Expert: Roger Lederer - 7/7/2007

Question
I don't know the species of this dove but I live on the coast of South Carolina and the male and female are both gray. She laid two eggs in one of my handing baskets on my porch approx. three weeks ago. When I have been able to catch her gone, I've been watering the plant being very careful not to get the nest or eggs wet. She left this morning around 10 or 11, it is now 5:30 and she has yet to return. I thought her eggs would have hatched by now. Do you think that she has given up on the hatching or have I done something wrong? I have never touched the nest and have only been using a watering can.

Answer
The eggs should have hatched by now if she has been incubating them. They could be sterile. If they are not, she might come back and continue incubating. Depending on the temperature, they can leave the eggs for several hours. Touching the nest or the eggs will not cause the parents to abandon the nest. But a lot of disturbance might. I don't think you did anything wrong.