# How to care for baby pigeons once they hatch?



## Silvarrior (Oct 23, 2016)

I have two pigeons that I got about three months ago. The are a couple. The female couple laid eggs a few days ago. She and the male sit on them in shifts. I know that the pigeons will take care of their chicks once they hatch but is there anything I should do or am I supposed to do to help the chicks to survive?
I keep the pigeons in the cage shown in the pic. They have a nesting bowl in there too. I feed them a pigeon feed I got from the market and nothing else. I change their water everyday. Since winter is here, I cover the cage with sheets at night. I do nothing else to keep them warm as I read online that they can keep themselves warm. Is there any special feed I need to give the babies or anything other than the described method in which I keep my pigeons? Is there any need for excess measures once the chicks hatch? All help will be appreciated.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Couldn't see the photo but things sound ok from your description. We have only had two eggs hatch but the parents did everything.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Are they kept inside or outside? There is no picture.
Keeping them outside is not sufficient unless they are kept in an enclosure that is like a shed or something, and not a cage.


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## Silvarrior (Oct 23, 2016)

for some reason the pictures aren't appearing. they upload alright but don't show here. and the cage is less like those steel prison-type cages. its a wooden cage covered from top,bottom,and back by wood. the rest of the sides i cover with sheets at night. they have a pretty big bowl of water in there which they use for bathing as well.i change the water everyday and add warm water.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

As Jay3 asked, are they (their cage) inside or outdoors? Makes a difference which.


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## Silvarrior (Oct 23, 2016)

They are outdoors but where I live it never goes below or even near 5° C. The average winter temperature here is pretty high about 20° C.


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Err .... that would be around 70 F

You do say you are in the UK, and nowhere is it 70 F in winter. Wish it was


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Sheets aren't enough to keep them warm in winter, even for the adults. For the babies it's far from enough. They should be in an enclosure that is wood sides, with an opening to go outside into an aviary, which is screened as you have the whole thing. But in bad or cold weather, they should be able to go back inside the enclosure. And certainly at night. And the babies should be in a nest inside the enclosure. What you have is like the aviary, and you cover it with sheets. That isn't warm enough or protection enough. Even if a predator comes, even if it cannot get to them, it would scare them to death, as they have to where to go where they feel safe. You have a picture of it in another thread. I'll get it and post it here.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

This is what you posted in another thread. This is not warm enough, and it isn't safe. The birds, like I said need to have at least half of this closed off with wood for them to go into to get away from weather and predators. They can't possibly feel safe in there. It's ground level also, and they don't feel safe so close to the ground. They will normally roost up as high as they can to be safe.


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## FredaH (Apr 5, 2016)

That looks draughty and draughts can kill pigeons. They need a small shed with nest boxes in and an aviary flight to fly plus concrete floor to stop rats from getting in. Mine are indoor pigeons and I still cover them at night in case of window draughts. Mine won't be going in an aviary until the spring because I'm worried it'll be too cold for them and we're in a fairly warm part of the UK that rarely has snow.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Ours live in a shed with an electric gas filled heater. It was 28 f this am.


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## Silvarrior (Oct 23, 2016)

Finally I can post the pictures. The outer sheets are thick and double. And inside the cage their is the little hut inside which I have the nesting bowl. The bowl is filled with hay and that's where the pigeons have their eggs. It seems warm to me. But I can put a light bulb(the round yellow one) inside to make it even warmer.
P.S I don't really live in the Uk


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## Silvarrior (Oct 23, 2016)

we don't really have any mouses or cats in our house. Their isn't any chance of predators except an eagle but I think the eagle won't even notice the pigeons while the cage is covered.
And there is enough space inside for them to live but not to fly. I have noticed the pigeons flapping their wings inside but they can't really fly.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Please protect and take good care of them. Lovely birds.


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## Woodnative (Jul 4, 2010)

They shouldn't need extra heat and ventilation is good as long as they have an enclosed area for nesting and getting out of the elements. I don't know where you live but a bigger problem is dampness. Make sure those sheet/blankets etc., esp. the inside ones don't absorb dampness or humidity. It is good that the bottom is off the ground a bit (keeps it dryer, damp flooring is bad). Not sure what size the wire is anywhere there are people there are probably mice potentially.


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## FredaH (Apr 5, 2016)

You'll need to cover a bulb with wire mesh of course so as they don't burn themselves on it and pigeons should have somewhere to fly, even if it's a small space because that's what they're meant to do - they're not like rabbits who are happy to remain in one enclosure and it's pretty cruel to prevent flight. Also cleanliness is important to keep them in good health and their enclosure should be cleaned daily - or at least every other day.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

A light bulb isn't a great idea, as they need dark for night. They do have reptile heat emitters that work well but don't throw light. They are made of ceramic, and come in different wattage. 

That cage won't be very warm. Even for the adults. Yes, people do keep them without heat, but not in a screened in enclosure. They really need a loft or enclosure which is enclosed, and a screened area to go out in. What will you do when it rains? They shouldn't be allowed to hatch babies in that during the winter.


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Can you put a space heater or ceramic heat emitter or even a large 2 gallon water bottle with hot water? In our shed, with the electric oil filled heater, it stayed 60 while it was only 28F outside. With our frogs and lizards, we have small under tank heaters and night heat bulbs and ceramic emitters. You want the birds to have a temperature gradient...so they can move closer to the heat source to be warm but not be able to touch anything that could get hot. How cold is it there?


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## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

At night I would think about covering the opening with bubble wrap or tarps or thick plastic taped across the wire opening to keep it warmer. Of course they need air and light so you remove it in the daytime. That is how we protect our cold sensitive plats. Or you could put a piece of wood at least, at night, to keep cold air and rain out. The best would be of course a loft, shed, garage or indoor space.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Can't use a space heater in there. Too small. Also it's outside with sheets over it. Not protected from the weather. Electric isn't really safe in there. Should wait and build them a small loft type enclosure before any breeding. For now, cover it with plastic that light will pass through. And during the day, you can open part of the plastic for ventilation.


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## Silvarrior (Oct 23, 2016)

like I said it never gets too cold over here. Right now it's 68 F and lots of sunshine and that's as low as it gets during daytime. At night it goes near 41 F but never below that. so for night time I'll put in a hot water bottle. I have put a plastic sheet on top of the the cage to keep the water out in case it rains. There are two layers of large cloth covering all sides of the cage. It hasn't rained here for half an year and it doesn't look like it will anytime soon . But just in case it does, we have a large plastic sheet that we cover it with.


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## Silvarrior (Oct 23, 2016)

I'm more worried about parasites or little mites that might attack and kill the chicks. The chicks might also catch diseases. Is there any way to prevent all this? I have some liquid drops that I previously got for my chickens. The drops are supposed to strengthen the birds and give some necessary nutrients. So should I give them that? Or any other substances?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

If the cage is clean with no parasites, and the parents don't have any, then the babies shouldn't have any. You can't use anything on the actual babies. Don't know what the drops are that you are referring to, but if vitamins, then you would give to the parents, not the babies. The parents should also be getting calcium and vit. D3, and be on a healthy diet. If they aren't good parents and don't sit on the babies well to keep them warm, then it is too cold for them. At a couple of weeks old, often the parents will start a new nest and the babies will be on their own. The male will continue to feed them, but it will be cold outside for them.
Where in the UK are you?


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## Silvarrior (Oct 23, 2016)

I'm not in the UK, I am from UK. Currently I live in a very hot country


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Where are you living now? That is what should be on the top right hand side of your post so that we know where you are posting from. You can change that on your page.


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