Im baby sitting two doves and they just laid an egg - anything I need to know?

[appps]

I went to pick up two doves Im babysitting for a week or two and when I got there discovered the two that had been all lovey dovey when I visited Sunday have now laid an egg and daddy was sitting on it.

Ive had to move them into a different cage (large cockatiel) to brink them home but brought nest and all and after a half hour drive and 10 minutes at home daddy has gone back to sitting on the egg. (nesting in an old dog food bowl)

I was trying to find out how long they incubate for and saw two weeks. So this little guy could hatch in as little as 14 days? Is that all?

As I know absolutely nothing about doves other than which food Im supposed to feed them till they go home and cant ask their owner at the moment is there anything I should know to have a successful hatch? Would be great if she could come home to a little baby

Oh and what the heck here is a couple photos I took of mum and dad on Sunday.


This is dad




and this is Mum

 

[RanchGirl13]

whats up with their necks?

 

[appps]

They are exhibition birds. They are bred like that. They are from a very successful show breeder originally so I am guessing this is what the show standard is.

 

[Hokum Coco]

It is my experience that pigeon eggs hatch in about 19 to 21 days to be a bit more precise (your birds are not what most people call doves they are in fact pigeons). The difference is mainly size. Although pigeons and doves can cross breed the result is a sterile offspring or mule. The two terms are almost interchangeable and in some circles the difference is mainly overlooked. The truth from my perspective is Dove is to Pigeon as Donkey is to Horse.

I am not familiar with that particular pigeon breed I thought it was an American fantail at first but it is missing one key ingredient the FANTAIL. I think it is possibly a cross with an American fantail and another breed of pigeon.

 

[appps]

No it is a fantail, they trim the tail feathers to increase their chances when breeding. Will be interesting to see them when they moult. Suspect they probably have stunning tails . The guy these came from has australian champion birds so they would be pure breeds. These are quite small. Size is about half that of a wild pigeon.

Well don't think much will come of the eggs. Dad seems to be pretty good at sitting but mum just gets on and off constantly and nobody ended up sitting on them for a good hour or so late yesterday afternoon.

Maybe next time .

 

[Hokum Coco]

They may surprise you. I have to agree though it does not sound to promising.

 

[appps]

Well we got a second chance
There is a second egg in there this morning. It was in the floor so without touching with my hand I popped it in the nest.

She isn't a great sitter though, when I open their door she is quite happy to leave the nest and sit outside in their log. Maybe being locked in while I'm at work today might give her the idea. It would be pretty cool as I suspect if one hatches we may end up being able to keep it

 

[Hokum Coco]

I have one pigeon that just stands over the first egg until the second egg arrives then begins to incubate
.

 

[appps]

Oh well I won't give up hope then!