Expert: Chrys Meatyard - 8/6/2008

Question
about 3 weeks ago, we got a pair of white, fantail pigeons.

Four days ago the female layed her first egg and the day after she layed the second.

She has been sitting on them for a few days but this morning she flew off and hasnt returned to the nest since despite being in full view of it all the time.

The male set it for a little while but then he flew off too.

I wasnt sure if it was because this is their first brood but seeing as we havnt had them long, i am also worried about them flying off and getting lost or settling somewhere else.

I would have liked them to rear the chicks successfully but is the fact that she has left them for hours life thretening to the embrios?

The weather is about 17 degrees C so not too chilly but does this make a difference?

Please answer because even if its just to settle my mind, i would really appriciate any advice/answers.

Thankyou.

Jo  

Answer
Hi, Jo,

It sounds to me like something has frightened them off their nest because pigeons are normally excellent parents.  Have you seen hawks, falcons around and/or have you seen any other animals in the vicinity?  Hawks/falcons or other raptors would be my guess.  Even if you haven't seen any other critters around, the birds might have.  Something seems to be keeping them from returning to their nest.  A story about pigeon dedication to their offspring - a dog got inside my loft one time and killed 12 of my pigeons.  When I discovered this, I found 10 of these birds still sitting on eggs or on hatchlings.  These birds were so dedicated to their offspring, they gave their lives to protect them.  The eggs/offspring were not harmed.  You don't mention the bird's ages.  If this is their first clutch and they are young/too young, they may not have enough experience yet.      

Normally, most pigeons stay in the area where they were hatched/raised unless they've been properly acclimated to a new home (and often times, this doesn't work).  Three weeks is not sufficient time in my opinion.  You don't mention your birds being inside a loft, so I'm assuming these birds were hatched elsewhere and you brought them to your home and turned them loose outside?  If so, it's a distinct possibility these birds may not stay around your home.  You might want to consider a loft including an aviary/flight cage for the outside of the loft versus allowing them to fly freely.     

Regarding the eggs...once incubation begins, the parent birds can leave them, but they can't leave them long enough that the eggs cool down.  Cool down can occur in as little as 10-15 minutes.  Successful incubation requires consistent heat for the duration of the incubation period.  The adults may leave the nest to eat, drink, switch incubators.  Normally, mom incubates for 12 hours during the night, dad for 12 hours during the day....give or take an hour or so in either direction, meaning mom may sit for 10 hours, dad 14, and I've seen variations, such as each bird taking an egg and sitting 24/7 or both sitting together, I've seen males sitting on top of females during incubation, etc....pairs can do different things, depending on the individual pairs.  17 degrees C is plenty warm enough outside, but it doesn't really make a difference because the parents provide sufficient warmth.  My pigeons have successfully raised offspring in 0 degree F temperatures in the dead of winter, and I've also seen hatchlings die from exposure in the heat of summer.     

Chrys