on things to make sure the squabs do not experience hypothermia

I purchased a heat pad designed for chicks that I intend to place under the squabs once the parents stop sitting on them. It's pretty cold here in Michigan.

My rollers would start on the next nest about 3 weeks after the squabs hatched. Homers took a little longer. Most of the roller cocks would brood the squabs during the night while the hen set the second round of eggs. Hokum Coco is correct in that you have to keep an eye on things to make sure the squabs do not experience hypothermia. I always put my breeders together Feb. 14 that way first eggs were generally early March with squabs hatching late March and next round mid April. I would remove the first egg and replace it with a wooden nest egg. When the second egg was laid, I would return the first to the nest - assuring that the first egg did not get over chilled. Sometimes birds do not set 'tight' on the first egg. With this method both squabs hatched at the same time and I generally did not have to deal with one squab being underfed.

Wow! That is a good idea! Makes perfect sense. I bought a 6 pack of dummy pigeon eggs, so I can definitely try this. Thank you!