[Guest]

Hi, several weeks ago a mother pigeon gave birth to a single baby (the other egg didn't make it) on my balcony. I've been feeding and putting water out for the pigeons, but this morning when I went out to refill the water dish I scared the baby pigeon and it has wedged itself between the wall and a piece of furniture on the balcony. Can I pick it up and put it back into the nest? Or will the mother disapprove if I touch it? (I've had hamsters, the mother eats the young if touched by humans). The baby is about two weeks old and getting pretty big (maybe 1/2 the size of its mom) it that helps. Thanks, any help is appreciated, I want to give this pigeon family a good home.

 

[Dobato]

Yes, please pick the little one up and place him back in the nest. It is a myth that the parents will abandon a baby if they "smell human" on them.

Karyn

 

[416toronto]

Done, thanks. That was pretty cool, I've never held a pigeon before.

 

[Dobato]

Well done! Thanks for looking after them.

Karyn

 

[SerendipityCA]

Yay 416toronto!!!

 

[Siam Sam]

We were afraid of the same thing with the squabs our feral pigeons have on our balcony. We now routinely pick them up when the parents are away. No problems.

 

[maryjane]

Aren't they the softest things?

 

[416toronto]

So I checked on the baby pigeon this morning and again he was out of the nest. I put him back this morning and I checked on him again just now, and for the third time he is out of the nest, but now instead of hiding against the wall he is walking around in the area near the nest (the nest is too high for him to climb back in to). The mother and/or father don't seem to be around too much anymore except in the morning to eat the seed and drink the water I put out for them. Is this normal? Should I just keep putting him back in the nest? I'm pretty sure he is at least two weeks old now... when is it normal for a baby pigeon to be able to fly? Every time I pick him up he flaps his wings like he wants to fly but as far as I can tell he isn't able to yet. He really is getting quite big though... there is of course lots of seed and water out there for him but I have no idea if he knows where it is, or if he is able to eat and drink on his own yet. The squab and I both appreciate any help you can give us. Thanks!

 

[Lovebirds]

So I checked on the baby pigeon this morning and again he was out of the nest. I put him back this morning and I checked on him again just now, and for the third time he is out of the nest, but now instead of hiding against the wall he is walking around in the area near the nest (the nest is too high for him to climb back in to). The mother and/or father don't seem to be around too much anymore except in the morning to eat the seed and drink the water I put out for them. Is this normal? Should I just keep putting him back in the nest? I'm pretty sure he is at least two weeks old now... when is it normal for a baby pigeon to be able to fly? Every time I pick him up he flaps his wings like he wants to fly but as far as I can tell he isn't able to yet. He really is getting quite big though... there is of course lots of seed and water out there for him but I have no idea if he knows where it is, or if he is able to eat and drink on his own yet. The squab and I both appreciate any help you can give us. Thanks!

If the baby is moving around that much, I expect it's older than two weeks. Probably more like 3 weeks. It is normal for the parents not to hang around much at this stage. As long as they're feeding Junior and he's growing, I wouldn't worry about it. Where is the seeds/water in correlation to the nest? Depending on how safe your balcony is, I don't know that it's necessary to worry to much about the baby being out of the nest. Maybe put it back close to nightfall so it can be safe and snug overnight. If allowed to be out of the nest, the parents will teach it to eat and it may wean a little earlier than they normally do. I wouldn't expect to see it flying until it's about a month or 5 weeks old.

 

[Kancora]

Our babies are two weeks old today. They don't leave the nest yet and the parents seem to hang around near by but are not there all the time. They are still feeding them though. We have touched ours this weekend and the parents don't seem worried about it.

 

[Charis]

Our babies are two weeks old today. They don't leave the nest yet and the parents seem to hang around near by but are not there all the time. They are still feeding them though. We have touched ours this weekend and the parents don't seem worried about it.

That's the way it should be. The babies are too young to leave and the parents are off on another nest near by. They come back to feed them.

 

[416toronto]

This morning I cut some cardboard and built up three walls around the nest. I put the squab back in and he's stayed in there since. I notice the same two pigeons (at least I think it is the same two) check in occasionally throughout the day to eat their seed so I assume they are feeding the kid at some point too as he seems energetic enough when I pick him up (flapping his wings and crapping all over my hands). I guess everything is normal with this pigeon family.

 

[Lovebirds]

This morning I cut some cardboard and built up three walls around the nest. I put the squab back in and he's stayed in there since. I notice the same two pigeons (at least I think it is the same two) check in occasionally throughout the day to eat their seed so I assume they are feeding the kid at some point too as he seems energetic enough when I pick him up (flapping his wings and crapping all over my hands). I guess everything is normal with this pigeon family.

sounds normal to me!! LOL