Pigeons poopy nest and babies???

[LeslieP]

I am new to this site, and pigeons as well. I currently have 6 pigeons, Not sure what they are, I know a few of them are fantails. Maybe I can post a pic. for you guys as soon as I figure out how to post on this site.
I have a question and was wondering if you might could help me out. Okey this is a bout my Pigeons, if You know of a link to refer my worrysome butt to then that will be fine too. But this is the deal.
I finally have two babies that hatched a few weeks ago, they get big really fast. The mother and father took turns sitting on them, now I think it is the mom, feeding them. It is now really cold out, and their nest gets stinky and nasty. The mom does not like it when it gets nasty, so I take the straw out and replace it.
At first I was scared of scaring the mom off.
Should have researched a little, huh?
Anyways my question is. Is the mom supposed to sleep with them, cause I have had to put her back in the nest a few times at night. Or would they die of cold??? I have posted on a couple "Pigeon Site" but no luck yet. Should I be feeding them Pigeon feed (the babies??) Any advice.

[re lee]

Are the young birds well feathered now. If its been a few weeks I would think they are getting big enough that the parent birdscan not sit them as well. ANd with feathere coverage they will not chill as easyly. They do make a mess at the nest. Changing out it fine. The cock bird most often feeds more on older young birds then the hen. But both share the duty. If you can get nest bowls or such the droppingswill be dropped more out of the nest. easyer clean up. Young birds most often are old enough to wean at about 28 to 35 days old depends on breed type and person. I used to pull young at 30 days putting them in the young bird pen. Where you can watch the first day or 2 to see that they are eating well. If you do not have a young bird pen then just watch them for being picked on by othere pigeons. And that they start eating well. If your nests are up from the floor high you might put them on the floor at 28 days the parents will still feed them umntil they grow tierd of them and they learn to eat 1005 on there own. Good luck And welcome here any time.

[LeslieP]

I built a nest box, it is a 2 story box, with the babies on the top floor, so you think it would be okey for me to put them in the bottom box. What kind of food dish would I use for them. I am good or beter at raising poultry, but somehow these birds (my pigeons) have found a place in my heart as well.
I am not sure the exact date on which they were born, so their age is not known. However, I can tell you that they have feathers for the most part, and their eyes have been open for about 2 weeks. NO feathers on their tummy yet. or crop. Any suggestions on what to start them out on? (feed)
Thanks again.....
[IMG]<img src="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y73/LeslieP/100_0901.jpg" alt="Image hosted by Photobucket.com">[/IMG]

[pdpbison]

Hi Leslie,

Just let the parents raise them...

If the Youngsters are wilty or unresponsive from getting too cold or from neglect, then worry about it. So just keep a nice eye on them a few times-a-day.

Hold you hand over them close, palm down...you should feel heat comeing out of them.

Do their parents keep them well fed? Full little Crops? Lotsa happy little poops all around the Nest? Lots of peeping when chow-time rolls around?

If so, leave 'em be...


I have two here who are about two weeks old now, being raised by their poppa-Pigeon. They are little furnaces with full happy Crops all the time.

It was 37 degrees in here last night, and they seemed fine, but I did gently put some heavy cotton socks around them and then layered a few more to sort of close them in. In the morning they were on top of the socks.

If I am raising orphan Babys, I always keep them warm on a heating pad set up. If their parents (single parent in this case) are raising them and doing a good job of it, I try not to interfere much.


You do not need to 'start them out' on anything...just let their parents feed them, and in time, the parents will instruct them by example in pecking Seeds also, so...just stand back and enjoy, keeping an eye on their progress...looking in on them often just to make sure all is well.


If the Parents are healthy, and the Babys are healthy, and the food you provide the Parents is good...the Baby's poops will be merely just slightly moist Raisen sized things which do not get on anyone or stick to anyone...

If they are all healthy, it should not be smelly.

Off-the-Sitting-Sest poops made by parents when incubating the Eggs, now those...CAN be 'smelly' and nasty and huge and sloppy and wierd looking and so on. But after that phase is done, the parent's poops ought to be back to normal, not smelly, but neat, tidy, and Raisen-like...or a little bigger, as may be...

Best wishes!

Phil
Las Vegas

[LeslieP]

I will let them be. I have to admit I have not been feeding them pigeon feed.
I raise chickens, so I have been feeding them Start and grow and game bird blend. But now that I have found you guys, I want to do it right.
Thank you so much. They are sweet.
Here is a pic of a few of mine.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y73...P/100_0898.jpg

[Trees Gray]

Hello leslie,

Welcome to Pigeons.com

Please do get a good pigeon seed mix. Here is an example of a good pigeon mix, click on the ingredients and it will show you everything in a good mix.:

http:www.purgrain.com

Pigeons need a variety of grains, legumes and seeds for optimum health.

I have also answered some of your questions on your original post.

please feel free to ask any questions you might have.

[bartuska]

I have a few babies now too, and today was a balmy 2 degrees. (I live in Wisconsin) My loft was about 15 degrees. The birds are happy as can be and the babies are, as Phil said, little furnaces. The parents were very attentive the first couple of weeks--always on them but now that they have or are getting feathers, I see them leave the nest at times for short periods and the babies do fine. Cleaning (or chipping) ice poop is my new hobby--I hate winter! I guess I have to get exercise somehow in this weather. The birds have experienced their first snow and sit in it--and eat it. Haven't seen them taking a bath in it yet--but I am waiting, camera ready for you Tressa! I caught one yesterday trying to bath in the frozen water dish! Poor birds want a bath--but that will have to wait for a warmer (ha! maybe 30 degrees!) day.

[Trees Gray]

Hi Catherine,

I can't wait to see your white pigeons bathing in the white snow..I'm waiting...

[LeslieP]

and you were right, the parents just picked up where they left off.
They are soooooooooo cute. One is for sure fatter then the other one.
Should I be worried, will the parents favor one over the other. I will post a pic tomorrow. Cold Cold!!! Thank you guys!!

[Trees Gray]

Originally Posted by LeslieP

They are soooooooooo cute. One is for sure fatter then the other one.
Should I be worried, will the parents favor one over the other. I will post a pic tomorrow. Cold Cold!!! Thank you guys!!

I wouldn't worry, I would however intervene if it is a noticeable difference in size and especially if the little one is lagging in getting the parents attention to FEED ME NOW....MOM. I usely take the big youngster out and allow the parents to load the little one up good first (packing the bags for the weekend..) then put the big baby back, I will do this before the parents feed them, with each meal until the baby has caught up in size.

If the baby is not active, strong, or the parents are not feeding then its time to really intervene as there is disease or something going on.

[LeslieP]

provide the very best for them. Thak you so much Tressa, I had chickens before my pigeons. I bought thm from a really nice man that I also bought my silkies from. He was moving and needed to downsize. I scored on a really large aviary from the freecycle.com. They have a nice size pen. I am just kinda really behind on the whole "pigeon thing". I want them to as tame as my chickens are. I am capable of provideing them a great life. Just ignorant to the careing for. (for now) When you say take the other out, while the runt gets some much needed tlc, and food. It scares me that like wild birds they won't except them back???? I know that must sound wierd to you or other pigeon lovers. A would if I talked about my chickens. I have reserch huh??? So I can take the biggest one out, and hold him and talk to him.
I had no idea that they could be great pets. I LOVE my chickens, and other poultry. I really like the pigeons, and the more time I spend with them, I am sure to love them just as much. Just new at this. Thank you so much for taking the time to teach me alittle bit about them. I have a 2 1/2 year old
son, and he loves the chickens. He ask to hold the birds (pigeons) but I won't let him.

[alaska]

Hi Leslie,
Welcome to PigeonTalk
You sound like you are brooding over these little babies more than their pigeon parents are! This is a great thing, and I am sure they will continue to do well with you as their guardian angel
Baby pigeons poop quite a bit, just keep changing the nest material every few days to prevent any problems with bacteria or disease. The parents won't mind you going in and changing every few days.
Also don't worry about the size difference in the babies, unless the smaller one is looking considerably undernourished. All of my baby pigeons have always had a difference in size relative to the time that the first and second egg hatched, and they all grow up fine inthe end.
At around 14 days these babies should now be showing pin feathers...at this stage the mother will stop sleeping on them at night...this is ok, as long as it is not REALLY cold for a few nights...you will find that they should very quickly feather up within 3-4days and this will keep them warm.
The father is the one who will continue to feed them from this time onwards.
Gott run but I'll try to get back and give you some more info soon.

Regards
Alaska

[mtnman13]

At the risk of sounding facetious, just try and imagine howq pigeons got along before they had peop[le to care for and feed them and clean their stinky nests. I'd say that the momma and pappa pigeon probably have pretty fair country notion of what they are doing. Therefore, to force mamma to "GET IN THERE WHERE YOU BELONG!" is most likely not the best thing for all concerned.

Actually, pigeons are one of, if not the, smartest birds around. But of course they don't have the sensitivities of a human. For instance, I doubt they trun up their noses and say "PE-YUUUU-EEE" at the smell of pigeon poop, even if it's in the nest. First, they don't have the delicate nose you do and beyond that, they probably consider the odor to be a pleasant reminder that they are home. (:-)

Just kidding you a bit but I'd say you are a bit too concerned, Momma and Pappa will do just fine with their naturally appointed responsibilities of rearing young pigeons. Unless, of course, you choose to crawl into that little nesting space and keep them warm all night yourself. <:-) If you choose to do so I'd advvise taking a blanket and a clothes pin to clip on your nose so you don't offend the liddle buggers by showing such displeasure about their natural bodily functions.

[mr squeaks]

Mtnman13! LOL Sometimes we humans DO tend to get a little "anxious!"

I have heard that pigeon poop with the new babes is a good thing (helps with their immune system) and the nest shouldn't be cleaned right away...

[Pigeonpal2002]

Originally Posted by mr squeaks

Mtmn13! LOL Sometimes we humans DO tend to get a little "anxious!"

I have heard that pigeon poop with the new babes is a good thing (helps with their immune system) and the nest shouldn't be cleaned right away...

I agree with Shi, pigeon poop all around provides a catelist for exposing the young to various "bugs" and "nasties". As bad as it sounds, it's beneficial to the youngsters to a certain degree when talking about relatively "Healthy Birds". Contained within are good bacteria in some poops, much the same as probiotics that pigeons ingest from other sources.

Many people either don't know this or don't want to acknoweldge this but, pigeons DO eat their own poop to some degree and it DOES benefit them when those birds are healthy specimens