# Pigeon egg in rose pot in balcony



## Moulshree

Hi friends, 
A pigeon has laid her egg in my balcony's rose pot. I do not want to disturb the pigeon but I am worried about my plant. Can watering plant damage pigeon's egg? Should I leave my plant to die or is there a way to water it without damaging pigeon's egg?
Pigeon and her partner remain in my balcony and sit on egg during day time only and Fly off during evening. 
I am also worried that when the baby pigeon will come out it may fall off the balcony. What should I do? Please guide me.


----------



## kiddy

When the egg was laid? if it is just a day or two days back and you think it is not a safe place for them , you can toss the egg. After 3 days embryo starts developing inside the egg.

Watering the plant will of course make the egg cold and it wouldn't hatch. They keep the eggs under their feathers to keep them warm and this is what incubation is and then they hatch.

If the pot is kept on balcony wall or in balcony, i mean i wanted to know why the baby will fall off the balcony if the pot is in the balcony?
Can you pls post a pic of the location?


----------



## Moulshree

The first egg was laid day before yesterday in the evening. I have attached the pic.. Now there are two eggs. Will the pigeon abandon her eggs if I try to move it? I was thinking if any of the following could work:
Replacing the flower pot with an empty soil pot and moving the pigeon eggs to the same.
Watering the plant from opposite side may be by digging a hole in soil so that water shouldn't reach pigeon's egg.
Removing the plant from pot leaving the soil behind 
Or just letting the things as it is and leaving the plant to die.


----------



## Marina B

Unfortunately you won't be able to water any of those plants once they start to incubate the eggs. You will scare them away and the eggs won't hatch, or if they hatch the babies will die of exposure. So you must be willing to limit your access to that area.

So if you want the pigeons to nest, no water for the next 6 weeks. Otherwise, you can move away some of the pots and only leave the rose pot and the 2 next to it. Each of these 3 pots you can put into a deep tray and fill that today with water. The roots will suck up the water and hopefully the plants will survive. Once the parents start leaving the babies alone during the day at about 10 days old, you can refill those trays again.

I personally would sacrifice 3 plants just to watch the little babies grow up.


----------



## Moulshree

Hi Marina, 
The two pigeons are in the balcony only during day time. I dont know why but they leave eggs and Fly away in the evening and return back early in the morning. I do not access balcony when they are near their eggs. Are they going to do the same with the babies..leaving them alone at night.
I water the plants only when they are not there leaving the rose plant.


----------



## kiddy

Once they lay both the eggs, they start incubating them. Either of the parents always be with the eggs sitting on them. They probably left during the nights because they didn't lay both. 
They don't abandon the eggs/babies normally unless scared off something e.g. predators or even human beings which are no less than predators for them.

Marina B gave a good advice. Once they start incubating you won't be able to water the plants without scaring them off. If you have to water all the plants, throw the eggs before they start developing embryos i.e. within 3 days.
If they leave being scared after three days of incubation two little lives inside the eggs will die without seeing this world.
So pls decide what you have to do.

I too love the plants but i personally would prefer those babies to come into this world but that is just my choice.

You can always write us back for any confusion.


----------



## Whytpigeon

Moulshree said:


> Hi Marina,
> The two pigeons are in the balcony only during day time. I dont know why but they leave eggs and Fly away in the evening and return back early in the morning. I do not access balcony when they are near their eggs. Are they going to do the same with the babies..leaving them alone at night.
> I water the plants only when they are not there leaving the rose plant.


This being an early nest and the eggs just laid, you can toss them out and water you're rose. It is you're balcony not theirs. Try to put aluminum foil around the plants until they move elsewhere, they may try again if they like the pots. Or you can give them their own pot with just dirt in it if you are ready for pigeon poop and worry over the hatchlings. Or do not start the process at all. They like to come back and use the same spots for the next clutches.


----------



## Moulshree

*Pigeons absence during night.*

Hi all, 
I didn't go to my balcony yesterday. The pigeons were there rhe whole day and were absent at night (peeked through a window) and came back today in the morning. My question is that will the eggs ever hatch if the pigeons are not there at night. 
If the eggs are not going to hatch I do not want to sacrifice my plant for nothing. The rose plant is dearest to me among all other plants and in the morning I saw a rose bud in my plant and I am willing to water it.
But if there is a chance that the eggs would hatch, I would sacrifice my plant.
It has been 3 nights total since the pigeon laid eggs.
Day temperature here is around 30degree Celsius and at night it is 18 degree Celsius.
I am a mother of two months old and the eggs constantly reminds me that if I enjoy this fortune of being a parent, they too have the right for the same.


----------



## Jay3

If they aren't staying during the night, the eggs probably won't hatch anyway. If you don't remove them, then you won't be able to use your balcony either. I would toss them now and try to discourage nesting there. They will go elsewhere and start another nest. Not worth giving up your balcony and letting your plants die, when they are not even staying with the eggs. Not really a big deal to them, as they will go elsewhere. If they are not caring for the eggs properly, they probably won't care for the babies properly either.


----------



## JennyM

It's so sad to read that it's not worth giving up your balcony or that the balcony is your not theirs  come one, they are little birds, they don't know. I would give them a chance and do what Marina B suggested. It's just going to be a few weeks anyway.


----------



## kiddy

Jenny:
It is so sweet of you but this time they aren't being serious for the eggs and think if somehow the eggs hatched but they keep on doing the same for the babies, they will die. May be they aren't feeling safe there during the nights so leaving the eggs alone but what about the babies then? I too want them to be hatched but i think of their survival too. It is very painful for them and for us as well when they starve and die.


Moulshree: 


> I am a mother of two months old and the eggs constantly reminds me that if I enjoy this fortune of being a parent, they too have the right for the same.


I just loved this line and much appreciate your kind heart and thank you for treating those birds humanely and putting them at your place. That's so sweet you.

If you say they both are leaving the eggs for nights, it seems really impossible they will ever hatch but if you are unsure, candle them by a flash light ( at night when parents aren't there as you say )to see if there is any embryo development inside (google for candling eggs and you will know more about how to do it). If 3 days have been completed after the second egg was laid, there should be red veins developing inside which is the starting stage. Just take a flash light close to the egg at night and try to see through the shell but ONLY when parents aren't around.

Two questions for you: 1) Is the balcony safe from predators? and are you sure they don't get scared off anything during the day and so don't stay there at night?
2) Are there any light bulbs in balcony which are switched on during the nights?


----------



## Moulshree

Hi,
The pigeon has started being with eggs at night also. I have shifted all plants except rose to another balcony. The pigeon came back and she didn't abondon her eggs. I have decided not to use the balcony for six weeks now.


----------



## Marina B

That's nice of you. Let us know when the babies hatch (the parents will throw out the shells. When the babies are about ten days old, the parents will start leaving them alone during the day. So another photo of them would be nice to see.


----------



## Whytpigeon

You can always buy another rose bush of course. Pigeons are not endangered so really I don't understand the emotional response to eggs that have not even developed, or basically like the one you would eat for breakfast. But being tolerant of their choice may not be a big deal to you. They will use the pot again, in fact the hen will lay more eggs even before or right after the young can stand up and move out of they nest, the male will still feed the young almost full size pigeons while the female is sitting on another pair of eggs. So u may not have you're balcony for most of the year if you can't throw the eggs out. I understand not wanting to take developed eggs that are going to hatch, but ones just laid have nothing in them but a yolk at that point. You also will need to clean the pigeon feces for sanitary reasons. if you leave the pair to hatch and raise young on their/you're balcony you could end up with a whole flock in a short time, so be prpaired to deal with it. IMO, I don't think it is always wise to help create more feral pigeons, smaller flocks are healthier with less disease, hatch control can help but emotions get in the way instead of reality. 

Also feral birds can carry mites, they do not usually get on humans but there are some that do and infest a home, so there are other things to think about as well.


----------



## Jay3

JennyM said:


> It's so sad to read that it's not worth giving up your balcony or that the balcony is your not theirs  come one, they are little birds, they don't know. I would give them a chance and do what Marina B suggested. It's just going to be a few weeks anyway.



Just being a realist here. If they aren't staying with the eggs now, they may very well not stay with babies. That would be worse, to watch babies suffering. And it's only one set of eggs. They would just settle in another place and start again. Not all that difficult for them. If they do hatch then it will be more like a couple of months before the poster can use the balcony. Not that uncommon for birds to have to move and start another nest.


----------



## kiddy

Well, not always they use similar nest for second set. If the area of nest is small, they make another nest too in some new location where the eggs could be safely incubated without interference of the previous babies, so can't say for sure. 
Secondly the second set of eggs could be discarded either if the poster is interested in letting them hatch and grow up this time. 
I too have pigeon nest in my balcony and I feed them too there but no flock joined them yet tho we have many feral pigeons around, so just possibilities. If flock comes we can scare them off any time if not interested in them, they aren't that brave to come again if frightened. 
Thirdly, pigeons have no more diseases than any other birds. They too poop like other birds which could be easily scraped off when dried up or mopped if wet, whatever needed. 
So having the pigeon nest on balcony is a good experience which allows us to see how parents put in their hard work to make their babies grow. 
This is my opinion and choice, rest is up to original poster.


----------



## JennyM

Moulshree said:


> Hi,
> The pigeon has started being with eggs at night also. I have shifted all plants except rose to another balcony. The pigeon came back and she didn't abondon her eggs. I have decided not to use the balcony for six weeks now.


aww, so nice of you to this!  time flies, those 6 weeks will go by quickly!


----------



## Dee_Ann

*watch them grow!*

So nice of you to give the pigeon your rose bush and also your balcony! People like you restore my faith in humanity. Just thanks for being you and for caring about this little family. Survival in the wild is tough, I never understand how this species makes it in the first place. It wasn't until I rescued a few pigeons last year that I came to understand they are intelligent beings that don't really get a fair shake lots of times. Watching them feed their young is really entertaining and I think just watching the squabs grow will be hopefully compensation for the prized rose plant


----------



## Moulshree

Hi frnz,
One of the egg has hatched. I saw the baby.Pigeon is sitting on it.


----------



## Marina B

That's nice. Other one will hatch soon and then you can watch them growing up.


----------



## kiddy

That's really nice to read and i am glad your sacrifice of losing your rose you loved wasn't in vain.
Thank you for giving them a chance. So nice of you.


----------



## Moulshree

Hi all,
It's been three and a half weeks now since the eggs hatched and the two little pigeons are now grown up. 
But they seem too lazy to fly. The family of four continues to sit in the rose pot which is now too small for them.
How and when can I fly them off. Please suggest.


----------



## kiddy

Lol. Yes it seems too small for four. Anyway they will take part in some flying sessions with parents and learn to fly that way. 
You don't have to do anything, they will leave themselves when capable of foraging for food and flying well.


----------



## Moulshree

Hi all,
The pigeon has again laid an egg in the pot. As far as I know the egg is not fertile for first three days so I want to remove it before it comes to life. How can I do it without frightening the parents and babies. All four are happily living in the balcony and the only time when the babies are not in pot, they are running in the balcony.
Sometimes when I go in the balcony to place water bowl the parents fly off and the babies seems frightened in the pot. Can I pick up the eggs then? Will the babies attack me? Should I wait for the second egg to be laid?


----------



## Whytpigeon

Moulshree said:


> Hi all,
> The pigeon has again laid an egg in the pot. As far as I know the egg is not fertile for first three days so I want to remove it before it comes to life. How can I do it without frightening the parents and babies. All four are happily living in the balcony and the only time when the babies are not in pot, they are running in the balcony.
> Sometimes when I go in the balcony to place water bowl the parents fly off and the babies seems frightened in the pot. Can I pick up the eggs then? Will the babies attack me? Should I wait for the second egg to be laid?


You walk out, pick up the eggs, take them inside and put them in the trash can. Done. The young will fly off at some point . You may get more eggs so repeat as above. Pigeons can take over if you let them, it's best IMO, to not help multiply them and make them in more numbers at your home, because they will get noticed and most times by the wrong people who exterminate them, like the owner of the building and maintenance crew.


----------



## Jay3

Just taking the eggs isn't really a good idea as long as there are still babies out there and the parents are settled there. They will just keep laying and that isn't good for the hen. Boiling the egg, letting it cool to just warm, then putting it back would be better. She will keep sitting on it then. When she has the second egg, you could do the same with it. Put a little mark on the egg so that you will know when she lays the next one, which one is already boiled.
When the babies have fledged, you can then go out and remove any new eggs and destroy the nest so that they will go somewhere else to nest. If they try to rebuild at that point, just do the same again. They should give up and go elsewhere.


----------



## Moulshree

*Can 4 weeks old pigeons be able to survive on their own*

Hi all, 
As soon as my husband removed the new egg, the pigeon s fled leaving the babies behind. 
I am worried. the babies are now close to 4 weeks. Will they be able to survive on their own. They haven't learned flying yet. I have kept a water bowl and some boiled rice for them in the balcony. Will they eat It?


----------



## kiddy

If they never left the nest and didn't learn to eat, they won't be able to eat. Parents must be scared off your husband and left the babies, they don't do it normally. This should have been done when no parents were around and keeping the egg back after boiling it was a good idea. 
Now, just wait and watch if they return. 
If they don't, you may have to hand feed them until they wean on seeds, if you won't be able to do so, they may starve and die. 
Hope and pray they come back.

P. S. If you can get small seeds or pigeon /dove seed mix, it would be better for them. They may try to eat. Rice isn't nutritious for them and cooked rice is even lesser at nutritional values. They eat raw seeds, not cooked.
Also, They should learn to fly by their parents else it is hard to survive and escape from the predators.


----------



## Moulshree

Hi all, 
So when I kept the rice I saw the pigeons came back and they were all eating together. But I am not sure whether they were their parents or some other pigeons. 
What I observed was the babies were picking rice on their own so that means they are capable of eating on their own.


----------



## Whytpigeon

If you can make it so the terrace is not inviting to them they will go elsewhere. That is iam assuming you want your terrace back and clean. You would remove or change anything they may like to nest in or on. Do not hand out any feed. You will only attract more pigeons. And if you attract more pigeons then they will get noticed by management and others, in which they could poison to exterminate them.


----------



## Moulshree

Hi, 
I am from India. In India management and landlord are generally not bothered with birds nesting in balcony. I am worried about the pigeons though. I will wait till morning to see whether they are eating and drinking by themselves or whether their parents have returned or else I will handfeed them. I have seen them come out of their eggs and grow, I cant see them dying.


----------



## Whytpigeon

, they are past feeding. They are weaned. Let them go their way. They need to be motivated to follow the adult birds to learn foraging skills and flying skills. If all their needs are met on a small balcony they won't go anywhere. And iam sorry to break it to you but, they do have pest control companies in India. But a lone person can put out poison feed, with no one knowing.


----------



## kiddy

Pigeons are not considered as pest in India and in my city people feed them everywhere. I feed them on my balcony and in all my neighboring area I see many people feeding them. Several nest boxes are hanging from balconies for them to nest in. I may upload pics sometime if I take any. 
In my balcony pigeons are nesting in a cardboard box. No management bothered yet. It is our individual choice to keep them or let them go, nobody else is going to say anything. 
I clean my balcony daily just as I clean my pet pigeons cages everyday. 
It is so relaxing to see the cute babies grow and fly, and so I do everything to help them.
What is better than to help someone? Be it a human or an animal, at least you are able to do something.

Moulshree, I think they are capable of eating on their own and I think they are parents who are eating with them. Just give them a little time to learn to fly and then the balcony is yours. Till then, a little patience so they don't get scared and fly.


----------



## Jay3

Please do not change anything around until these babies fledge. The young are not yet ready to go elsewhere. In doing so you may scare the parents off again. Did you ever boil the egg, so that you can return it when the parents are not around?
Also, if the babies are eating solid food, then they should also learn to drink water. If you leave a dish of water out there that they can't tip over, they will learn from watching the parents drink.


----------



## kiddy

Completely agree with Jay. As soon as they learn to eat and drink, they will fly so a bowl of water will help them to learn to drink soon. When they are weaned they will follow parents to forage for food and this is how they will learn to fly too. 
When they leave you will chase off any other pigeons coming to your balcony and that would be a good end. 
Thanks for your kind heart for them.


----------



## JennyM

Whytpigeon said:


> You walk out, pick up the eggs, take them inside and put them in the trash can. Done. The young will fly off at some point . You may get more eggs so repeat as above. Pigeons can take over if you let them, it's best IMO, to not help multiply them and make them in more numbers at your home, because they will get noticed and most times by the wrong people who exterminate them, like the owner of the building and maintenance crew.


sorry to butt in but you give the worst advise! you did the same in the "baby mourning dove" thread. Now the babies are probably abandoned because you told her to simply "pick up the eggs" and toss them. Maybe you should let other members advise instead.


----------



## JennyM

kiddy said:


> Pigeons are not considered as pest in India and in my city people feed them everywhere. I feed them on my balcony and in all my neighboring area I see many people feeding them. Several nest boxes are hanging from balconies for them to nest in. I may upload pics sometime if I take any.


people from India are so kind! ♥ hope you can upload some pictures soon


----------



## Moulshree

Hi all,
I am really grateful to all of you for your advices.
The situation is the two pigeons have returned since I placed food and water bowl in the balcony. They are there since 3-4 hours so I am assuming they wont leave the babies now.
I am leaving them to their fate and yes they will have to learn to find food and Fly so I am not going to disturb them now.


----------



## Jay3

Good! They will learn to eat on their own and drink on their own because of the food you put out. Just put out a little, so the babies can watch the parents and learn to eat and drink. Don't worry, that will not make them stay there because you are helping them. Who ever thinks that it will stop them from flying off when ready, doesn't know pigeons very well. Good job!


----------



## JennyM

I'm glad the parents came back! you are doing a great job!


----------



## Whytpigeon

JennyM said:


> sorry to butt in but you give the worst advise! you did the same in the "baby mourning dove" thread. Now the babies are probably abandoned because you told her to simply "pick up the eggs" and toss them. Maybe you should let other members advise instead.


I'm not sure that you are sorry but, in my opinion for you to say this makes me think you are inexperienced and don't understand or agree with my advice. It's a free country, but it will get pretty tiresome for you if you have to say something every time you don't agree with something. I think you should check yourself before checking others.


----------



## Critterwoman

*pigeons nesting on my windowsill - indoors*

Wow, this thread seems to confirm what just dawned on me. Two local pigeons have decided that my microgreens tray would make a great place for a nest.

Earlier today, I looked up from a small table I was sanding to find one of the two resting comfortably in the tray, looking at what I was doing and studying the human indoor environment. The window was open; the other bird was still outside at the time. I wondered what they were up to. 

Well, I just found both of them in the tray! (Both high-tailed it when I walked into the room, though.) The coin dropped when I went online and read that pigeons basically nest all-year-round. It puts a big smile on my face.

These two surely know that my kitchen window is often closed, but I used to have pet birds (small parrots), which local birds undoubtedly knew about, and I rehabbed a pigeon in September. Word seems to have gotten around among the local birds. LOL! Earlier today, I noticed that these two also recognized me in the street.

Hm. Looks like I may have a decision to make.


----------



## Jay3

That's funny, but I don't see any decision. Unless you like a very messy kitchen, I would keep the window closed. LOL.


----------



## Critterwoman

Ha, but I like the idea! I know it's not doable, though. 

Yesterday evening, s/he was back, looking inside through the glass because the window was closed, and looking at me, but I didn't budge. This morning, window open, they were both back again and initially inside, but after a little while, they decided to leave. Somehow I don't think they'll be back again now.


----------



## Jay3

That is weird. I would buy one of those screens for now that you can expand in the window sill. Cute though. I used to have a cute little Carolina Wren come in through my window when his meal worm feeder was empty. He would jump around to get my attention, then go back to the feeder, which was right outside the window. I would then fill the feeder for him and he was happy.


----------

