pigeon egg rescue-it hatched!

[Solsken Farm]

My kids found somepipping pigeon eggs in a nest up in the barn loft. We watched for an hour and the mom did not come back to the nest. I finally went up and grabbed them as my kids begged for me to save them. (They understand pipping, zipping and all that) One is pipped and appears to have quit. The other is almost zipped and moving in the shell. So against my better judgement, I grabbed them and popped them in an incubator we have running. It is too cold here for them to make it without mom.

Any advice? No flames please. I don't generally interfere with nature but as a mama myself, I couldn't not give them a chance.

 

[Solsken Farm]

Oh! The one I thought quit is sticking it's little beak out!

 

[lleighmay]

I don't know much about pigeons (yet) but I seem to remember the parents feed them crop milk (which is what makes them hard to foster)... perhaps you could find a recipe somewhere that duplicates that (maybe from a wildlife rehabber in your area with dove experience?) Good luck to you and the babies!

 

[Pidgey104]

I feed mine with egg droppers . I buy exact baby bird food from the pet store. Its for parrots and etc. You mix it with warm water just to where its creamy. The best way I found how to feed them is by holding them in my hand and have their beak between two fingers. you can then priey the mouth open and get food into them. fill them til their crops are full. and keep them warm. I beleve you have to feed them every few hrs while their a week old. I hope this helps

 

[Solsken Farm]

Thanks so much. Any experience with replacing them in the nest once they hatch and dry off? Sadly my little ones had already touched them before they got me. I have a few silkie eggs that were clear that I could go up and put in the nest to try to tempt mom back at one point.

I am nervous about the handfeeding.

On the otherhand, we do have a wildlife rehab couple that I could take the babies to. So perhaps I'll do that if they actually make it out.

Thanks so much!

 

[Teach97]

The touching isn't a bad thing. That is really over dramatized. Dpends on how long you have had them on if the mother and father will take them back. If you found the eggs alone it probably but not always means something happened to one parent. Use the eye dropper method it really isn't hard. You will need to feed around 4 times per day each time fill the crop you shuld be bale to feel it being to bulge. Don't fill it too much...just to the point where it is getting noticable at first...later you can fill more. After a few weeks you start using real seeds and grains...I like to use a straw for that part

 

[Solsken Farm]

Hi thanks for the thoughts. Yes, I just read that about the myth of touching. In any event, it is very cold here today (high 40s) and it is set to rain tomorrow for the rest of the week. I really don't think I feel right just leaving them there.

So I called a wildlife rehab person and they are going to take them. I am transporting them on my person now.

Thanks everyone. My daughter is very upset that they are leaving. Poor kid. She is such a mother hen..........

 

[Solsken Farm]

Well the avian rehab facility was amazing! They claim to be the largest facility in New England and rescue 1200 birds a year of over 100 species. I tucked the eggs in my shirt and headed over there.

One hatched on the way. The other went into the hatching brooder they had set up and was almost zipped all the way around when we left. So both will make it, I think.

Pigeons have a tip on their beaks just for pipping and zipping which will disappear in a week or so. Whole different creature! They need to eat soon after hatching and won't open their eyes for a number of days.

I will post a pic later.

 

[Teach97]

Pigeons are possibly the ugliest creatures when they are born...but they get worse! Then suddenly they have feathers and look like a bird! It gets better once their body matches their beak

My wife is amazed at how somehting as beautiful as the Indian fantails can start out as ugly as they do

I sell rats to a local rehab guy when they have birds of prey in...they are cool!