# I found a pigeon egg in my balcony



## BinnyRehsi (Mar 16, 2015)

Hi, I've never raised a bird, but want to help this egg that I found in my balcony hatch, if its still possible. Possibility looks dim to me as its been there for 1.5 days now. I found it laid on the balcony floor yesterday morning and the bird was coming to sit on it. But as it wouldn't have hatched on the floor, I kept it in a shoe box, making it cozy with soft cloth and papers. Since then, the bird did come till the railing, but she never came to sit on it. I've brought it inside now, almost after 30 hours. If there a possibility to make the egg hatch artificially?.... Please help!!!


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*There is no way to copy the exact warmth and moisture that birds provide when incubating, and the egg is probably not viable or never was. Please throw it away.

Unless you can find another set of pigeon parents that will brood the egg, I would not try. After hatching only pigeon parents can feed the hatchlings "pigeon milk" which they need to thrive. 

Those novices who have tried to mimic the proper incubation have actually tortured the hatchling without knowing it, and baby died. *


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## BinnyRehsi (Mar 16, 2015)

Thanks Skyeking. Its so very disappointing, but I'm thankful to you for your reply through which I've come to know that even trying to incubate an egg might actually do more harm than good, as from the various websites I found through google, I felt it was easy to hatch an abandoned egg. Bless you.


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## CBL (May 13, 2014)

No not easy at all. I have done it with canaries and bugies and it is a ton of work. Certainly not for any novice and yes the baby will suffer for it if it even hatched. Just to give you an idea. You would have to keep it at a certain temp, then rotate and roll it 8 times a day slightly angled with narrow side down and keep the temp and moisture a certain level. The birds make it look easy, so yes what Skyking says it spot on. Leave it be. AND if you had left it on the balcony, the hen may have come, laid that second egg and raised some young, but when she came back, u had moved her egg, you should put it right back where u found it and see if she lays the next one.


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## BinnyRehsi (Mar 16, 2015)

Incidently CBL, today morning when I woke up, I saw the pigeon at the same place where she had laid the egg, while the egg was still inside with me since last evening, wrapped in a blanket. So, I decided to put the egg back into the shoe box I made. AND she CAME to sit on it!!!! ..... may be to lay another egg!!.... no idea! But I've left it to the loving couple to decide what they would like to do with their egg.  ..... thanks a lot for your advice.


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## CBL (May 13, 2014)

Thats great, often they will not sit nor bother with the first until the second is done, she has to eat and do her pigeon business until she is ready. Excellent, glad u put it back. Lets see how it pans out. In the meanwhile since u are so keen, why not google all you can about handfeeding and rearing in case u have to step in if they fall out of nest which they shouldnt since u said it was IN a show box, thats great. But in case of abandonment or something happening to one of the parents,, start watching stuff now and be prepared and hope that u dont need to. Much better than scrambling last minute in a panic to help.


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## BinnyRehsi (Mar 16, 2015)

Good idea CBL. I'll search and read. And there's an update to share, with both Skyeking and you - the mother was sitting on the egg when I woke up today, and later I found that the egg has been taken out of the shoe box and is again back on the floor ( I wonder how she did that without breaking it!) (I've kept the shoe box on floor itself, in a corner and under a chair, where I've often seen the pigeon sitting). but there still isn't another egg in the box.


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## liz4 (Mar 18, 2015)

*Liz4*

Good luck with it.


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## CBL (May 13, 2014)

Binny, put the showbox near by but on its side not sitting upright. My guess is that they went to stand on side of box to land and go in and the box tipped and the egg came out. The box is not strong enough for her too land on the lip and then carefully step down onto the egg. Guaranteed thats what happened, so just set the box in same place on its side as a wind type shelter and offer them some dry grass or pine needles or straw and as u see them build a nest around the egg, fine, if the box is close enough beside the hen on the floor she may shuffle the egg near or up against. Offer them some of that nesting material and hopefully they will build around it. You can even mound up a nest with material yourself in a dog bowl type or planter type bowl that is shallow and place material and egg on top and see if she goes to it. I will build an example and try to upload for you.


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## CBL (May 13, 2014)

Ok these are some options

http://i.imgur.com/kAxklUk.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/oLoKevY.jpg
<a href='http://i.imgur.com/EHybhmy'


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## BinnyRehsi (Mar 16, 2015)

Okay, so you were bang on CBL. I put a big chunk of broken brick on one side of the shoe box (its a big one) and put some dry twigs on the other side, and when I lifted the egg to put it on the 'artificial' nest, I realised it was cracked from beneath. I felt so sorry for the little Mumma.... really sorry! But I've still kept the shoe box with brick n twigs beneath the chair, in case she comes to lay another egg. Any chances CBL?


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## BinnyRehsi (Mar 16, 2015)

Oh! I saw those images _after_ posting the previous reply. That is a really good idea of using an earthen bowl. I'll get one tomorrow and she'll be safe then. Thanks!


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## CBL (May 13, 2014)

For now put the cracked egg in there and or a small same sized chicken egg even in the box as u have it with the bricks to weight it down will stop it from tipping. If u do that she may STILL come and lay that second egg, pigeons are pretty forgiving lol.


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## BinnyRehsi (Mar 16, 2015)

So for the time being, I've kept that 'artificial' nest with the soft cloth and papers beneath, on the cover of the shoe box (which doesn't have high walls) and have kept the box itself on its side behind the cover, just to give a kind of protection. Still kept the brick chunk on one side of the cover, just to be safe. Hoping for the best....


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## BinnyRehsi (Mar 16, 2015)

That egg was more than cracked, was broken and the inside had spilled over, my partner just told me. So that has been discarded. And the chicken egg we have is almost 3 times the size of that pigeon egg. Do you think that would work?


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## CBL (May 13, 2014)

Well not likely may be too big, but cant u buy a dozen eggs that are small size and eat the rest lol. Post a picture of your set up so I can see it.


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## BinnyRehsi (Mar 16, 2015)

Well, we don't get chicken eggs smaller than that over here in Delhi (India)  ... I'll put the pic up for you to see soon, also will put the pic of the chicken egg in comparison to my hand, and you could guide me. Today morning when I woke up, it seemed those twigs have been toyed with... I'm hopeful


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## CBL (May 13, 2014)

Lol not sure if she will accept giant egg or leave thinking another bird moved in. Do u have anything almost egg shaped that u can put in there like a golf ball or ping pong ball? Do u have any cheap dollar stores there where u can find something similar size in craft section.


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## BinnyRehsi (Mar 16, 2015)

Hi CBL, it seems the couple is not interested in that nest anymore. They don't come near it now, and instead, I saw them flying out from the top of a cupboard that's kept there in the balcony. Thanks a lot for being quick and of help all these days. Will get in touch with you if I find myself stuck in any other pigeon issue in future. I respect your knowledge and noble intentions. Thanks - Binny


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## CBL (May 13, 2014)

Well looks like they will nest up there then, no loss, egg was not incubated so all is good, yes anytime, and enjoy the process


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