pigeon squabs failing to thrive

[QChickieMama]

I've had pigeons for several years now. The group doubled in size so I sold 10 off. Now they're laying eggs and sitting them, but twice now the squabs have hatched looking perfectly normal but I find them dead in the nest. What should I look for? I don't need more pigeons but I want the squabs to live. What is making them die?

 

[cavemanrich]

No location in your profile,,, so no idea where you are at.
The reason may be weather/climate/temperature related

If you have enough pigeons,,,,, then start switching eggs with dummy ones. This way your pigeon still sits thru the cycle,,,, rather than struggling to generate a new egg,,,,(if you only removed, and not replaced with plastic ones)

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[QChickieMama]

No location in your profile,,, so no idea where you are at.
The reason may be weather/climate/temperature related

If you have enough pigeons,,,,, then start switching eggs with dummy ones. This way your pigeon still sits thru the cycle,,,, rather than struggling to generate a new egg,,,,(if you only removed, and not replaced with plastic ones)

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

I'm in central NC. They've reproduced all winter but quit when I sold 10 of them. What do you use for dummy eggs? For my chickens I use a golf ball. Not sure what's the size of pigeon egg.

 

[cavemanrich]

I purchased mine from feed store that sells pigeon feed. They are plastic, and weigh same as a pigeon egg. This way pigeon does get fooled/tricked that it is egg. .
Search online. I'm sure Foy's has them.
Just looked,, both in plastic, and wood.

 

[purslanegarden]

could it be food supply also? if you don't have enough food to be feeding the babies, then sometimes the stronger one will get attention. that makes the weaker one eventually get too weak and die off.

if it's both of the babies, then it still could be food-supply related, but there would also be other possible issues, including an adult bird that might be getting aggressive against the babies, temperature in the sense that this is not the optimum time period for raising babies, etc

 

[QChickieMama]

could it be food supply also? if you don't have enough food to be feeding the babies, then sometimes the stronger one will get attention. that makes the weaker one eventually get too weak and die off.

if it's both of the babies, then it still could be food-supply related, but there would also be other possible issues, including an adult bird that might be getting aggressive against the babies, temperature in the sense that this is not the optimum time period for raising babies, etc

Today the next nest pair hatched! They look great. But as I was watching them, the adult on the nest kept standing on the head of one of the squabs. I know they're tough and all, but that could end up being too much. OR maybe there's an aggressive one in the pen. I'll keep watching tomorrow and hope for the best. The temp is getting super mild now so I don't think that's an issue.