# Does mother remove dead fledgling?



## Tweela (Aug 8, 2011)

Hello Pigeon folks. I found two pigeon eggs on my balcony a few weeks ago. They hatched about two weeks ago. Usually when I check on them the parent is in the nest, and flies a short distance away and watches me. When I go back in the house the parent returns to the nest. I've read that mothers and fathers take turns sitting on eggs and tending to the sqabs but I've only seen one pigeon in the nest both am/pm. Today the nest was soaking wet because a plant pot had leaked onto them with all the rain we've been having. The runt squab looked extra runty and ill. Reluctantly I put on my gloves and put the sqabs into a shoe box with tissue and a tshirt and put them back where they were. I figured getting them off the cold cement and into a dry box wouldnt hurt them. I read that parents return to the nest in most cases. I havent wanted to check too much incase I frighten the parent, but since putting pigeons in the box I have checked a couple of times and the parent isnt there. Its been raining a lot and they are under a piece of plastic. I thought I better check them again to make sure they are dry and I figured surely at 3am the parent pigeon would be sitting with them keeping them warm. No parent. The small runt squab appears to be totally gone. I am wondering if the runt died, would the parent pigeon have removed it from the nest? I guess its possible that the little one is under the tshirt. I read another post on here saying that in another nest one had died and been crushed and was underneath the living one. I'll check in the morning and remove it if it is dead so that the healthy one doesnt get infection from it. I'm a bit concerned that the parent pigeon isnt keeping the remaining squab warm. I really dont want to take the box into my house. I leave for a 5 day holiday tomorrow night. Part of me thinks to just let nature take its course but I cant help but be concerned and wonder what the right thing to do is. I'll be honset, I dont particularly like pigeons and I think these chicks are the ugliest things on earth. I have read about feeding with baby parrot food and eyedroppers etc, and if I absolutely had to I might be able to do that by taking the pigeon with me camping in wales but I really really really do not want to do that. My boyfriend wants that even less than me. So its more likely that I'll just have to wait 5 days to see if the remaining squab makes it. Is that the right thing to do here? Any advice welcome! Thanks.


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## Tweela (Aug 8, 2011)

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/album.php?albumid=1824&pictureid=18921


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## Tweela (Aug 8, 2011)

Oops sorry that title should say squab not fledgling. I'm still learning the language. Oh one other thing, the nest absoluetly stinks. A sickly sweet and very disgusting smell. You can smell it before you are near it. Is that normal or a sign of illness?


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## Dobato (Jul 3, 2008)

Tweela, I know you meant well, but placing the babies into a shoe box and placing that back in the nest has frightened the parents away and they probably will not return to look after the babies as long as they are in the box. You can bring the babies in tonight, get a blow dryer and warm them and dry them off, set the blow dryer to MED heat and MED force, test to the back of your hand for distance, as you want nice and warm, not hot on them.

You can try and dry out the old nest as best you can and put them back very early in the morning, so everything looks exactly the way it did before you tried to help out and see if the parents resume their duties.

Here is a link to see the aging of baby pigeons, so you can let us know roughly how old they are.

http://www.speedpigeon.com/baby_racing_pigeon.htm

Good luck,

Karyn


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## Tweela (Aug 8, 2011)

*Mother is back, do i still remove the shoebox?*

Thanks Karyn. I went out this morning to remove the box and I heard the familiar flutterings of the mama bird. Sure enough when i stepped out onto the balcony she was right near the nest and watching me again. Rather than frighten her off I went back inside. But now the dillema is do I still remove the box? Do I need to see where the possibly dead runt is? Also yesterday the tshirt was looking rather soiled, ie full of pigeon poo. So I'm thinking I should remove that shirt? I guess mama bird knows best and her nest was probably fine to begin with. I dont think I should have interfered. But now do I leave things as they are or do I interfere again to remove my interference?? Gosh I hope if I have kids there are forums like this out there... Thanks so much for taking the time to share your knowlege. -Tweela


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## Tweela (Aug 8, 2011)

I've removed the pigeon from the shoe box. The runt was dead and had been covered up. I disposed of shoebox and dead bird. I put the squab back where he was before. With hindsight I think I could have nursed the runt back to life by checking it sooner after the rain bringing it in when I realised how cold it was, and by having eye dropper and baby parrot food on hand on a sunday night. I'll swing by a petfood store today to have that suff on hand in case there's a next time. In the mean time I think the mama will be back and the squab is looking like a healthy 10 day old pigeon. I'm going away for 5 days but I'll let you know what I return to. Hopefully a fat bird with feathers that cant fly yet. Are you able to see the photos I posted? Thanks again for your time and help and for caring.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

If you do have a next time..take the pigeon's eggs and replace with some fake ones from the hobbie craft store. that way she will sit those but no babies to worry about.


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