# question about a nest with an egg



## tracilav (Apr 19, 2011)

In the middle of some spring cleaning, I discovered a pigeon next on my balcony. There is one egg in the nest. In the days before the discovery, I saw the parents out on the balcony all the time. Since, I have seen them, but not nearly as frequently. i have never seen either of them sitting on the egg. And today I only saw them in the late morning/early afternoon for a little while. They haven't been back. I've done some research about the time it will take for this egg to hatch, if it's viable, and I'm willing to let them stay here. I just want some help figuring out if the egg is viable. Or, at least be able to be aware when it has gone past the point that it might be. 

The advice of anyone with some experience would be so very appreciated. thank you.


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## Paragon Loft (Jun 27, 2009)

Take The Egg And Look At It In The Sun Light Or Under A Light Bulb,if The Egg Is 4 Or 5 Days Old You Should See Vains Or The Egg Getting Dark Then The Egg Is Good ,if The Egg Is Clear Then You Can Get Rid Off It,hope This Help.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

tracilav said:


> In the middle of some spring cleaning, I discovered a pigeon next on my balcony. There is one egg in the nest. In the days before the discovery, I saw the parents out on the balcony all the time. Since, I have seen them, but not nearly as frequently. i have never seen either of them sitting on the egg. And today I only saw them in the late morning/early afternoon for a little while. They haven't been back. I've done some research about the time it will take for this egg to hatch, if it's viable, and I'm willing to let them stay here. I just want some help figuring out if the egg is viable. Or, at least be able to be aware when it has gone past the point that it might be.
> 
> The advice of anyone with some experience would be so very appreciated. thank you.


They usually lay two eggs.. and sit on them when the second is layed which is about 42 to 48 hours after the first... they take about 19 days to hatch and then they are weaned around 30 days of age... if they hatch then you know they are viable.. usually they are.. if left alone the hen will sit them and they may hatch.. if they do not hatch after say 24 days..then the pair will move on or lay two more..


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## Anim3 Kitt3n 666 (Apr 16, 2011)

Well most likely the first egg broke... I can't say more than that because they lay two in a clutch. The best thing to do is wait another week and see how the activity is with the parents. And the egg. Just give it time 
I'm kind of new to pigeon stuff... About 2 years into it so please correct me if I'm wrong. Thanks


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## tracilav (Apr 19, 2011)

*Thank you and update*

Thank you everyone for the help. I appreciate it. I'm worried that my cleaning frightened the parents and stopped incubation. 

I candled the egg. It looks like the photos of the first day of incubation on this site: http://www.albertaclassic.net/dev.htm. I think it may mean that the parents haven't incubated it. I've read that they wait until the second egg is laid. Maybe the issue came from there not being a second egg. But I've placed the egg back in the nest, just in case. 

Any more thoughts?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

tracilav said:


> Thank you everyone for the help. I appreciate it. I'm worried that my cleaning frightened the parents and stopped incubation.
> 
> I candled the egg. It looks like the photos of the first day of incubation on this site: http://www.albertaclassic.net/dev.htm. I think it may mean that the parents haven't incubated it. I've read that they wait until the second egg is laid. Maybe the issue came from there not being a second egg. But I've placed the egg back in the nest, just in case.
> 
> Any more thoughts?


Why are you candling the egg?.. either it will hatch or it won't..no need to know before hand..because it will only cause stress from the parent birds.. you should stop cleaning if they fly off.. if you really really want these birds to raise a baby on your balcony your going to have to stop going out there.. , only to leave some grains for them.. otherwise your not helping matters making them fly off.. if your not crazy about the idea of them raising a squab on your balcony and you would like to use it with the nice weather coming..at this point the egg is so new you can toss it and they will move on.. the egg at this point is no different than a chicken egg you eat for breakfast.. but if you really want them to do this..then do as said above.


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## tracilav (Apr 19, 2011)

@ spirit wings: Did you not read my post? 

First, I made it clear that i was willing to allow the birds to raise their squab on my balcony. Otherwise, I would have tossed the egg when I found it. However willing I am, if they have abandoned it, because I scared them when I discovered them (I didn't know they were there, or I wouldn't have started cleaning in the first place, but that is not something I can help now) I'd like to move on, including finishing the cleaning I started but have put on hold for them. As much as "it will hatch or it won't" seems like sage advice to my particular query, I would like to know if the egg is dead.

If you read the first post you replied to, you would have seen that the parents are not here. I have not been going out and "scaring them off" with cleaning or anything else. Other than a couple of short visits to the balcony and one extremely short visit to the nest, now three days ago, I have not seen the parents much since i discovered the egg. 

I candled the egg because the first person to reply to my post, as well as a few online forums, suggested it as a way to tell how developed the egg is and/or whether it is continuing to develop or not. 

Your latest response is so unhelpful and antagonistic that it makes me think you aren't even trying to provide any assistance. If you're looking for a forum to make yourself feel good by reprimanding someone just looking for a little assistance from a community of people who know more about this, you should post in someone else's thread.


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

tracilav said:


> @ spirit wings: Did you not read my post?
> 
> First, I made it clear that i was willing to allow the birds to raise their squab on my balcony. Otherwise, I would have tossed the egg when I found it. However willing I am, if they have abandoned it, because I scared them when I discovered them (I didn't know they were there, or I wouldn't have started cleaning in the first place, but that is not something I can help now) I'd like to move on, including finishing the cleaning I started but have put on hold for them. As much as "it will hatch or it won't" seems like sage advice to my particular query, I would like to know if the egg is dead.
> 
> ...


sorry your reading unhelpfulness into my post.. not sure why..anyway.. this egg should not be so over thought.. if the birds are not there to sit and keep it warm..reguardless of why they are not.. it will not hatch if viable... if they started the incubation process then it has stopped developing as it needs almost constant warmth to keep it going.... It sounded like to me you were continuing to clean and picking up the egg to look at it.. Im very sorry, I miss read all of that.. really you do not know me at all.. Im a very nice person..really.. Im very sorry you read more into my post than just common sense.


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## tracilav (Apr 19, 2011)

Thank you for replying to clear it up. It seemed to me like you were giving me a hard time. I'm sorry I misread your meaning. 

It sounds like the egg is probably dead. My plan now is to give it a day or two, in case I disturbed them before they started incubating (if that is even possible) and the parents come back. After that I will toss the egg. At this point, I'm not expecting the parents to return.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

tracilav said:


> Thank you for replying to clear it up. It seemed to me like you were giving me a hard time. I'm sorry I misread your meaning.
> 
> It sounds like the egg is probably dead. My plan now is to give it a day or two, in case I disturbed them before they started incubating (if that is even possible) and the parents come back. After that I will toss the egg. At this point, I'm not expecting the parents to return.


They should be there laying a second egg. If they don't come back in a couple of days, then you can just get rid of it, and consider it a goner. It was nice of you to stop your cleaning in hopes of not bothering them, but they may already have changed their mind about a nesting site. Please let us know what happens.


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## tracilav (Apr 19, 2011)

*Hello again*

Hello again, to all the people that responded to my questions the last time. 

That egg never hatched and I discarded it once enough time elapsed that I knew this. But, the parents returned, laid two eggs this time, and one has just hatched! I can see the next from my window, if I stick my head out. I've been staying away from them. Is there anything that they could use? Water? seeds? I know that right now the squabs will not eat seeds, but maybe the parents would appreciate some? 

Thanks! And I will keep you all posted on how they are doing.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

You could leave seed and water out where they will see it, but not if you have to go near the nest, as that would just scare them off. If there is a safe place to leave it, without bothering them, then you could do that. Good luck!


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## tracilav (Apr 19, 2011)

Thanks! The nest is behind a cushion, under a couch. So I could put the seeds 3-4 feet away from that, near the end of the couch. Would that be too close? Also - do they prefer any particular type of seed?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

If you go 3 or 4 feet away from the nest, it will probably make the parents fly off. Maybe better to not bother them. They must be getting food somewhere.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Me...I'd probably put seed and water on the balcony. Perhaps you can place it outside the balcony door. They will find it.
Check the pet store for a dove mix. If you can't find that, you can buy wild bird seed and add dried peas to it, chopped peanuts, lentils and safflower seeds if you can find them.
Several years ago, when my sisters and I were looking for a care center for our father, I heard the distinct sound of baby pigeons, when I got out of my car. Finally I spotted a third floor baloney, with the balcony door open and 2 adult pigeons flying in and then out. Apparently the human resident had made friends with them and allowed them to make their nest inside. It was the sweetest thing. I don't know why I told you this story...just because, I guess.


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## *Emmie* (Jun 26, 2011)

i think it's sweet that you let them nest on your balcony. so many people would have shooed the pigeons away. i work in a hospital where someone pushed a nest with eggs off the balcony next to a patient window because the pigeons were annoying the occupant of the room. as long as you don't get too close to them, i see no problem with providing suitable food 

of course, i am a noobie at dove/ pigeon management


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

If you get too close, and they are not used to you, they may abandon the nest, eggs and all.


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