Expert: Roger Lederer - 4/6/2009

Question
We found 2 eggs that had fallen from their nest.  My daughter really wanted to see if she could save them.  She has a tender heart for animals.  We made a incubator and have kept them warm.  We don't know for sure what kind of eggs, but we have dove's all around our house.  What is the time period for them to hatch, assuming they are dove's and they survive?
Which I know is a low percent of that happening.

Answer
Whether they can be saved or not depends on a number of factors. If they were incubated before they came out of their nest they are probably no good because once incubation starts it cannot be stopped without killing the eggs. But if you want to give it a try, you need to keep them at about 101 degrees F for about three weeks. If they hatch, the young need a special kind of food that may be available at your local feed store. Baby birds are extremely hard to hatch and raise unless you have experience, so I suggest you contact your local wildlife rehab center for help. Good luck and thanks for your concern.