toronto - Mama and babies - anyone interested?

[cath13]

Hi all

Hoping I might find someone interested in here, will also post in the for sale section. But basically, a mama has taken roost on my balcony, and I was about to put the pot she has taken over out to the garbage, when I noticed the egg. Then..when I looked closer, I noticed this cute little yellow guy in there too. I don't know if the second egg has hatched yet, but the first guy was pretty lively when she flew off for a few minutes and I was able to catch a glance. Anyway, I called a place that is suppose to be able to take them away (in a humane way they say) and it will cost about $125.00, so if there is anyone in the Toronto Ontario Canada area who would be interested in picking up these guys and giving them a nice home please mail me at cath13@look.ca. I am not a particular fan of birds, but I certainly would like a nice place for this family to go to.

Thanks
Cath

[TAWhatley]

Originally Posted by cath13

Anyway, I called a place that is suppose to be able to take them away (in a humane way they say) and it will cost about $125.00, so if there is anyone in the Toronto Ontario Canada area who would be interested in picking up these guys and giving them a nice home please mail me Cath

Well the "humane way they say" is the key .. I could very well be wrong, but it sounds to me like the folks you are talking to are a pest control company and that the pigeons will likely end up dead. Really question this person or company about exactly what would happen to the birds.

There are rehab centers in the Toronto area that will take pigeons. I'd certainly check into that before paying someone to "humanely" handle the situation. Try the Toronto Wildlife Center .. details at http://www.pigeons.com/prd.htm

Terry

[cath13]

thanks Terry

In another area of this board someone suggested something they remembered being called wildlife, but the stupid site doesn't include an actual phone number (I'm having the arrgh's right now, sorry, I keep running out and asking mama how she's doing). So hopefully this is the same place and I can call tomorrow. She's seems pretty comfy right now, but I have no clue how to care for them if something goes wrong.

Cath

[WhiteWingsCa]

If the baby(s) are moved now, they will die - guaranteed -- unless someone takes them and hand raises them.

Pigeons raise their babies together - there is a daddy bird around someone, for sure. If you do manage to catch one of them on then nest - you've just separated a mated pair, because you won't find both of them on the nest at the same time.

If you move one and the babies - the parent will abandon the babies.

"humane" removal means they will humanely destroy the birds once they've taken them away, that's all.

Any company that "guarantees" that the birds won't return when they've removed them for you is destroying the birds -- because that is the ONLY way to guarantee that -- unless they are driving them 150-200 miles away to release them again -- and I would be willing to lay money on it that this is NOT what they are doing.

The baby(s) will be ready to fly off on it's own in about 4 weeks -- is there any reason why you can't just let them be, and let nature look after them?

You would, of course, have to watch that momma and poppa don't decide they really like your place - and lay eggs again in 2-3 weeks - even with the first little one still in the nest. If that happens, you can always remove the new eggs -- or take one inside after 3-4 days, put it in the fridge for two days - bring it back to room temp, then swap it for the remaining egg, and throw out the 2nd egg. The parents will sit on the egg for the rest of the incubation period -- but the egg won't hatch.

If the birds are a problem - once the current baby has flown off - you can look into the netting that you can put around your balcony to keep them away. It is only 4 weeks -- and you'll likely have a great time watching the little one grow!

[cath13]

Thanks White Wings

I have decided, really after getting some great advise on this board, to just leave them be and wait for baby to grow up and leave on its own. Once baby is gone I will go and remove the nest so that mama and daddy don't try and make this their new home (unless they can find a way to pay rent, then they can stay here as long as they want ). I can't really get out there and plant for another 4 or 5 weeks anyway, so I would rather leave nature to take its course. But thank you for the advise on the eggs, I will watch for that. Baby seems to be doing fine, and I think the second egg is about ready to hatch, so I will watch for further eggs and remove those as you suggested.

Thank so much for the help!

Cheers
Cath

[cyro51]

Good for you, Cath! Watching the babies grow will be an experience that you will not regret.

Cynthia

[mistenle]

I once put 7 eggs in the fridge for 3 days and ended up with 3 babies. I think boiling them would be more efficient. The eggs not the babies.

[WhiteWingsCa]

Originally Posted by mistenle

I once put 7 eggs in the fridge for 3 days and ended up with 3 babies. I think boiling them would be more efficient. The eggs not the babies.

The trick is waiting until they've been incubated for 3-4 days before putting them in the fridge. That way it stops any growth that's started.

You can 'trick' mother nature by removing just laid eggs (before incubation starts), and keeping them at room temperature for up to 8 days, then put them under a sitting pair. I've heard of people also refridgerating them for the same thing -- but I believe the rate of hatch is less if you do it that way.

We managed to raise 6 babies from the same cock bird -- using 3 different hens, and "holding" the eggs until a foster pair was ready for them. The cock bird and hen #3 raised their own eggs - the other 2 pair were fostered after 'holding'.

[cooingsosweetly]

i am a toronto resident, and if i only knew how to hand raise pigeons, i would be glad to take them, but it seems like you are doing the right thing by letting them grow up in their natural nesting situation. thank you for not getting rid of them, we built these buildings here, on the pigeons homes, so now they have no where to go, but "our" balconies. I wish for pigeons to come and roost at my house every day, and have finally got one feathered friend that comes for his food every morning. i can be reached at cafeinequeen@pigeonemail.com if you are in a really bad situation about it, i can pick them up and bring them to earth rangers in woodbridge. they help avian animals and pigeons too!! www.earthrangers.ca you can get the number there. in the meantime, i will continue learning, so that next time this happens, i will know how to hand feed the little squabbie squabs myself. just think of the bond you would create.
friends, queenie.