ABANDONED DOVE EGG

Question
QUESTION: HI DIANNA. MY KIDS BROUGHT HOME A BABY DOVE EGG THAT THE OTHER KIDS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD WERE GOING TO BREAK. WE WENT TO RETURN IT TO FIND THE OTHER ONE BROKE ON THE GROUND, THE NEST TORN APART, AND THE MOTHER MUST HAVE TOOK OFF. NOW I HAVE THIS EGG THAT I CANNOT RETURN TO ITS MOTHER AND I WANT TO SAVE THE BABY BIRD. HOW CAN I HELP IT HATCH AND FEED IT SO IT WILL HAVE A CHANCE TO SURVIVE? PLEASE HELP!!
ANSWER: Hello Tracy. Thank you for posting.
Hopefully it's not too late to save this baby vird.  It depends on how long it's gone without having been kept warm.
You wrap the egg in a towel and put it into a cardboard box.  Then place a heating pad, on the lowest setting, underneath about half of the box (but not directly under the towel, you do not want to cook the egg or baby if there is one).  Be sure to turn the egg a few times a day. This will help the baby keep from being deformed when it hatches.
It'll take about a month if it's going to hatch.
Once it hatches, you will want to start feeding it right away.
Here is a site that will help to explain how to do this:

http://www.angelfire.com/falcon/birdinfo/parrots_page1.html

It explains on how to hand feed parrots, but the concept is the same for pigeons and doves.

Let me know how the baby does.

Good luck and God Bless.
Dianna

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: THANK YOU FOR RESPONDING. I HAVE IT IN A LITTLE NEST NEXT TO MY FAX MACHINE WHERE THE TEMP IS BETWEEN 99 AND 101 AT ALL TIMES. HOW CAN I TELL THE AGE OF THIS EGG? AND I HELD IT UP TO LIGHT AND I SEE A LITLE MORE THAN HALF OF THE INSIDE IS A DARK SHADOW, AND THEN THERE IS AN EMPTY SPACE. WHAT DOES THI MEAN?

Answer
Hi again Tracy.
There really is no way to tell the age of the egg, but if you are seeing either red vein typ lines in the egg, then it is fertile.  The darkness in the egg could mean that there is a baby bird inside, however, this is still no guarantee that it will hatch.  Candle the egg (hold it up to the light) a couple times a week.  If the dark shadow looks like it's getting bigger, then it is fertile, and will probably hatch.
The empty space is an air pocket that allows the baby to grow large enough to be able to live once it's out of the shell.

Please keep me posted.

God Bless.
Dianna