Pigeon pair decided to be sneaky: HOLY COW I HAVE BABIES NOW! what do I do?

[Hokum Coco]

I would let nature take its course laughingdog. Sounds like they are as healthy as a trout. I live in Canada and have new squabs that just hatched December 28th. I placed a Styrofoam meat tray under the nesting material. We had -16 Celsius temperatures and the squabs are doing fine; their eyes are open now. (No insulation, No heat, No light). I am thinking I may employ a Styrofoam cooler for material for making a shelter when the squabs get to the size they can not be incubated by the parents easily. Pigeons have enough brains not to eat the stuff.

 

[Hokum Coco]

Canada Squabs Jack & Frostie 6 and 7 days old respectively. Eyes are open now. Hatched December 27 & 28 2012. Temperatures today -20 wind chill -34 Celsius and continuing for 6 more days No Heat, No light No moisture NO PROBLEMS!

 

[laughingdog]

i fixed the trouble by switching babies so the smaller two are now in by the younger flying roller fosters, and huge three are in by adult foster roller parents now. the one now rolls out of the nest and all over the grate, but doesnt seem to be hurt or upset by it, so i just put it back in the nest, and the fosters keep feeding it. the eggs under the foster parlor tumblers werent developing so they either were irregularly incubaited, or it took to long to get fosters set up nesting proper. oh well.. my cat and collie enjoyed them all the same so no waste.

 

[Hokum Coco]

I gave in to grand daughter demands somewhat; This if the nest box for Jack & Frostie not exactly as shown but pretty close (smaller entrance is all).

I will remove it once they are fledged.





.I should have know pheasants love Styrofoam as much as chickens!

 

[laughingdog]

you could layer the outside in duct tape so the phesants dont peck at it.. or were you meaning they took the nest over?

 

[3forfree]

I worked in an iron foundry in Michigan and raw material was delivered by rail car and trucks to an inside storage area. Pigeons would occupy the rafters inside the building and make nests from pieces of iron that was everywhere. the nests they made would constantly be added to and as the years went by they would get taller and smaller. They would lay 2 eggs in each nest but when the first egg hatched the second one never had a chance as the nest was too small for 2 squabs. So we would climb up into the rafters using a bridge crane and ladder and remove the newly hatched squab and my workmate would take it home, leaving the second egg to hatch and grow. We tried to take a nest down from the rafter just to get an idea of how big it was, but couldn't lift it due to the weight.the building wasn't heaated and these birds thrived in the cold environment.

 

[Hokum Coco]

I know pigeons are a hearty lot for sure!
Just wondering if you remember any fool birds hatch squabs in December like my pair just recently have??
Michigan I would imagine you know what winter is all about!

 

[3forfree]

There was squabs year round, never had to worry about not finding any.

 

[Hokum Coco]

Took these pictures this morning.
Jack & Frostie are now 13 & 14 days old.




Doing well in their Styrofoam nest box.
I seem to be getting a lot of brown in some of the offspring of my White Doves??

 

[laughingdog]

one thing i forgot i ised to do is put out by them a reptile type hot rock or heating pad called uth for under nest if got too cold after they both hatched. if done before can mess up natural developement of eggs. other than that a square small bucket with hole cut in like sold with cat litter in, or a small cardboard box works well enough in cold.