# Omg!!!! Bucket Babies!!!!!!



## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

What a week I'm having!
Cleaned all the eggs out of the nests last weekend and switched w/wooden eggs...........guess I missed 2 from the previous week. Its been hot and humid here. Had all the eggs in a bucket. On Wednesday morning, I went to move the bucket and saw a newly hatched baby struggling amongst the eggs Can't even tell you how bad I felt!...Then Wednesday night...ANOTHER ONE!
Those eggs were in that bucket for 5 days!! How is this possible?!
I tried tucking them under a hen that had wooden eggs. She sat on them and fed them for 3 days, then I found them on the floor this morning.
So their inside now, warm and fed......









AND, this little guy hatched 3 days AFTER his nest mate. He did great for the 1st week, then got pushed aside by his MUCH BIGGER nest mate! So had to bring him in also! His nest mate is 4 times his size and still out in the nest with mom and dad!










So here we are sharing a heating pad!


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Thank goodness you found them! They all look very well and happy.

Cynthia


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

And to TOP OFF my morning....I'm standing at the kitchen sink getting the babies bottle ready to feed them and happen to look out the window at the loft..........There's a HUGE HAWK SITTING ON TOP OF THE FLIGHT CAGE LOOKING DOWN IN  I flew out the door and scared him off! All my birds were inside the loft with heads tucked, peeking out the door


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## sreeshs (Aug 16, 2009)

Amazing, how did they hatch after 5 days !!!!!! Lucky you found them on time.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

That is crazy..way kinda funny(since you found them)..amazing...lol.. OMGoodness your egg patrol has to tighten up girl...lol...


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

sreeshs said:


> *Amazing, how did they hatch after 5 days *!!!!!! Lucky you found them on time.


I know! that's what I'm wondering  We had temps near 100 with severe humidity for 4 days....But still, the nights were cool - 70 or so.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

What little sweeties, and congrats on the OOPS bucket babies. That bucket must be like an incubator. 

Amazing those babies were okay, I'm glad you found them in time.


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

spirit wings said:


> That is crazy..way kinda funny(since you found them)..amazing...lol.. OMGoodness *your egg patrol has to tighten up girl..*.lol...


YES! I can't tell you how awful I feel. Those poor babies!
I switch eggs out every weekend..so somehow I missed 2. I usually just pick them all out and throw them away, this time it was sooo hot and I had alot to do (my brain wasn't functioning from the heat!), I forgot to take the bucket out of the loft and left it sitting by the door!
I need to be much more careful!! Thank GOD I found them!


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## Pigeonlove (May 6, 2008)

Now that's a bucket of joy!! Congratulations on your new hatchlings! Thank goodness there was no hawk harm, too.


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

Pigeonlove said:


> Now that's a bucket of joy!! Congratulations on your new hatchlings! *Thank goodness there was no hawk harm, too.*


He can't get in, thank God! And I don't free fly my birds so they were safe......I just don't want him terrorizing them


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## tipllers rule (Aug 2, 2010)

luky to me i can't even get one egg and i have sixteen birs and i no atleast won is female its realy bad oh any body have a white racer pair ha but seiously no eggs for me let alone throwing them out


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## doveone52 (Aug 3, 2009)

What a neat surprise! So glad you found them and their safe and well!
Tippler, don't worry. They'll be coming out of your ears before long!


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

Mine won't even fall for the wooden egg switch any more ....Most of them, when I switch their eggs, kick out the fake eggs and lay 2 new ones!


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## jeff houghton (Jul 17, 2010)

sreeshs said:


> Amazing, how did they hatch after 5 days !!!!!! Lucky you found them on time.


I read in one of my pigeon books how this is possible if the temperature does not drop to drasticly.

I also tried this once by placing a 12 day old abandoned egg in an airing cupboard just to see if it would work ,and it hatched tried it since to no avail but it is possible.


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

jeff houghton said:


> I read in one of my pigeon books how this is possible if the temperature does not drop to drasticly.
> 
> I also tried this once by placing a 12 day old abandoned egg in an airing cupboard just to see if it would work ,and it hatched tried it since to no avail but it is possible.


That's amazing!
It was extremely hot here those days. We had 2 days of "Extreme Weather Warnings - High Heat and Humidity, warning of heat related illness's"
So I think that had alot to do with it.
Their doing OK


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

I'm so glad you found the little ones! Some years ago I got a call from a local egg distributor who had a crate of duck eggs "spontaneously" hatch on the loading dock. They figured this crate had somehow got put aside or missed or lost or whatever, and due to the warm weather they got ducklings. I believe there were 40 of them if I recall correctly. A few of them died but most grew up here with me and found good homes when they were old enough.

Terry


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

Wow! Pretty amazing hatch stories!


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## drifter (Oct 7, 2009)

For eggs to hatch aren't they supposed to be turned once or twice a day.


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## jeff houghton (Jul 17, 2010)

Evidently not.


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## drifter (Oct 7, 2009)

jeff houghton said:


> Evidently not.


Then maybe we should tell the birds about this, no sense in them wasting their time turning eggs that don't need to be turned.


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## i_like_birdz (May 25, 2010)

The babies were able to hatch because they were already incubated for maybe about two weeks and the eggs were a few days too early before they didn't need anymore turning so when she put the eggs in the bucket they were able to hatch a few days later i'm guessing. And the high temps was a plus. So that hatched a few babies.


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## drifter (Oct 7, 2009)

i_like_birdz said:


> The babies were able to hatch because they were already incubated for maybe about two weeks and the eggs were a few days too early before they didn't need anymore turning so when she put the eggs in the bucket they were able to hatch a few days later i'm guessing. And the high temps was a plus. So that hatched a few babies.


I knew that, I use to use an incubator to hatch poultry eggs, they recommend that you not turn the eggs during the last three days of incubation. Although I bet there are a lot of novice pigeon fanciers that are not aware of this.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

yes in the last days, you do not turn them.. the baby is getting situated to start using his egg tooth to start cutting.. but when they are ready... they are ready..lol reguardless if they are in a bucket or nest bowl...lol.... it still cracks me up.. no pun intended...lol..


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## drifter (Oct 7, 2009)

I dunno know though, I'm still trying to figure out how those ducks in the crate hatched while sitting on the loading dock.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

grifter said:


> I dunno know though, I'm still trying to figure out how those ducks in the crate hatched while sitting on the loading dock.


Well, I don't know either, BUT .. I think a crate of eggs is like 12 dozen (144 eggs). Though I posted that forty arrived here, I think the actual number was 29 (senility  and it was a long time ago). Anyway, the point being that if 29 out of 144 hatched, I think that is a pretty amazing # for there not being any mama duck! 

I KNOW these are pics of the ducklings, and the year was 2002: Spontaneous Ducklings

Further, I get people calling me each and every baby season, and they have somehow miraculously managed to hatch baby ducks, sparrows, doves, you name it after picking up eggs they found and sticking them under a lamp .. humidity not right .. didn't get turned .. temp not even really right .. BUT the eggs hatched.

Terry


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## sreeshs (Aug 16, 2009)

Have you guys ever wondered if it was like the pigeon squabs after hatching are able to feed by themselves, like chickens   but I guess thats what makes them a little more special


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## jeff houghton (Jul 17, 2010)

grifter said:


> Then maybe we should tell the birds about this, no sense in them wasting their time turning eggs that don't need to be turned.


Already had stern words with mine.There was a bit of cooing the odd tail feather was threw and one pooped in my general direction.But all in all i believe the message got through.!!


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

LOL, you guys are too much!
Well, off to feed the little eggs, will post new pics when I'm done


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## drifter (Oct 7, 2009)

jeff houghton said:


> Already had stern words with mine.There was a bit of cooing the odd tail feather was threw and one pooped in my general direction.But all in all i believe the message got through.!!


Same here, but my birds didn't give a poop about the idea.


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## velo99 (Apr 8, 2007)

free bird
I take one egg out and stick a woodie under the cockbird. A couple of days later I switch the other one. Hens are smarter than the cockbirds when it comes to eggs and can spot a woodie so I do it when the cockbird is on the nest.


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

velo99 said:


> free bird
> I take one egg out and stick a woodie under the cockbird. A couple of days later I switch the other one. Hens are smarter than the cockbirds when it comes to eggs and can spot a woodie so I do it when the cockbird is on the nest.


I always do it in the middle of the day, so it's the cock that's sitting when I switch them- They keep the fakes......I find them thrown out the next morning, so I'm assuming it's the hen that's booting them


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

The "MOM" knows!!! ROFL  

Love and Hugs

Shi


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

mr squeaks said:


> The "MOM" knows!!! ROFL
> 
> Love and Hugs
> 
> Shi


LOL! I know! The cock is probably HAPPY to have fake eggs 
Can't put anything over on a woman...."on a mission"!!


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

I have updated pics of the "bucket babies", Their doing great! Just haven't had a chance to post them yet.
They are in with the other baby (that was 3 days younger than his nest mate), crawling all over him ..he says! LOL


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

*Updated Pics....*

Here's one of the "bucket babies"...they are both identical and doing great!










And here's the "late hatch" baby ...... Their still all in together, a happy little family


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## sreeshs (Aug 16, 2009)

So nice  Is the second one a saddle ? Do you have an idea which pair's hatchlings would be these little ones ?


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

sreeshs said:


> So nice  Is the second one a saddle ? Do you have an idea which pair's hatchlings would be these little ones ?


No saddle...has a black chest 
Have NO idea who the parents are to the bucket babies....I removed about 16 eggs!


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## doveone52 (Aug 3, 2009)

I love seeing the pictures of the babies! The whole thing is just amazing!


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## cbx1013 (Aug 12, 2009)

That's an amazing story. So glad you found them when you did. Great pics, too.

I'm curious about the system you're using to feed them. Interesting!

Can you show a closer picture of that bottle, or link to a post about it, if one exists?

Thanks!

Don


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

cbx1013 said:


> That's an amazing story. So glad you found them when you did. Great pics, too.
> 
> I'm curious about the system you're using to feed them. Interesting!
> 
> ...


Thanks, their doing Great! I'm amazed that it even happened 
Here is a post to my bottle method....
http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f25/various-methods-to-feed-young-squabs-9682-2.html
Post #28


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## mtripOH (Jan 4, 2010)

Msfreebird said:


> Here is a post to my bottle method....
> http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f25/various-methods-to-feed-young-squabs-9682-2.html
> Post #28


I can attest that Waynettes bottle method has got to be the easiest way to feed little ones! We have a pair that abandoned their 5 day old baby. We are VERY new to pigeon rearing and Waynette was right there and helped me through the whole thing! I know I could not have done it without her help.
Your little bucket babies are just beautiful! Thanks for sharing!


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

mtripOH said:


> I can attest that Waynettes bottle method has got to be the easiest way to feed little ones! We have a pair that abandoned their 5 day old baby. We are VERY new to pigeon rearing and Waynette was right there and helped me through the whole thing! I know I could not have done it without her help.
> Your little bucket babies are just beautiful! Thanks for sharing!


Thanks....But YOU did all the work!
I know- aren't they cute! I can't believe they hatched amongst all those eggs It had to be because of the severe heat wave we had


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## cbx1013 (Aug 12, 2009)

Msfreebird said:


> Here is a post to my bottle method....
> http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f25/various-methods-to-feed-young-squabs-9682-2.html
> Post #28


Wonderful. Thank you. Bookmarked, because if you ever need it, you _really_ need it.

I need to spend more time in that resource section. It is truly amazing the amount of knowledge there...

Thank you, again.

Don


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

cbx1013 said:


> Wonderful. Thank you. Bookmarked, because if you ever need it, you _really_ need it.
> 
> I need to spend more time in that resource section. It is truly amazing the amount of knowledge there...
> 
> ...


Your Welcome


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

*Updated Pictures!*

Their getting big!
The "late hatch" baby is in the front, the "bucket babies" in the back..........
Markings are funny. Late hatch has an all white head, one bucket baby has a black head w/white diamond between eyes, and the other has a white head w/black diamond between eyes. They've been eating since Tuesday, but the 2 little ones are still getting 1 feeding a day.


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## Pigeon80error (Sep 25, 2010)

*Braveness in Pigeons are around everywhere...*

Wow! Those brave squabbies! Thats amazing that they could survive- Nice going!

-Dan


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## sreeshs (Aug 16, 2009)

Enjoyed seeing them all healthy and growing fast  The white diamond and the balck diamond is pretty nice too


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## dananarama (Sep 25, 2012)

Glad I was directed to this story. That's yet another crazy pigeon phenomenon I was not aware of. Is there a handy link somewhere to instructions on the care and feeding of a hatchling? I've got no idea what they would drink/eat when they're that tiny, or how often, or how you would safely get it down their gullet.


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

dananarama said:


> Glad I was directed to this story. That's yet another crazy pigeon phenomenon I was not aware of. Is there a handy link somewhere to instructions on the care and feeding of a hatchling? I've got no idea what they would drink/eat when they're that tiny, or how often, or how you would safely get it down their gullet.


I've raised quite a few.......alot!  Their much friendlier and very tame. My hand raised adults still fly to me when I go into the lofts to feed, usually riding around on my back as I feed...or jump in the bucket!
This is how I do it.........http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f20/i...6756.html?highlight=bottle+feeding#post615941


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## scmona (Sep 6, 2012)

Msfreebird said:


> Mine won't even fall for the wooden egg switch any more ....Most of them, when I switch their eggs, kick out the fake eggs and lay 2 new ones!


That's funny.


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## SmplySooz (Oct 21, 2012)

I removed the 1st egg my young pair laid. It was so cold I thought it was barren. I guess after reading this I should have left it. Anyhow, they laid another and both of them took turns keeping it warm. The little one hatched and is now about 3 wks but momma bird flew off and may have gotten injured by a crow or was too scared to come home, this leaving poppa bird to raise the chick by himself. He's lost interest in keeping it warm tho and it's sorta good to hear this has happened to others. It was common sense to me to pull the baby, feed her and give her a clean, warm place to grow. I put her outside in the day time with poppa bird who still keeps her crop stuffed but will not have anything more to do with her. I see myself as a supplement and care giver 'cuz I know she's got to be socialized and at the same time, she needs to keep warm to live. With temps reaching low 40s, I'm not leaving her out there all night alone. The little darlin' fell asleep against my neck this evening. Guess she liked the warmth and the pulse.


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