How do I wait for mama to return before deciding two pigeons are officially orphaned?

[bloom4cats]

Please help! A mother pigeon made a nest in one of my old hanging planters on the patio. Her babies hatched recently (probably in the last few days...possibly even today). I saw her in the nest yesterday, but she is gone this morning and it is very cold -- about 26 F. How long should I wait for mother to return before I attempt to take these babies in? Is it normal for mothers to leave their new babies like this? Any help you can provide is appreciated!!!

[cyro51]

Both parent pigeons take turns to sit on the babies and in the first days they are never lft uncovered.

If you take them in and keep them warm (at 80 degrees) and then the parents return for any reason they will accept the babies back.

Can you let us know roughly where you are?

I will add some links to baby pigeon care to this post shortly:

Providing heat for orphaned birds:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showth...referrerid=560

Baby pigeon care:

http://www.duckpolice.org/BirdWeb/Pi...igeoncare.html

Handfeeding a pigeon from day one:

http://www.internationaldovesociety....eedinghelp.htm

Various methods to feed young squabs:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showth...referrerid=560

Video of Syringe and balloon method of feeding:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bin7r...elated&search=

[bloom4cats]

Thank you so much for your response. One of the parents finally returned...although from my second floor window it I can see clearly into the nest. She appears to be 'sitting on' one and not the other. Any chance the other has died?

[Pidgey]

Sure. Go here and look at the pictures to get an idea how old they really are:

http://www.speedpigeon.com/baby_racing_pigeon.htm

Pidgey