I thought I'd make a start on cleaning my balcony today and found to my surprise that Mr and Mrs Pigeon have made their little makeshift nest there. Just look at those two little eggs.
* sniffs all teary eyed * we are going to be parents .
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Mrs_F
- Friday, 11. Apr, 2008 @ 13:21:49
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miramaze
- Friday, 11. Apr, 2008 @ 13:25:32
Now we know what all the cooing was about, don't we
I also know now why they have sometimes scared the living daylights out of me bu flying off straight in front of my face as I open the balcony door .
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- http://menomamauk.blog.co.uk
- Friday, 11. Apr, 2008 @ 14:38:32
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Mira, they may lay more eggs. My finches laid 6 in total!
How exciting!!!
The babies should be hatched and still in the nest when I get there.
Hugs and kisses-
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miramaze
- Friday, 11. Apr, 2008 @ 15:40:56
Thank you !!
It's so exciting and I'm very new at all this. Do you think she will lay more eggs ??? omg .I need your experience now , my friend. How long does it take for them to hatch ? I do hope they are warm enough . I dare not clean the balcony now. I'll have to let it be. I hope you get to see them 
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- http://menomamauk.blog.co.uk
- Friday, 11. Apr, 2008 @ 16:11:35
*excited*
Here's some info...
//Both male and female take part in the incubation and rearing of the young. Females lay their first egg about 10 days after mating, usually in the late afternoon or early evening. A second egg is laid about 44 hours later. Two eggs is the normal clutch size. Incubation commences with the laying of the second egg. The male (cock) bird usually broods from about 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., the female (hen) the rest of the time. Hatching normally occurs 18 days from start of incubation.
Youngsters are fed by both parents -- and here is where pigeons/doves are unique. The parents need not even leave the nest to hunt down insects, etc., as do many other genera or species. Instead, they feed their young on a glandular crop secretion called "pigeon milk". It is not actually milk, and there is no lactose in it, but its production is stimulated by prolactin, the same hormone which stimulates milk production in mammals.
Pigeon milk looks more like a cream-colored cottage cheese and is a high protein food which is fed to the youngsters from hatching till about ten days old when regurgitated grain and grit replace it as the major food source. Youngsters fledge at about 35 days.
However, when the young are about eighteen days old, the parents will often commence to renest. It is not uncommon for one round of youngsters to be fledging at the same time that next are hatching. //
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miramaze
- Friday, 11. Apr, 2008 @ 17:25:16
Oh WOW .. the hen will be going on duty as we speak. I must have disturbed the cock then , today
There ya go ....
Interesting that about the milk "cream-colored cottage cheese" It's a good job I am throwing out the mat that has been covering the floor of the balcony for the past few years.
18 days will be the 28th April I wonder if there will be a second lot ?
I think it is nice that they are both sharing the parenting role. Fascinating. Thanks a lot for the info, Meno Mama *mwaaaaah* you will be a godparent
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- Friday, 11. Apr, 2008 @ 20:14:29
That's really interesting meno! Didn't know about the pigeon milk. Amazing!
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- Friday, 11. Apr, 2008 @ 20:18:58
And mira, that's great isn't it! What an opportunity for viewing them. Hope there'll be many pics! Enjoy!
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miramaze
- Friday, 11. Apr, 2008 @ 23:26:42
Thanks . It's all very exciting
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la_spice
- Friday, 11. Apr, 2008 @ 17:04:16
All this "romance"!!
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miramaze
- Friday, 11. Apr, 2008 @ 17:14:50
Isn't it WONDERFUL !!
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Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.
Romance huh!
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