Squab Death

[Hokum Coco]

I lost a squab today. I have seen it coming for the last few days really. One of my dominate male birds was taken by an owl when my son closed up the loft a bit early one night (I had done a release about 100 miles away for a wedding). The female was then left to raise 2 squabs on her own which she was more than capable of doing.
My alpha male of the loft however picked the eye out of the white squab (with a black tail) and his nest mate was brown something that happens from time to time when you are breeding white birds.
I found the squab hiding in a corner 2 days ago dehydrated and near death.
He began to rebound from the dehydration but he succumbed to his eye injury today.

If you ever have squabs left in the care of your female pairing take a tip from my experience especially in a loft setting.

Put your female single parent family in isolation if at all possible.

 

[sourland]

Sorry for the loss.

 

[Hokum Coco]

Sorry for the loss.

Thank you Sourland I know you had your share of losses as well. On the up side I am at a total of 46 birds only 4 away from my target of 50 trained birds.
Just hope someone can benefit from my experience.

 

[CCUK]

Sorry about the squab. It shows how cruel nature can be. If I had the space I'd try to keep any that have young separate. But I don't. I had the one get scalped going to close to another nest.

 

[Hokum Coco]

I had the one get scalped going to close to another nest.

In my case I am quite sure if the male had been tending to the squabs the Alpha male would not have invaded his territory. The Alpha male would not have risk his status when a fairly dominate male was protecting his ground. Pigeons are a lot like chickens in the respect that once a pecking order is established there are few real squabbles.