Hatching Dove eggs

Question
How long can a dove egg be left unattended by the mother?  I am concerned about the temperature.  It is around 54 degrees outside.  
Thanks,  

Answer
Hi, Tabnola,

If an egg cools down too much after incubation has started, the egg will not develop and hatch.  In other words, for an embryo to properly develop, it has to be incubated at a steady temperature of about 102-105 degrees F 24 hours per day for 18 days.  The hen or cock (female or male) can get up off an egg for a few minutes to defecate, eat, or drink, but they need to get right back to that egg pronto (not let the egg cool down too much, which can happen in 5-10 minutes, depending on the temperature in their immediate environment).  Both he male and female share in the incubation duties....mom incubates during the night (12 hours) and dad incubates during the day (12 hours).  Some pigeons don't incubate steadily on an egg until the second egg is laid.  Then they will take turns incubating both eggs 24/7.  Not all pigeon parents follow the above precisely...in some cases, one bird may incubate all the time, both may incubate all the time, some split the eggs up and one incubates one egg and the other bird the other egg, etc., etc.

Chrys