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Hatching abandoned Dove egg

22 17:33:55

Question
There are two "love doves" that have been inhabitting our yard for three years; since we moved in. My husband noticed their nest had been blown down in the windstorm we had yesterday, and one of their eggs is crushed, but the other is ok. Unfortunately, it was on the ground, and the temperature dropped last night, so it was also cold. I went ahead and brought it in, wrapped it in a soft towel, inside a small box, and put it under a lamp to keep it warm. The egg is in good condition. I'm wondering if the bird inside will be able to be saved, or are my efforts futile? Also, am I incubating it correctly, or do I need to do something different?

Answer
It is highly unlikely that the egg can be hatched. Once incubation starts and the young bird inside begins to develop, the egg temperature must be maintained at a pretty constant temperature. If the birds had been incubating, which they probably were, and the egg got cold, it is almost surely bad. In addition, the fall from the tree can't have helped any. But thanks for your concern.
(By the way, incubation temperatures are about 100 degrees, so lamp warming would not be nearly enough unless the lamp was very close and the egg was turned regularly.)