Please help! Not sure if these squabs can stay warm!

[sourland]

Can I just bring them in and hand feed / hand raise them going forward?

You could, but then you would have to keep them in the house until temperatures moderate in the spring. My gut says they are going to be okay. As long as your wife can check on things, I would go with leaving them with the parents. Gradually decreasing brooding period by the parents seems to spur feather growth.

 

[Hokum Coco]

I would leave things just as they are with the heat pad in place.

The parents will check on the squabs and give them the added incubation when needed. Pigeons know "NOT" to take a bath in cold weather and when to incubate squabs comes under the same instinct.

 

[LamarshFish]

You could, but then you would have to keep them in the house until temperatures moderate in the spring. My gut says they are going to be okay. As long as your wife can check on things, I would go with leaving them with the parents. Gradually decreasing brooding period by the parents seems to spur feather growth.

. It is hard to give advise at this juncture. No matter what decision you make there are risk involved. "Some "pigeons do not like to have things tampered with. Just because something worked in one situation does not necessarily mean it will work for your flock and loft. Try to brainstorm for solutions and Use "YOUR" best judgement is all one can do. There is a risk even to hand feeding.

Thanks guys. I ran this by a local racer I know who lives close to me and is experiencing the same artic cold temps I am, and he said with that heat pad to just leave them be and they should be fine. But I will keep an eye on them for sure. This weather sucks!

 

[sourland]

This weather double sucks on my old hands.

 

[Hokum Coco]

This weather double sucks on my old hands.

We have many things in common you and I good buddy.

 

[laughingdog]

I started using coragated cardboard boxes with duct tape,with hole in middle lil bigger than largest pigeon.
Pine needles work best I've tried and pine shavings next (too fluffy flakes can stick to eyes mouth etc), box being size of or double size of large dog bowl which can be put inside or not but just gives you get somewhere to start perching inside (if size of one large dog bowl for standard size pigeons, use two boxes per hen if want best breeding results especially if "open loft"/mixed breeding). Layer pellets (non medicated, natural if can get) working best to grow large fat fast young, n keep adults in condition. I've been trying to find coragated plastic cheap in bulk, as seen people use many years ago for small animals (in vet terms basically small Mammals up to dogs most common), and I think aside from possibly holding too much heat n humidity inside, it'll work wonders for keeping out cold n wetness from outside. I've left pigeons on flimsy stick nests in below zero weather monitoring hatchlings that do fine when parents are provided enough food n water at worst times easily digested (I give chickens warm water in winter, but never pigeons as it messes them up somehow), and heat when given made weak and sickly, but bathing allowed when access to outside sunshine for few hours after even in winter (when water wouldn't be frozen naturally on surface of running water even) does wonders when they then can get out of wet windy area (something I do not do enough honestly though).

 

[LamarshFish]

I started using coragated cardboard boxes with duct tape,with hole in middle lil bigger than largest pigeon.
Pine needles work best I've tried and pine shavings next (too fluffy flakes can stick to eyes mouth etc), box being size of or double size of large dog bowl which can be put inside or not but just gives you get somewhere to start perching inside (if size of one large dog bowl for standard size pigeons, use two boxes per hen if want best breeding results especially if "open loft"/mixed breeding). Layer pellets (non medicated, natural if can get) working best to grow large fat fast young, n keep adults in condition. I've been trying to find coragated plastic cheap in bulk, as seen people use many years ago for small animals (in vet terms basically small Mammals up to dogs most common), and I think aside from possibly holding too much heat n humidity inside, it'll work wonders for keeping out cold n wetness from outside. I've left pigeons on flimsy stick nests in below zero weather monitoring hatchlings that do fine when parents are provided enough food n water at worst times easily digested (I give chickens warm water in winter, but never pigeons as it messes them up somehow), and heat when given made weak and sickly, but bathing allowed when access to outside sunshine for few hours after even in winter (when water wouldn't be frozen naturally on surface of running water even) does wonders when they then can get out of wet windy area (something I do not do enough honestly though).

Are you saying the corrugated cardboard to make a little nest box for them to keep them insulated?

Do you think I should do that? If I do that, would it work well with my warming pad under the nest bowl? I'd think it would keep them pretty warm, but not sure if the parents will freak out over it?

Single digit temps here for at least another 3 more days.

 

[laughingdog]

If you do the box, it'll be too warm for heating pad maybe. I've given pigeons cardboard box, under board, on hanging wire cage, and the parents wouldn't both stay in, from eight degrees to something below zero (one would sit on top or in front of or next to by door at night). I tried locking both parents in, but always got too hot for them eggs squeakers, n when squeakers got couple weeks old the parents wouldn't stay and sit on because warm in box. They having the heat pad, I'd leave it on now, until these young staying off of. If the heat pad works for you good, I've tried and it didn't for me on performance breeds being extremely hard, but have had some not so Hardy using, so just depends on works for how your doing all. What are breeds, feeding, enclosure like (is it hit by sun wind etc for how long or blocked by something, open air, enclosed, insulated etc wetness in on under around near?).

 

[LamarshFish]

In order to ensure the parents stay on the squabs, and the keep the loft warmer in general, I decided to temporarily close off the aviary. We'll have single digit temps for at least another week, so I may have to keep the aviary closed off for that long. I plan on opening it for an hour or so every few days during peak daylight/high temps, so they can get some sun. What do you guys think?

 

[sourland]

Good idea.