# There Might Be A Great Grandfid In The Making ..



## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Much to my surprise FanTastic and Peep are diligently sitting on one egg .. they abandoned the other egg for some reason. As you know, FanTastic is the joint grandfid of Marjorie and myself and the daughter of Castor and FanFan. Peep is a feral blue bar and somewhat of a tough guy pigeon. Peep was raised as an only "child" by an elderly man who had to give him up due to Peep's aggressiveness to the humans in his family. Peep is still extremely aggressive to both humans and other birds, but I guess FanTastic sees something in him that has escaped the rest of us  

This should be a very interesting looking baby assuming it makes its way into the world.

FanTastic is really young to be considering motherhood, and Peep has no experience at fatherhood, so I hope their instincts are really good.

Terry


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Hey Terry, 

Wow! I didn't even think Fantastic was in breeding "condition" as of yet...she sure didn't waste any time! My "young" hen Lucy is such a willing and needy little hen herself though, but she's 1 and 1/2 years old

I digress here, but don't get your hopes up too high yet....first clutches with young, inexperienced birds (as you certainly know) are often just duds. However, if this is the start of a new family with Peep and FanTastic...that really is fantastic and I hope to see the pictures of the youngster if/when the time comes


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Thanks, Brad. Yeah .. I know .. I won't get my hopes too high as FanTastic's parents needed a number of tries before blessing us with her. Little FanTastic is just over 9 months old .. hatched on March 10, 2005. I can't believe she's all grown up and wanting to be a mother already.

Terry


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

How exciting!!! They would be beautiful babies! Keep us posted!


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

Oh, how wonderful. I hope the egg will hatch and they will surpsise you with their parenting instincts.

Reti


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Sure hope all works out! If so, we will all be waiting....


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Oh, I don't want to get your hopes up either....but that would be so wonderful,...  

I hope Fan Tastic & Peep enjoy sitting on that egg, and know something we don't know...and that something does come of all their dilligent care. 

Wouldn't that be terrific!


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

*We Have A Great Grandfid!*

What a surprise! This little one arrived about noon today: http://www.rims.net/2006Jan07

I think FanTastic and Peep are going to need a little coaching in the parenting area like Castor and FanFan did .. hopefully the new parents will catch on as quickly. Baby was cold when I checked a bit ago, so I pulled it out to warm it up. Will put it back in the nest in a bit and see what happens. I suspect I will end up keeping the baby on a heating pad tonight and see how it goes with FanTastic and Peep tomorrow.

Terry


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

--What a beautiful sight. Her down looks like real hair - never saw a newborn with fuzz. I still believe the picture of FanTastic peeping from under her mother is the greatest picture yet. 

Terry, thank you. I'm pulling for this little one with all I have.

Maggie


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

I just love those teeny little babies when they pop out 

Good thinking, Terry - like people, sometimes pigeons need to learn how it's done, and they're fortunate to have you there to keep an eye on them

John


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## upcd (Mar 12, 2005)

*Congratulations*

On the hatching and a baby.


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

Oh, how wonderful. Babies are just so precious.
Congratulations and hope the parents learn soon of what they have to do.
Hope baby will be alright, but with your care I'm not worried.

Reti


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Thanks everyone! Well, we definitely need help in the parenting arena. I have moved everyone into an airline kennel on a heating pad for the night. Mom and Pop haven't gotten back on the baby as yet, and if they don't shortly, I will remove the baby and keep it warm by itself and try again tomorrow.

Maggie, yes, this baby has such an abundance of fuzz .. never have seen one quite so "furry" though most have a good bit of fuzz. I was telling my rehabber friend about the baby and saying that it should be an interesting looking bird given the very different parents .. she is quite straight spoken and said "Yep, it's going to be stunningly beautiful or absolutely butt ugly, and I'm betting on the latter"  . Oh well, if this baby makes it, it will be well loved regardless of whether it can win any beauty contests or not.

Terry


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Congratulations on the furry little fuzzball!

I sure hope the baby makes it. Are mom and pop feeding him?


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Trees Gray said:


> I sure hope the baby makes it. Are mom and pop feeding him?




I hope it makes it too! Mom and Pop haven't fed as yet, but the little one just hatched about 6 1/2 hours ago. I will intervene shortly if needed.

Terry


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## dnrslucky1 (Oct 13, 2005)

Terry!

That is the cutest and fuzziest baby I have seen!! I will be Praying for its little life! Squidget just told me he wants one! Lol! I told him maybe someday!

Denise


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

What an adorable fluffball! Looks like an Old English Sheepdog gene snuck in there.  If sparse fluff signals dilute coloring, what does this indicate?

Although the parenting behavior may not have kicked in, wouldn't the crop milk still be created? If the parents don't feed it, could you do a crop wash to collect some enzymes and antibodies for the newly hatched baby? Regardless, this baby couldn't have a better defensive line. (Sorry, watching the football game.  ) Congratulations!


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

*I think that is the*

hairiest (featheryest?) baby I've seen posted on this site! 

I sooooo hope the little one makes it! I can't wait to see what he/she will look like when mature! Hard to imagine a cutie like that being ugly! 

I know all of us will be pulling for the little one and updates are definitely mandatory...


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## Lin Hansen (Jan 9, 2004)

Congratulations Terry and good luck. Adorable baby!

Linda


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Thanks again, everyone. Mom and Pop still weren't doing their job, so I pulled that baby a bit ago, fed it, and got it all warm and snug for the night. Will feed again at least one more time this evening and then try Mom and Pop again in the morning.

I would suspect that the baby is going to take after the Daddy, Peep, who is a feral bluebar. Mom, FanTastic is a predominantly white Fantail with some brown speckles and some very dark gray feathers in her tail.

Perhaps the genetics/color folks can give us some real "clues".

Terry


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Congratulations Terry!


What an amazeing little Bird..!

I have never seen such long down before either...

Are you sure this is not a tiny Yeti of some kind?

Lol...

Good luck...!

Are the parents just young and confused and not attending the Baby?


Phil
Las Vegas


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Phil, Yeti is a pretty good reckoning though Wookiee struck me as a possible name right away .. maybe Chewbacca too.

The parents are young .. FanTastic (Mom) was hatched in early March, 2005 and Peep is only slightly more than a year old and was human raised as an only child .. so, I'm not real surprised that they need a little help here. FanTastic's parents did also even though they were plenty old enough to know how to raise babies. I was very, very surprised that FanTastic and Peep actually had this baby hatch, so we will just work on the parenting issues .. one of which is getting Peep not to stomp on the baby as he protects FanTastic from me (the evil human) as I am trying to put the baby back and get one of them to realize it's there and start doing their job.

Terry


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Oh golly...


Best wishes with this!

Like you had nothing else to do!

Lol...

Phil
Las Vegas


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## pigeonmama (Jan 9, 2005)

Terry,
What is the other bird you had pictures of ?
Daryl


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

TerriB said:


> Although the parenting behavior may not have kicked in, wouldn't the crop milk still be created? If the parents don't feed it, could you do a crop wash to collect some enzymes and antibodies for the newly hatched baby? Regardless, this baby couldn't have a better defensive line. (Sorry, watching the football game.  ) Congratulations!


*

Hi TerriB,

Is that possible...has that ever been done? I have never heard about crop washing for enzymes and milk....can you explain? I only thought hatchlings could get the crop milk thru adoptive parents (who had a hatchling, or brooding parents nearing the 18th day of incubating),if the parents themselves couldn't feed it...*


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## B. Sommm (Dec 26, 2005)

Interesting! I've never seen pictures of a baby pigeon before! (I like "Yeti" for it's name!)

Going by the date of 'TAW's first post, I'm assuming it takes about 2 weeks for an egg to hatch once it's laid? How often do they lay eggs anyway?

There was a pair of pigeons on my neighbor's roof yesterday and they seemed to be doing the "mating dance"..at least I think that's what it means when one of them keeps turning around in circles!

I'll be watching this thread for updates, as I'm curious to see how a pigeon 'grows'/progresses from hatchling to adult!

B.


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Oh, this is a cute one Terry!!! The little one has very shaggy whispies, that's for sure. The fancy breeds seem to have longer yellow down when first born than the ferals or homers do. Should be very interesting to see how this one turns out when it's older.

Congratulations...and another one slips by you again I hope that everything goes well for you and the chick if you do end up having to hand rear it.


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

Trees Gray said:


> *...Is that possible...has that ever been done?...*


Don't know, but I thought it might be a way to get the important antibodies and enzymes into the new baby. Just a thought, in case no adoptive parent was available.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Hi All,

Daryl .. The other bird is believed to be a crested roller that came in through 911 Pigeon Alert. It is staying with me until we can determine if the owner wishes to have it returned or if it needs a home. If anyone can confirm that it is a crested roller, that would be great.

Treesa and Terri .. I've never tried "milking" a pigeon, but it's an interesting concept. Will have to do some research on this. I suppose it would be easy enough to syringe some out, but perhaps not.

B Sommm .. The incubation time for pigeon eggs is about 18-19 days .. obviously I missed this egg for a bit before realizing it was there and they 
were sitting on it. There was a second egg which they abandoned. There is a link here at Pigeon-Talk to a site that shows the development of baby pigeons .. quite interesting, and Alaska has some great photos on her site of babies at different ages.

Brad .. yes, snookered again but happy to be so if this little one grows up healthy and happy.

Mom and Dad seem to have figured things out today. I put the baby back this morning, and they have been doing their parental duties well all day. Peep is an absolute wild man when I even look in to be sure the baby is OK .. whacking and biting when I have the nerve to reach in and assure the baby is warm and fed. He is quite the defender of his little family.

Terry


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

TAWhatley said:


> ...I've never tried "milking" a pigeon, but it's an interesting concept... Will have to do some research on this. I suppose it would be easy enough to syringe some out, but perhaps not.
> 
> Mom and Dad seem to have figured things out today...Peep is an absolute wild man when I even look in to be sure the baby is OK... whacking and biting when I have the nerve to reach in and assure the baby is warm and fed. He is quite the defender of his little family.
> 
> Terry


That is wonderful that the hormones seem to have kicked in! Congratulations to your little wild man! 

If supplementation is needed, you certainly have the knowledge and the recipes to supply the necessary nutrients. My comment regarding "milking" the pigeon was a suggestion on a way to collect some of the pigeon-specific fluids that we can't recreate. Theoretically, any parent of a recently hatched egg would work.


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi Terry, 


Oh good...!

Glad to hear Mom-n-Pop are getting into the groove with Baby...!


Post more picks when you can, but watch out for those attacks...!


Phil
Las Vegas


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

pdpbison said:


> Congratulations Terry!
> 
> 
> What an amazeing little Bird..!
> ...


I KNEW the little one reminded me of "something," but not until Phil said "Yeti,"
did I know... 

Yep, I VOTE for "Yeti" too... Never have seen that name on the site and the resemblance is just soooo striking...even the "coloring"...can't wait to see how this little one develops, providing, Terry, you can get close enough to check!


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## Pikachu23739 (Jan 6, 2006)

does anyone know how do i get liketo down size a picture for my avatar


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Pikachu23739 said:


> does anyone know how do i get liketo down size a picture for my avatar


You would need to find a graphic image of the picture you want to use and decrease the size to about 1 inch by 1 inch with a maximum file size of 19 KB. Once you have the small file you go into the User Control Panel (User CP) at the top of your screen, select Edit Avatar and follow the steps for uploading your custom avatar.

Terry


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Glad to hear mom and dad are taking on their parenting roles, especially feedingthe little darling that very special pigeon milk!


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

*Sad News ..*

This baby didn't make it .. found him/her dead under Peep this evening. Peep was diligently sitting, but the baby was dead.

I am so very sad about this .. this is a little life that I shouldn't have allowed to be started in the first place but did allow it. Now here's the tragic result.

Baby was fine this morning, at noon, and dead this evening.

Terry


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

Oh, Terry, I am so sorry for you, for the parents, and for the loss of this little baby. You do an awesome job of supporting every life, for as long as there is a chance. We were all pulling for this tiny bird, but the spark just flickererd out.


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

*I am so sorry*

that the little one died! Comforting thoughts and hugs go to you!

I know we were all really looking forward to seeing this unusual baby develop.


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Same here, Terry. So sorry the little one didn't make it.

Maggie


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Terry,


 I'm so sorry & sad to hear the baby didn't make it.  

My thoughts and prayers are with you and I'm sending you a BIG hug.


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## Lin Hansen (Jan 9, 2004)

Terry, I'm really sorry to hear this....so heartbreaking.

Linda


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## pigeonmama (Jan 9, 2005)

Terry,
So sorry !!! 
Daryl


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Thank you everyone for the condolences. Peep and FanTastic seem to be fine and are back to their usual daily routine.

Terry


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## feralpigeon (Feb 14, 2005)

Terry, I'm very sorry to hear about the little baby. I know you and everyone else here had their hopes up that things would work out. Glad to hear that things are back to normal for Peep and FanTastic, and likewise hope that you are taking cues from them  .

fp


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