# New Pigeon baby mom



## 6newpigeons (Feb 29, 2020)

My spouse got 6 homing pigeons last summer and I know nothing about pigeon care. I grew up on family dairy farms and occasionally we had laying chickens. On the coldest days of winter (-15 degrees) one of the pigeons laid 2 eggs. To my amazement they hatched about 20 days later on a -20 degree day. OMG I do not know how to care for these birds. I bring them warm water (in a dog dish that gets poopy dirty fast) every hour or so 7AM to 10PM. Give them the chicken pellet feed, cracked corn, chicken granite? grit and wild bird seed spouse bought for them. The mom and dad (based on my best guess of who sat on eggs and feed chicks and chase the other 4 birds from the food) seem to eat the shelled sunflower seed most so I put out a 1/2 cup or so of meaties everyday with the other food, but after research I worry their diet is not balanced. They don't eat nearly what I put out. Their winter "12 chicken" coop is somewhat sheltered being under the west facing garage porch, mostly out of wind but is getting dirty. Can't do much as is all frozen ugg. I put somewhat wind blocks (pallets) on the side of where the hen put her nest. The coop has an "upstairs" loft area with nest boxes but hen laid eggs and raising chicks in a nest she built in corner of open area. Ugg.. No there is no heat source outside of sun. Help? How do I try to keep these chicks and birds feed and healthy?


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Just leave things as they are. They were able to hatch the eggs, surely they will be able to keep the babies warm. Give them a mixed seed diet, they will eat their favourite seeds first and then move on to the other seeds. Supply them with grit and put apple cider vinegar in the drinking water 2 or 3 times a week. If you are unsure the babies are getting fed, just check regularly if their crops are full.

I'm sure the parents will do a great job raising them.


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## 6newpigeons (Feb 29, 2020)

TY. Will do the same as I have except will mix in the grain and grit with seeds. Will check here about how to use cider vinegar. Babies are doing well. I can't reach them to check them but watch mom and dad feed them and they look healthy, growing fast doubled in size from last week. Now have 2 new eggs from the dark birds. Thank goodness this time the bird used the nesting loft. Will put a dish of food up in loft for the new mom and dad. Saw a post here I think about making one from a milk jug so will be cleaner.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Glad to hear they are doing well. The acv ratio is 5 ml acv to 1 litre of water. Give this as their drinking water for the day, 2 or 3 times a week. You might want to invest in fake eggs, otherwise you will have quite a lot of pigeons soon. When the babies are 2 weeks old, the parents will start mating again for the next lot.


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## 6newpigeons (Feb 29, 2020)

TY for ACV amount. Oh my goodness. I will look into getting fake eggs for sure.


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## Colombina (Jan 22, 2017)

Hi, welcome to PT and congrats on the new arrivals 😊! 

You could add to the seeds dry legumes (the ones for humans) like mung beans, small lentils and split peas, they are really important for a balanced diet. 

You could put in the drinking water a vitamin supplement (for dosage, etc. follow the directions for use on the package). 

Last June my pigeons Caterina and Ben had a baby. I know it's a different situation (my birds live in my apartment and the baby borned in a really hot summer) but maybe my experience could help you to understand if everything is going well.

Baby pigeon https://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=117724

Keep us updated!


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## 6newpigeons (Feb 29, 2020)

Thank you so very much for the info and suggestions! I have mung bean, flax seed, rolled oats, wheat berries, white and brown rice, lentils and popcorn kernels from my pantry (human food grade) I will mix in with their wild bird feed, shelled sunflower seed for birds and the chicken pellets. I checked the "grit" label on the bag today.. it is granite grit for chickens so I am starting to save eggshells to crush for them. I cleaned the worst of the poo from the pen today and put boards over the top of the feeders hoping it will help birds from pooing in them. Also today started with a bit of ACV in the water and make sure water is at least 1 1/2" deep in the dish. 2 new eggs from a new pair few days ago so yes will research getting fake eggs. OMG keep them healthy until it warms enough to move them to larger "summer" bird pen. I so appreciate any and all help. TY


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## Colombina (Jan 22, 2017)

You're welcome 😊.

I don't know if you can find them there, but you could try to look for pigeons pickstones/picking blocks. They are good sources of calcium and usually birds love them. Here there are many kinds of blocks with different ingredients like oyster shells, insoluble grit (the small stones which help to grind up the seeds), anise, clay, minerals, etc. You could have calcium plus insoluble grit in the same product. If you find one I will explain how to give it to your birds.

In any case, remember to put crushed eggshells (boil the eggs before giving shells to your birds), grit, etc in a separate bowl from food.

If you can't find fake eggs you could look, for example, for egg Easter decorations (I bought them because here I didn't find the right size of fake eggs but just the ones for small birds...).

I'm sure everything will be fine 😊 !

Keep us updated!


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## Lokie (Feb 22, 2019)

I bought my fake pigeon eggs from EBay


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## 6newpigeons (Feb 29, 2020)

TY will check for fake eggs there.


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## 6newpigeons (Feb 29, 2020)

Baby birds doing well, have a nice pic but can't figure out how to post it here. 4 new eggs still not hatched, 2 I expected to hatch a few days ago, 2 will be a couple more weeks I think. Thank you all for your help! Starting to warm up here but with 4 birds on 4 eggs and the chicks still young will give it awhile before separating, although soon I hope. The more aggressive birds are picking on the others.


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## 6newpigeons (Feb 29, 2020)

A few weeks later update; baby birds (Harley and Bianca) are nearly as large as Mona (mom bird) and since she and mate Cassanova are now busy with 2 new eggs, are pretty much on their own but seem to be eating and doing well. Getting picked on a bit by Pretty Girl and Darth Vader as the fledglings are smart birds and want to spent cold nights up in warmer loft but Darth and Pretty are sitting on eggs there and don't let any other birds up. Would post a pic but can't figure out how. Sending good karma to mother nature for warm weather to move some of birds to summer pen. TY to all who posted thoughts and suggestions!


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## 6newpigeons (Feb 29, 2020)

Update; appears Prettygirl and Darth have abandoned their 2 eggs, haven't seen them sitting on eggs 24hrs+ now. Eggs should have hatched 2 days ago. How long do I leave eggs in nest??


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

If they are not incubating, then you can remove them. They will soon use the nest again for the next round.


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## Colombina (Jan 22, 2017)

Thanks for the update, I'm glad to hear that the babies are doing well. 

If you are using the mobile version, you can click on the attachment icon, then select the pic from the gallery (camera or Bluetooth, etc, it depends on where the pic is).


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## 6newpigeons (Feb 29, 2020)

Well left abandoned eggs awhile hoping she wouldn't lay eggs again right off... lol didn't work, new egg today. Ah well.


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## 6newpigeons (Feb 29, 2020)

*Squabs doing well*

I did not expect to see the older "baby pigeons" help care for their mom and dad's new hatchlings. I wonder if that is normal? Learning so much about pigeon behavior! New hatchlings a week old now and doing well. If Pretty Girl and her kinda absent mate Darth, manage to hatch out the new set of eggs she is now sitting on we will need to find good home for some of these birds LOL. Thank you all for your help, without it I'm sure I wouldn't have got my spouse's birds through the winter doing so well..


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## 6newpigeons (Feb 29, 2020)

Overdue update. More pigeons they keep hatching more chicks so up to 12 in the cool no. I learned if one moves birds to summer pen when chicks are a week or so hatched their otherwise devoted parents will indeed abandon chicks so 2 dead chicks. 4 more eggs from the 2 mated pairs. Tried fake eggs, they roll them out of nest box and lay eggs. Ah well, will try to find homes for extra birds.


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## Marina B (May 5, 2011)

Do you warm up the fake eggs before switching them with the real ones? Try this next time, I don't have problems with my pigeons kicking out the fake eggs. I warm the fake eggs inside my bra for half an hour. Nice and warm.


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## Lokie (Feb 22, 2019)

I also warm the fake eggs up before replacing them and my pigeons have never kicked them out of the nest


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## Colombina (Jan 22, 2017)

Sorry for the dead babies...

If possible I remove the eggs when both parents are outside the nest (you know, when the parents take turns or mum goes out for a moment for any reason, etc). In any case, it's important to remove them "with discretion" (maybe in the dim light, etc). Some birds are more "sensitive" than others and abandon their eggs if they "suspect" something...


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