# 2 Week Old Pigeons On My Balcony Do I Feed???



## Angela99 (Jul 11, 2015)

I have a nest with 2 two week old pigeons the parents have always been around but tonight they left them to sleep alone....so what do I do? Should I feed them? Let the parents do their thing or intervene?

The space is really small so I'm just worried where they will get food from at this point and when will they learn to fly? I have fallen for these beautiful birds and I want to see it work out. I tried to pet them but they are scared and peck at me so I don't want to startle them ...just not sure what to do


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Wait to see if the parents return. I had a pair who raised their young on my balcony, and once the kids were able to regulate their own body temperature (a week or so) then they could be safely left until next day, as the parents would not be feeding them through the night. I would expect one or both parents to come back during the morning. If not, then we'll need to advise you further.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

Completely agree with John, no need to intervene right now. In my experience they start leaving nest for night between 10-15 days. Before that hen usually sits for night. They will learn to fly too, don't worry. Just watch but do not go much close, they may get scared. Do keep us posted on progress or if you notice any odd behavior. Thank you for caring for them


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## CBL (May 13, 2014)

Ya just wait a bit, when they are that age, they are large enough to keep eachother warm, the parents are near by and will come back and feed if they didnt come back at all during the next day then YES intervene but at this stage I noted in my loft the parents dont stay in the nest with them all the time. So keep an eye. In the meantime, research the net or this site and familiarize yourself with hand feeding options and techniques. Update us as well thanks.


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## Angela99 (Jul 11, 2015)

Thank you ☺the parents are back this morning but they aren't tending to the nest as much. I assume there are 2 to 3 weeks before the babies fly so I worry plus there is so much poop in such a small confined area I feel they need more space to move around. I don't want them to fall over railing. I pet them so they would trust me but I'll keep my distance and watch. I appreciate your feedback.


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## Angela99 (Jul 11, 2015)

These are the parents (Blu and Betty) and this is what the babies look like this morning...they look healthy which is good.


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Welcome to PT Angela and thanks for showing interest in pigeons. Thanks for sharing pics too,they're too adorable.
Parents tend to stay away from squeakers when they're this old as they don't want unwanted attention. If they hang around, a hawk/predator could easily judge the location of the nest and then its all over. It comes naturally to pigeons to act like this. Also squeakers irritate parents for feed constantly when they grow up. So parents stay away

Growing bodies need more fuel. Parents need to work triple or even more than they normally do to find feed for squeakers. They can't be around for long they must forage.
And when squeakers grow, romance brew up in parents again. So they need privacy.

You shall keep your distance from the babies,one may fall down being scared and injure itself.
You can help the parents with feed. Feed them away,far away from nesting site where they usually sit so that other birds don't come near the nesting site or the squeakers get discovered.


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## Angela99 (Jul 11, 2015)

Thanks so much! That helps ☺ I feed the parents everyday organic sunflower seeds. I fed them before they moved in. I actually put a comforter over my railing for my own privacy for summer and within 2 days they built a nest and laid eggs!! So what can I do... I love these little birds. Too cute. There are no predator threats except annoying crows but they are in a safe place. It makes sense why they act the way they do... it's primal. I won't scare them. How long until they fly?


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

They fledge when they are around 30-35 days old. You wouldn't have to wait for long


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

Cute babies and beautiful parents, Thanks for the pics


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## Angela99 (Jul 11, 2015)

*update and QUESTION!!*

Hi the baby pigeons are doing great! See pics! BUT they second baby hasn't learnt to fly yet and in the meantime they built a new nest!! My building manager wants it gone ASAP but I can't until Arial baby pigeon can fly otherwise I'll traumatize her... she sits on it ( see photo) also male and baby pigeons are sitting on it so I'm confused! And not sure how to handle it... are they going to lay an egg? Why is papa bird always sitting on nest?


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

There are no pics posted!!! Sorry. 
They may lay again and you may have to replace them or throw them if your apartment manager wants them to leave asap. Poor babies, I never know why people are so bad sometimes for poor birds, what's the harm to apartment manager if they nest on your balcony. 
So now in your situation let both babies fly and then dismantle the nest and block off the balcony with some netting etc so they couldn't access it again 
Bad advice I know but you can't do anything else.


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## CBL (May 13, 2014)

Yup, what kiddy said, dad is probably sitting on eggs, so time to move them off that nest annd hopefully they will keep feeding the baby or at least replace the eggs with small chicken eggs so that nothing is grown. Then they will stick around long enough to care for last baby. That way when she has fledged, do as kiddy said and dismantle nest and discourage nesting. How did the mgr find out about the nest? Tell him if he touches the nest or adults or tries to make you get rid of them before their time that you will call animal control and report him for cruelty, see if he backs off.


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## Angela99 (Jul 11, 2015)

Thanks... I can't get photos up! Sorry! I'll try later. What happened was another pigeon that visits flew up into girl upstairs apt because mama bird was guarding her territory so she freaked and complained and she just moved in a couple days ago. So manager told me to get rid of my comforter and I had to tell him. This bird (Billy) came into my home this morning too and just got stuck in the blinds trying to fly out a closed window but I picked him up and put him outside. So sweet how can anyone fear a pigeon!! He's hungry it's hard not to feed 😕😟 thanks for your feedback I think it's too much for me to destroy an egg so I'll wait til Arial (baby pigeon) Flys and rearrange my porch from there. I'll put pics up today if I can get it to work my computer is down. I don't see an egg in the nest which is why I'm confused about papa (Blu) sitting on nest😮


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## Angela99 (Jul 11, 2015)

*She laid another Egg!!*

Well Betty laid an egg this morning see photo as she sits on her egg during day while babies nearby. The second baby isn't flying yet and they just sit with mom all day so I am really concerned...when will second bird learn to fly? I really don't know what to do now because the building manager will enforce removal soon so the bird needs to start flying...will mom disregard this because of new egg? See pic of baby siblings kissing they are so sweet  This all is heart breaking


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

If you think your manager is going to start force removal of nest, take that baby pigeon in house until he starts flying, this is what you can do to save him. Does that baby seem smaller who isn't flying and is he being fed by parents? Or eating on his own? 

As she laid egg today, she will lay second egg within 2 days, I would suggest you to replace this first egg with a fake one and the second one as soon as it is laid. If you don't do this, these will start embryonic development in 3 days and then if the nest is removed, two little lives inside eggs will be dead. As there is no life in that yet, remove and replace it with fake egg if you know your apartment manager won't let them live there. 
Will it be OK if two chicks die inside egg or this when there is no embryo formation?


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## Angela99 (Jul 11, 2015)

Thank you kiddy....I woke up to this (see photo) so Arial flew today! And whole family went out flying today and left the egg behind so I cleaned as much poop as I could then Betty flew back and she was distraught so I put the nest in a cardboard box and laid some paper bags down on each side. I did pick up the egg to place it back onto nest properly. I just can't discard it. So I might try and arrange my balcony after the babies leave the nest because right they are still sleeping with mom or dad at night...
How long until the babies actually are out on their own??


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

They will leave the nest soon because when both the eggs are laid, parents don't want fledged babies to come near nest and they will chase them off and wean them so may be one more week they are there tho they will follow parents for flight sessions etc. When the new babies are hatched parents won't entertain previous ones. 

If you are deciding, not to replace and discard the egg, it is so nice of us, none of us wants to do it but be sure you will not let anyone touch their nest after 3 days as they will start embryonic development. You will have to wait for another two months to let these news babies fly so think twice before you decide anything.


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## Angela99 (Jul 11, 2015)

*Baby Pigeon Confused!*

So I was forced to rearrange my porch today because neighbours complained about my unsightly comforter hanging over railing....I told the manager that the youngest bird hasn't left the nest yet, but he doesn't care. SO I made it all pretty but I only had a small box so baby bird (Arial, youngest one) came home tonight very confused...she walked into the house and then she flew around flying into window I finally caught her and gently placed her outside. Papa bird sitting on nest with 2 eggs won't let her in    so she is just sitting close by. It's late now and I couldn't fix it because I didn't want to scare as it was dark outside. I did make another sleeping space for her out of a sturdy lululemon bag (not shown)....what should I do?? Sorry I just feel frustrated leaving her there. Get a bigger box or will she sleep in what I made if I put it close to parent?? Will the parents train her like they did with the older bird (Michael) he sleeps with his mom at night and are always together.


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## kiddy (Feb 5, 2015)

Of course they won't let her in the nest because there are eggs. She will sleep nearby and gradually when she is able to fly, they will chase her off. If you want you can keep her in house if you think she isn't safe outside at night and let her be at balcony during the day if there is danger of predators. You can keep some hay sticks where her nest was so she can sleep there if she wills.


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