First Squab!

[sourland]

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!

I would place shot glasses filled with cotton on the dresser in the bedroom (Princess loved that). Each shot glass would be identified with the pair # so that birds got the right egg back. Since I generally had 10 to 12 pairs, early on in the season there were many shot glasses on the dresser.

She didn't mind this as much as me keeping my bantam leghorn roosters in the cellar.

 

[Hokum Coco]

Just another observation after about 3 weeks the squabs have enough feathers to stand the cold.

 

[LamarshFish]

Thank you all. I will use this thread to keep updates on them, with pictures. I presume I will not be able to take a good picture until after the second squab is born and the hen stops sitting on them nonstop. I will post a pic as soon as I get one.

Please continue to standby and check, as I might have more questions as this process pans out! Thanks again!

 

[LamarshFish]

I want to give them a nest bowl that I think will work better with the heat pad I bought. At what point can I swap the nest bowls out without risking any problems?

 

[Hokum Coco]

At what point can I swap the nest bowls out without risking any problems?

You can go at least 7 days with NO PROBLEMS. Then you will have to use your judgement to decide when the 2 squabs are getting TOO BIG for one parent to incubate.

 

[LamarshFish]

Here’s a pic. This would be them at 1 day and 2 days old. They seem healthy and even somewhat alert. Hen and cock have been tending to them nonstop.

 

[LamarshFish]

Temps will be in the single digit lows for the next few days. I wonder whether I should put that chick warming pad under neath their nest bowl?

 

[LamarshFish]

Last night was the last chance I could get to rig up a warming pad before it gets super cold here (supposed to be lows close to 0 F this week). The pad simply stays warm, not hot at all. It keeps the nest bowl warm to the touch, even when no birds are in it (I tested it with a nest bowl in my house first). It’s 20 F out now (mid day, sunny), but my loft is 28 F, humidity in the loft is 16%, very dry. Last night in the dark and with a red flashlight I just slid the pad right under the nest bowl with the hen in it, and she didn’t seem to mind at all. I secured it down with tiny wood screws, and secured the cord with bent nails and some preservation tape.

I know my birds will keep the squab warm enough, but I was concerned with the extremely cold temps if they slip up just once and leave them alone in the nest for even a few minutes they could die, and the pad may give them that extra chance to survive.

 

[LoveChooks9000]

Congratulations on your new babies. They are so cute, and so are the parents. Beautiful birds.

I always put my breeders together Feb. 14

Valentine's Day! How appropriate.

 

[biophiliac]

View attachment 1218126 Last night was the last chance I could get to rig up a warming pad before it gets super cold here (supposed to be lows close to 0 F this week). The pad simply stays warm, not hot at all. It keeps the nest bowl warm to the touch, even when no birds are in it (I tested it with a nest bowl in my house first). It’s 20 F out now (mid day, sunny), but my loft is 28 F, humidity in the loft is 16%, very dry. Last night in the dark and with a red flashlight I just slid the pad right under the nest bowl with the hen in it, and she didn’t seem to mind at all. I know my birds will keep the squab warm enough, but I was concerned with the extremely cold temps if they slip up just once and leave them alone in the nest for even a few minutes they could die, and the pad may give them that extra chance to survive.

Don't blame you a bit. Should the egg shells be removed? I thought the parents would toss them after hatch... Such a great X-mas presents your birds gave you!