# Feeding times for 2 week old squab



## abbysian (Jun 15, 2008)

Hi: I've been searching on the post for advice on the feeding of the little squab...The squab that inhabits my high rise terrace was hatched about 18 days ago...It had a sibling, but that one was very frail and hardly moved. A *hawk* spotted it and swooped down on my terrace and took it. I tried to scare it off, but it jumped up on the ledge and flew off. I felt a sigh of relief until I noticed the little wing moving-the hawk had the baby in its talons...I nearly fainted, it was such a huge bird, almost the size of my cat!!! It was quite disturbing to see a predator in action that close to me...That baby was frail looking, but it did not deserve to die in such a horrible manner... I immediately went out on the terrace and tried to cover the baby as best I could-large storage container on the left side, an excersise stepper and a table on the right- Almost like Fort Knoxx...Now, the one baby that is left-I would like to know how often the parents usually come to feed it. I see them early in the morning, and they seem content to eat the bird food that I put out for them and basically ignore the baby. When it starts squeeking loudly, pappa usually goes and tends to it for a *few *minutes and then flies off. I usually see the parents again, around 3:30pm, they sit around for an hour or so, probably waiting for me to throw out some more bird seed, then they leave again. If the baby is again, squeeking loudly, one of the birds will go and check on it-and I hope-feed it, then the parents leave. Is it normal for them to leave the baby alone for such long periods of time. How can I tell if the baby is getting enough food? Do one of the parents come back at night to check on the baby, or is it left alone all night without another feeding? Should I start tossing some wild bird feed at the baby-minus sunflower seed, of course, or should I just leave well enough alone. As I said, this little squab is about 18 days old?
Also, when does the pappa start teaching the little one how to fly?


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

The parents do leave babies that age alone, only to come back and feed. It's tragic about the other one and since the hawk knows it's there, it could return for that one too.
If you threw it seeds, the baby wouldn't have a clue as to what they are for.


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi abbysian,



You could put a small Bowl of Bird Seeds next to the Squab, and his parents will notice it when they come to feed him.


His parents will appreciate the gesture, and at his age, the Squab, in seeing his parents pecking Seeds, will learn howto peck with them, much sooner than he would otherwise.


You could set a Bowl of water there also if you are in an arid clime...



Good luck..!


Phil
l v


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## abbysian (Jun 15, 2008)

as I mentioned, the baby is about* 18 days old*. When will pappa begin teaching it to fly?


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

abbysian said:


> as I mentioned, the baby is about* 18 days old*. When will pappa begin teaching it to fly?


The baby has about 10 more days before he'll even think about flying. In a few days, he'll begin to flap his wings and excercise some, but he's still to little to fly.


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## abbysian (Jun 15, 2008)

While it is a marvel to see this whole thing unfold, I too am anxious for the baby to learn how to fly so I can get my terrace back. I am also afraid that the hawk will try to come back and take this baby too. There's a lot of poop from my one little birdie, I can imagine how much two babies leave. I try to scoop as much of it up as I can, i don't want the baby getting sick from laying in its poop. I truly hope that I am doing a good thing by trying to help this pigeons survive. It seemed as if the parents were starting to build another nest, I saw the telltale twigs appearing, but with the maintenance workers working on the facade and constantly appearing, drilling and moving things, I think mama and pappa have decieded to build elsewhere. I have been putting bird food near where the baby is *hidden*, with the hopes that as one of the members mentioned, the baby will see the parents eating and try to mimic what they are doing and start to eat too. Does the pappa train the baby during the day, for I have not seen anything but him going into the little hiding spot and feeding it and them coming back out and eating the bird seed that I put out. Or does the training take place at night, when predators cannot see the baby out and about? What is the easiest method of cleaning the poop from around the baby's "*lodgings"*? All information is greatly appreciated.


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

abbysian said:


> as I mentioned, the baby is about* 18 days old*. When will pappa begin teaching it to fly?



No one 'teaches' them to Fly...

They grow, they sleep, they poop, they get fed, they occasionally stretch, and eventually, in small ways, they excercise.


...they develop their muscles in just growing, and, develop them also intentionally in stationary Flapping excercises, and, once they feel that their muscles and overall developement are up to it, he or she takes their first small flight, or, whatever kind of flight it need be, to try things out.

For the next week or two, their flights remain short and small if increasing as the young fledgling gains in muscle mass and strength from his own judgement on what is prudent efforts in his developing skills...sometimes also with the4 encouragement of his or her parents calling to them to havethe youngster try the next 'step' for distance or altitude.

During this time the parents continue to feed them.


They manage all of this very well on their own, and would not benifit from any one trying to 'teach' it to them.


Phil
l v


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

abbysian said:


> While it is a marvel to see this whole thing unfold, I too am anxious for the baby to learn how to fly so I can get my terrace back. I am also afraid that the hawk will try to come back and take this baby too.



Hi abbysian, 



Indeed, lets hope not...!




> There's a lot of poop from my one little birdie, I can imagine how much two babies leave. I try to scoop as much of it up as I can, i don't want the baby getting sick from laying in its poop.



The Baby will not get sick from his poop being aroundthe Nest.

Healthy poop surrounding the Nest is actually a good thing, and discourages many bacteria or molds or insects from importuning.


There are very few things we can offer them to improve on their own Natural History, and, their own ways of doing things.


Setting a little Bowl of Seed for the Parents, at the Nest, is one thing one can do, which not only is a kindness to the parents, but, will allow a youngster to learn to peck and eat now for watching them doing it, instead of his having to wait till after he is flying well enough to go with his parents to find Seeds, and to see and learn from them then, about pecking on his own.

Simularly, a small Bowl of Water.


These are gestures which offer a benifit to the youngster and to his parents.





> I truly hope that I am doing a good thing by trying to help this pigeons survive. It seemed as if the parents were starting to build another nest, I saw the telltale twigs appearing, but with the maintenance workers working on the facade and constantly appearing, drilling and moving things, I think mama and pappa have decieded to build elsewhere.




Yes, unless the parents were intending to continue to use the present Nest site ( which possibly they realized would not be a good idea with the Hawk issue ) , they would build a new Nest elsewhere sometime around now.





> I have been putting bird food near where the baby is *hidden*, with the hopes that as one of the members mentioned, the baby will see the parents eating and try to mimic what they are doing and start to eat too.



In-a-little-Bowl...or shallow Cup...would be best...and, right netx to the youngster, or, practically in the Nest...or if not in it, then very close on to it.






> Does the pappa train the baby during the day, for I have not seen anything but him going into the little hiding spot and feeding it and them coming back out and eating the bird seed that I put out. Or does the training take place at night, when predators cannot see the baby out and about? What is the easiest method of cleaning the poop from around the baby's "*lodgings"*? All information is greatly appreciated.




There is no 'training'...


Later, once the youngster is starting to fly a little, Poppa ( usually, rather than Momma, but could be either, or both in turn) will call to him from close locations and distances they feel he can make it to, for him to be fed by them...instead of feeding him in or atthe Nest.

In this way, they support and encourage his developing skills, according to their judgement, and his.

If they ask him to fly farther then he feels he can, he will refuse, and the parent will elect a closer place to have him try from.



The youngster still returns TO the Nest however, once making small forays from it...untill he feels ready not to do so anymore.



Best wishes...!


Phil
l v


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## abbysian (Jun 15, 2008)

Thanks for all of your information. I want to ensure that this baby survives..It is sooo cute. Has the two black stripes on either side like its mamma! I think it has been out a couple of times because I see fresh poop near my terrace door. The parents never pooped on the terrace floor, occasionally they would poop on my windowsill. I wil put some water and seed closer to where baby is.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Thanks for your care and concern over this baby. PLEASE make sure that the parents are still feeding him and please do continue to keep him safe.


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## abbysian (Jun 15, 2008)

I have put some wild bird seed near where the baby is hidden as Phil suggested. lo and behold, I finally got to see the little birdie in action. As soon as the parents started eating the food, little birdie hobbled out, flapping his wings. He was trying to put his beak to pappa's beak, but pappa kept eating. The little baby ran behind him, flapping his wings and then started to* peck *at the food too. This was too comical to see. I continue to put out food for the parents, because I do not want them to abandon the baby. As I mentioned in a previous post, maintenance work is being done on the facade of my building and on each of the balconies. The workers know that the baby is there, they just work around it and leave it alone. The birds still continue to come to my balcony every day, hopefully to feed their baby and not to just see if I have left out food for them. They were in the process of building a new nest before the maintenance work began, but I haven't seen twigs in about a week, so I believe that they have began a nest elsewhere. The baby is growing quickly, it is almost the size of its mother, but I have not seen it fly yet. It hops and flaps its wings. I hope and pray that it learns how to fly soon, I live on the nineteenth floor, and once mamma lays her new set of eggs wherever, I fear that the birds will stop coming to my terrace to check on this baby altogether. Will pappa make certain that the baby can fly adequately and get him down to the ground level, or am I going to have to take the baby down to the ground level myself?


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi abbysian,



Wonderful news...very glad to hear things are working out nicely there!



The Youngster did as I was expecting him to do, and thanks to your putting the Seeds there, he will soon know how to Peck before he leaves the Nest.

This is a very good thing for him to know, in case he were become separated from his parents, once he is flying.



As for when he will make his flying debut - that is up to his own judgement, and also up to the judgement of his Father as far as his urgings of when to try the deed...and in this case, being so high up, they will both will wish to err on his being definitely ready when he does take off and try it.

Untill then, he will excercise and Flap and 'Helicopter' in place, there on the Balcony. and continue to develop his Muscles and strength.


Having Water there for them, is also very good, both as a courtesy to his Parents, and, also, so seeing them drink, he too can learn to drink now, instead of having to wait till he flying well enough to go with Mom and Dad, to where-ever they drink.


Good work...!


Post some Images if it is convenient...we would love to see...


Best wishes!


His parents will continue to look after him untill he is in their opinion, flying well enough to go forrage and find Water and so on, on his own.


He might return to the Nest and Balcony area even after he is flying, for a while anyway, taking his forays from it as he sees fit...since that is still his 'Home', and also, since he knows Mom or Dad would look for him there, so it may continue to be a rondevous for him and his parents even after he flying and or disappears for a couple days.


He might take his first flight, and not be strong enough to get back up there, since it is SO high and all...but, he will try, and it might take him a couple days, and some strategy of successive stages or steps of resting on lower Balconys even, to do it.






Phil
Las Vegas


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

No need to take the baby to ground level as it's safer where it is. The baby will figure out eventually that it has wings.


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