EGG on porch

[lam000]

I found an egg on the ground a couple of weeks ago, it had been very windy. Another egg sat next to it smashed. I picked up the egg, and had NO idea what to do. I figured, it had been so cold for last few days, the egg most likely was dead. I put it in a flower pot on my front porch - didnt know what to do. This was over a week ago. Today I went onto my porch (my only enterence), as I do everyday, and a pigeon was sitting in the flower pot. It has not left all day long. It has been moving around but I have been 2 feet away from it, and it just looks at me. Is this egg still alive??? What do I do? I have a two year old, and now I feel like she cant play on the porch. I hurry us out to not disturb the bird. The egg was alone for a while, and I can not see how it could possibly still be alive, but then whey would the pigeon be sitting there?????

[flitsnowzoom]

Hi Lam000 and welcome to P-T. Thanks for not scaring away this pigeon. There will be experts on over the next few hours that can better advise you on what to do but for now if you can let us know what the bird is doing and looking like that would be wonderful. Are you limited in space on the porch or is it roomy enough so you could perhaps screen off the bird a bit from your child? If you haven't seen the bird until today and the egg is over a week old, it may be that it won't hatch, but eggs can "hold" for a few days as long as they haven't been incubated. Perhaps you can put out some bird seed and water in a dish for the bird, it may be tired and hungry, and your porch seemed like a nice haven. If you can give us an idea where you are located, there may be a member here that can assist if it turns out the pigeon is feeling poorly and needs assistance.
Anyway, real experts will be along to offer advice and help you. It's been fairly quiet on the forum so you may not get too much feedback until tomorrow, but they will get back to you as soon as they can. Again, welcome and thanks.

[lam000]

Thank you for gettiing back to me so quickly. I live in Southern California, and I cant really screen or section my porch off...also, the flower pot is on top of my AC unit, so I guess I wont be using that. Yesterday, when I came home I actaully did notice lots of grass on top of my AC unit, but didnt even think about it having to do with the egg...truth be told, I forgot all about it. Then this morning when I opened the door, one bird (the father?) flew away, so I started to go to the pot, and there sat the other bird. The bird seems fine, it has just been sitting there, it moves around some times...not sure what it is doing. But mainly very still. My dog has been on the porch- by accident, and still it wont budge. This bird is determined, If I open my curtains I can see it, and it can see me - but it has no fear, it stays put. I feel bad for this bird - it must really want to take care of its baby....

[Reti]

I am not sure what to tell you and what would be best for the birds and you.
You could leave the birds/nest in place and they might get used to the traffic on the porch. Or you could remove the nest and if they try again to make a nest then remove it again until they get the point.
As for the egg, it might not even be theirs and if it is, it is unlikely after two weeks it is still any good.

You could candle the egg by holding a flashlight behind it in a darkened room and see if there is any embryo in it, then take it from there.

Reti

[lam000]

Hello,

I appreciate your help. I cant get ahold of the egg, the bird is still there...it slept there, and will not leave. It had a visitor this morning. What do I do????? I really cant have the bird live there. It doesnt even fly away when I am on my porch. Wouldnt the bird be able to tell if the egg was fertile or not? If not, then will there be a point where it gives up???? I am scared to go right up to the flower pot and move it, and even if I could- I have no idea where to put it where the bird will be safe? Any advice?????

[flitsnowzoom]

The birds may have decided that your place is a safe one to nest and make a family. The fact that it is sitting and not budging indicates that either it is very used to people and that it was raised from a chick around people or that there are eggs in the nest and that it is brooding them. They may have set up house before you really noticed them out there. Parents can be very determined.
At this time of day, there aren't many pigeon experts on-line but in a few hours they will come on and can help.
Reti has already outlined the basic options you have. You can also try moving the pot higher so the dog and little one can't get to the nest. (put a shelf unit out there perhaps). Have you got an idea where the original nest may have been, if it's just above the air conditioner, perhaps you could "encourage" the birds to vacate the flower pot for the old site, or move the flower pot to the previous nesting spot.
Certainly a nest on an air conditioner is not the prime spot to raise a family, but it's probably a safe place in the pigeons' minds.
Many folks on this board have allowed their visitors to raise one family and then gently encouraged them to find more appropriate digs for the next set of babies.
Again, thanks for caring about this little family enough to not remove them immediately.

[lam000]

OK, so I had a neighbor come over, and I guess we scared the pigeon...she flew away, and in her nest is the old egg, and a NEW ONE! She came back as soon as we went inside, took the old egg, ditched it, came back again and is sitting on her egg. What do I do? Will this bird become aggressive once the egg does hatch? How long will she be here?

[TAWhatley]

Originally Posted by lam000

OK, so I had a neighbor come over, and I guess we scared the pigeon...she flew away, and in her nest is the old egg, and a NEW ONE! She came back as soon as we went inside, took the old egg, ditched it, came back again and is sitting on her egg. What do I do? Will this bird become aggressive once the egg does hatch? How long will she be here?

She will most likely lay a second egg within the next 36 hours or so. Once the second egg is present she and her mate will start taking turns sitting on the eggs. The male will sit during the day and the female at night. The incubation time will be approximately 18 days from when they start sitting the nest in earnest. Assuming the eggs hatch, it will then be another approximately 5-6 weeks before the babies are ready to fly. The parents will lay two more eggs before the current batch of babies are weaned and flying, so you need to have a plan in place or you will be in a "revolving door" of pigeon babies.

Terry

[lam000]

Thank you so much....I hate to disturb this little family, but I cant have them living on top of my AC on my porch. So please tell me what to do. What is the best option? And if I "relocate" this family, at what point is the best time to do this? Once the 2nd one is there, Once they hatch, or before????And where do I put them? What have other people done???Thank you SO much!

[TAWhatley]

Originally Posted by lam000

Thank you so much....I hate to disturb this little family, but I cant have them living on top of my AC on my porch. So please tell me what to do. What is the best option? And if I "relocate" this family, at what point is the best time to do this? Once the 2nd one is there, Once they hatch, or before????And where do I put them? What have other people done???Thank you SO much!

If you are going to "relocate" them, you should take both eggs as soon as the second one is present, dispose of the eggs, and "dismantle" the nest. Then you will need to try to pigeon proof your porch in a manner that is not going to be harmful to any pigeons that try to get in there.

Terry

[lam000]

Ok, thank you...and ONE more question. I will relocate them after the 2nd egg is laid. Where should I put them. I REALLY do not want to cause any harm. This bird seems so incredibly sweet. And I cant "dispose" of the eggs, that feels so cruel. Any ideas as to where to put the flower pot, perhaps leaving the nest intact??? Are there any animal control centers that can help?

[flitsnowzoom]

I can almost guarantee if you call animal control they will dispose of the birds. Pigeons are not protected; many people consider them pests and will poison them out of hand. Even the Audobon Society is not the pigeons' advocate because they are a non-native species. Okay, I'm off my soapbox.

If you want the eggs to hatch and you don't want the flower pot right on top of your AC because it is open on the top, perhaps you can put a shelf or ledge above the unit and move the pot up a bit and then lay screening on top of the AC unit to prevent feathers and twigs from getting onto the AC unit. If the AC unit is solid on top, the pot could probably remain there until the babies have hatched and grown, then remove the nest and pot as Terry suggests and screen off the area so the pigeons can't return. If you can't wait until the eggs hatch, the kindest thing to do is remove the eggs after the 2nd has been laid and before the parents start sitting the nest, then pigeon-proof the area. Pigeons, perhaps because they are a prey species, like high protected places; in their natural setting they live in craggy rocky areas and nest high up (which is why city scapes appeal to them). They certainly do seem like sweet birds and many people here have them as pets.

Once, I had the great good fortune to have a nest of sparrows right on top of my porch light and was able to see them raise their little family. It was a great experience to witness. After the babies fledged and left the nest, I removed the nest so mom and dad wouldn't give me an encore. Occasionally, I'll still get some interested lookers, but if I see something getting built, I will remove it before they get too far.

[Charis]

Originally Posted by flitsnowzoom

I can almost guarantee if you call animal control they will dispose of the birds. Pigeons are not protected; many people consider them pests and will poison them out of hand. Even the Audobon Society is not the pigeons' advocate because they are a non-native species. Okay, I'm off my soapbox.

If you want the eggs to hatch and you don't want the flower pot right on top of your AC because it is open on the top, perhaps you can put a shelf or ledge above the unit and move the pot up a bit and then lay screening on top of the AC unit to prevent feathers and twigs from getting onto the AC unit. If the AC unit is solid on top, the pot could probably remain there until the babies have hatched and grown, then remove the nest and pot as Terry suggests and screen off the area so the pigeons can't return. If you can't wait until the eggs hatch, the kindest thing to do is remove the eggs after the 2nd has been laid and before the parents start sitting the nest, then pigeon-proof the area. Pigeons, perhaps because they are a prey species, like high protected places; in their natural setting they live in craggy rocky areas and nest high up (which is why city scapes appeal to them). They certainly do seem like sweet birds and many people here have them as pets.

Once, I had the great good fortune to have a nest of sparrows right on top of my porch light and was able to see them raise their little family. It was a great experience to witness. After the babies fledged and left the nest, I removed the nest so mom and dad wouldn't give me an encore. Occasionally, I'll still get some interested lookers, but if I see something getting built, I will remove it before they get too far.

Common sense, down to earth approach I've come to admire in you.
I totally agree.

[lam000]

So, I like the bird. She is still living on my porch, and you were right - there are now two eggs. She seems sweet, and as long as she is not flying at my head to keep me away from my porch - she can live there. I havent seen the father bird for a long time though. Is it possible he abandoned her? Should I buy seed?

[Reti]

Well, if you buy seeds be prepared that they will stick around forever and it may also attract more pigeons.
If they don't seem starved and they have a source of food, I would leave them alone. Now spring and summer they should not have much trouble to find food. Besides you don't want them to become dependent on you.

Reti