Hatching pigeons eggs

Question
QUESTION: David,

I hope you can help me with some advice. I'm hatching two pigeon eggs that were left in my balcony, I don't know if because I disturbed them or because they were not fertile. I have no idea how long it will take to hatch them, I have read 17 days. It'll be 14 days on Wednesday. I would like some food advice to be prepared in case they are born. I read chicks food is no good for pigeons. Some post recommend baby parrot hand feeding formula. Can you advise me on that? My email is . Thank you very much, any help will be greatly appreciate.

Mercedes

ANSWER: Mercedes,

I have read different incubation periods, but in thousands of personal experiences, it's 18 days.

As to raising squabs from day one; my advice is not to.  I have never done it and wouldn't try.  The pigeon family is the only bird group that actually makes milk for their young, and it lasts up to 10 days.  You can't replicate it.  You may manage to keep them alive with a high protein substitute, but they will never be as healthy as they should be.

If you want to raise a pet pigeon that is as loyal as a dog, start with a 10 day old squab.

Dave

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

QUESTION: Hi Dave,

Thank you so much for your advice and your quick answer. I will certainly won't try to hatch eggs again but these are already in their way. My goal is simply to keep them alive if they are born as healthy as possible. Would it work a mix of milk & oats?

Also, I put a light on them at night at 6 days and could only see and orange spot that could be the reflection of the flashlight. Is there a special technic I need to candlelight them?

Finally, I heard that if you touch the eggs the mother won't hatch them, that's why I felt guilty and bought and incubator. But later I read that this is a myth, that actually birds abandon them when they know they are not fertile. Which one sounds right to you?

Again, thank you SO much for replying me. Your information is very valuable, i really appreciate it.

Mercedes

Answer
I really don't know what would work for first food.  Oats is a good place to start.

But if you only saw the yolk at 6 days, they are very likely not going to hatch.  You should have seen the orange of the yolk and a dark spot.  After the age they are, they should be solid with very little light coming through.

It is a myth about birds leaving the nest if you touch the eggs.  It is also a myth that they will leave when they are infertile.  Perhaps wild bird species are more in touch, but domestics are not.  

The best chance for survival if they hatch, is for you to find a local pigeon breeder that will put the eggs under a setting hen, with eggs that are at the same time period.   The parents can feed 4 for the first couple of days; enough to get them launched.  Then you could hand feed after that.  Wild doves and feral pigeons also work as foster parents.  

Dave