# Hen Raising babies alone? possible



## KORMEZ (Feb 20, 2008)

hey i have a pair of bird's that havent been let out of there breeding section since they have layed but i took the male out for a fresh air and ended up losing him has been 6 days his not back and i dont think he will be, well the hen kept sitting on the eggs all by herself for that 6 days and the eggs this morning have hatched,

she is still on them and has fed them there 1st meal and is still protective over them, do use think that she will raise them alone ?


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Hello, 

She may or may not continue to raise them by herself. She could be waiting for her mate to return but also might give up soon if he doesn't. Do you have another pair that you could foster these babies out to if needed?


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## KORMEZ (Feb 20, 2008)

nop no other pair i really hope she will as ive had other hens in the past raise babies on there own she seems like she will very protective over them


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## Jaye (Mar 13, 2008)

It's certainly possible. I had a beautiful widowed mom in my lightwell a while back...she was a great bird, a great mom....her mate of years disappeared when their 2 chicks were under a week old....she raised the two of them all the way until they fledged. She was awesome !

Keep an eye....even if she can only hang in there raising them for about a week...she will have given them a great start and you can take over from there....

But it's a promising start thus far, sounds like. Keep us posted.


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Well, hopefully she will continue to look after them, it's not unheard of. I would keep a close eye on her and if she starts to neglect or eventually abandons them, you should have some formula, syringes, nipples etc. ready to hand feed.


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## KORMEZ (Feb 20, 2008)

I sure will keep updating, but if she however does neglect them i wont care for the young and simply be put down or "die" since i have a busy life at work, i dont have the time, simply nothing i can do for them if they don't make it thats nature but i will do everything i can for the mom to feel comfortable.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

You need keep a close eye out as she may abandon them, as happened with my two babies.

Try to keep her giving them the pigeon milk as long as possible-as it is critical the first few days, but be prepared to take over the feedings.


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## pigeonmama (Jan 9, 2005)

Make sure the hen has food/water within reach while she's on the nest.
Daryl


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

KORMEZ said:


> I sure will keep updating, *but if she however does neglect them i wont care for the young and simply be put down or "die" since i have a busy life at work, i dont have the time, simply nothing i can do for them if they don't make it thats nature* but i will do everything i can for the mom to feel comfortable.


Sorry, but I have to strongly disagree with you. Maybe it's "nature" with feral pigeons when something happens to one of the parents and the babies get left to die, but it's NOT natural when the birds are being cared for by YOU. 
IMO, parents on eggs and/or babies have no business being out of the loft. It's up to YOU, their caretaker, to see to it that they are kept safe and can finish the job that YOU let them begin.
To kill the babies or just let them die because you don't have the time to care for them is just wrong. 
If this was your intention to begin with, I don't even understand why you posted and asked the question about whether the hen would continue to raise the babies, because obviously, it doesn't really matter if she does or not. 
I'm very disappointed in this.  
I just hope for the babies sake, she WILL take care of them. 
How sad.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

KORMEZ said:


> I sure will keep updating, but if she however does neglect them i wont care for the young and simply be put down or "die" since i have a busy life at work, i dont have the time, simply nothing i can do for them if they don't make it thats nature but i will do everything i can for the mom to feel comfortable.


 

you may be able to find someone to raise them for you if needed,ask this forum or call around to your vet, someone there will want them to live.


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## pigeonmama (Jan 9, 2005)

Renee,
You go, girl !! It's true, these birds come to rely on us, trust us. Sad that the person who owns these pigeons is willing to take the time to post, but not take the time to provide the care needed to make sure the hatching/raising of these potential babies is a success.
Daryl


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

KORMEZ said:


> I sure will keep updating, but if she however does neglect them i wont care for the young and simply be put down or "die" since i have a busy life at work, i dont have the time, simply nothing i can do for them if they don't make it thats nature but i will do everything i can for the mom to feel comfortable.


Kormez,
I agree with the others. It's your actions, letting the male bird out, that have caused this situation and you need to remedy it. If the hen can't take care of the babies all by herself, YOU need to step in and help with the feedings. That doesn't mean you need to do it all.... I can't believe you don't have time to help with some feedings. It's only for a short time, after all, and you won't need to do it for years as with a human child.


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Hi Everyone, 

On one hand I agree with how Renee, Daryl, and Charis feel about responsibility of this owner to make sure things are handled properly. But on the flipside, this person may not be able to make that kind of time and sacrifice required to hand feed and cater to a baby bird.

I know for myself I couldn't do it either with my wacky work schedule and I couldn't just take time off in order to hand feed a baby pigeon. Some of us have responsibilities and obligations we just can't get out of. This is exactly why I couldn't hand raise any babies from my own pair of runts and had to ask another kind member to do that for me.

That said though, this person should have thought this out a bit more carefully, or at least considered the possibility of this happening and had a back up plan.

Kormez, if you are listening perhaps it would make everyone feel better if you could find these babies a home and if the hen abandons them. There is probably someone here on the site closeby who would take them or maybe you know someone within your own "pigeon circle" who might have the time or the fosters.

No offense to anyone for their ideas, thoughts or this person's posting.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Renee,

Thank you for bringing this to my attention, I was responding to the original post and then got sidetracked by family matter.

I agree that you need to find a rehabber or someone to care for these babies, if you absolutely can't, should the mother abandon them. I'll take them, I have done it before, it's only a few weeks of care! It's a wonderful bonding experience, that I was lucky enough to be a part of.


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## KORMEZ (Feb 20, 2008)

Ok sorry guys for late reply i also recived your pm Trees Gray, I live in australia in melbourne I posted here if she would raise them since i dont see this very often and wanted answer's if its possible or not, I`m sorry for whom people are angry at me that i cannot take care of them but I seriously cannot 
the only time i have for my pigeons is 1-2hrs a day which is before and after work were i will clean feed fly them. UPDATE: the hen is still very protective on the babie's and both the babies crop's are full im taking extra care on them 
as ive moved her and the babie's into a different loft into a smaller cage about 3ft by 3ft so she is more intrested in the babies i watched her for a whole 1hr when i moved her over, she sat on her babies again and started protecting them this morning i walked out and she's still on them so i do think she is going to raise them, as she is a really good hen  24/7 looking after them i dont think she will abondend them as it has been over a week now since her mate is gone she thinks that im her mate every time i change her water and feed she will coo like how her mate and her will together and will do the wing flickering i will keep updating everyday and will post picture's up soon 

Regard's
Yusuf


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

KORMEZ said:


> Ok sorry guys for late reply i also recived your pm Trees Gray, I live in australia in melbourne I posted here if she would raise them since i dont see this very often and wanted answer's if its possible or not, I`m sorry for whom people are angry at me that i cannot take care of them but I seriously cannot
> the only time i have for my pigeons is 1-2hrs a day which is before and after work were i will clean feed fly them. UPDATE: the hen is still very protective on the babie's and both the babies crop's are full im taking extra care on them
> as ive moved her and the babie's into a different loft into a smaller cage about 3ft by 3ft so she is more intrested in the babies i watched her for a whole 1hr when i moved her over, she sat on her babies again and started protecting them this morning i walked out and she's still on them so i do think she is going to raise them, as she is a really good hen  24/7 looking after them i dont think she will abondend them as it has been over a week now since her mate is gone she thinks that im her mate every time i change her water and feed she will coo like how her mate and her will together and will do the wing flickering i will keep updating everyday and will post picture's up soon
> 
> ...


 thanks for the update, hope they do well!


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## KORMEZ (Feb 20, 2008)

PICTURE'S i will Post a picture EVERYDAY for you guys/girls of the babies 

Picture of Parent's when dad was around on egg's




Baby's *Day 3*


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## Littlecoo (Apr 20, 2008)

I look forward to seeing more baby photos.  
Lovely pigeons and such sweet little babies you've got there! I wish you all well tho I am sorry to hear your hen's mate has gone missing. Do you have many other pigeons? Would you be getting another mate for her when those youngsters leave the nest?


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

If you lived in Melbourne, Fl.  .... I'd take them in a heart beat, but you live the OTHER Melbourme,  so I can't, but I'm happy you are going to help raise them. Momma is beautiful and her kids are too!


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## KORMEZ (Feb 20, 2008)

day 4












day 5

[URL=http://imageshack.us]


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## KORMEZ (Feb 20, 2008)

day 6


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

Looking good!! FAT little buggers.
Is Mom still taking care of them? Seems like they need some sort of nesting material in that bowl, but if you're afraid Mom will get upset, skip it.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Mom is doing a great job of feeding them! They look ABSOLUTELY stuffed in that last picture! 

Thanks for sharing the updated pictures, please do continue.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

I'am pulling for these two, enjoyed the pics!


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## KORMEZ (Feb 20, 2008)

mum is doing a good job its almost been 2 weeks since male is gone and she still is looking after them really well they are alway's fed and i change her water 2wice a day morning and late afternoon with new feed calcium pink powder and whatever else i can provide her with one of the youngster's is a little smaller then the other but they both get a good feed from there mummy so there is no problem at the moment though she is not sitting on them enymore i dont think that's a problem she will jump on them when i go near her but otherwise she's mostly sitting on top of the feeder just above the nest bowl and jump's down to feed them
and back up again :s, anyway im off to work ill keep updating


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## KORMEZ (Feb 20, 2008)

hey guy's i woke up today and both have the babie's have been killed by i think her mother since there is no other bird in that section of the loft with them, they look like they have been squashed i dont no why she would have done this :s


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Oh, my gosh...   I'm so terribly sorry.


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## Lovebirds (Sep 6, 2002)

KORMEZ said:


> hey guy's i woke up today and both have the babie's have been killed by i think her mother since there is no other bird in that section of the loft with them, they look like they have been squashed i dont no why she would have done this :s


Kormez........I'm very sorry to hear this, however, I would bet you just about any amount of money that Mom didn't kill those babies. TWO weeks old??? I have never heard of such a thing. I think you should check the pen/cage/loft.......whatever they are in and make sure that nothing can get inside. I just can't imagine a 1 pound bird (approx) stomping to death a two week old baby, much less two of them.........that doesn't make a bit of sense.

EDIT:......my mistake on the age.......from your posts it appears the babies are around 10 days old, but still...........just can't see Mom doing this.


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## KORMEZ (Feb 20, 2008)

they were like flatened a litle bit kind of sat on hard or i dont no weird:s theres no way of enything else getting in that section as it is closed off to everything only i can open the door and thats it


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## jbangelfish (Mar 22, 2008)

*Maybe they were just abandonded*

At that age, they will flatten somewhat and appear as they were crushed. Their bone structure is not very strong at that age.

The timing of this may not be very good but what breed are these pigeons? They sure were pretty.

Bill


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