Need Advice please whether I should be worried or not

I am sorry that I post this again (I posted this in another forum but haven't seen any answer yet) - so maybe a few of you have seen this already but I am really a bit worried as I do not have enough experience to judge the situation.

"On Monday we had a new baby pigeon (feral) and on Tuesday the second from our young couple Willy and Winnie. It is the second batch that they have.

As you probably know from my blog Pigeon Tales a feral pigeon couple, Pete and Emma is living on our balcony. Until today they had 2 batches of babies (we did not allow more and replaced the eggs by plaster eggs). Willy is the male child from the first batch which came in April, Winnie is the female child from the second batch which came in June last year. Willy and Winnie mated - we could not do anything about it - as they are feral - and "produced" a lovely son - Angelo - the most beautiful pigeon I have seen so far in our territory.

Willy and Winnie introduced their son to us in May this year. And from then on they stayed on our balcony to breed here after I offered them a nest. So I have 2 couples breeding now on the balcony - the parents and brother and sister from 2 different batches.

My idea was to have both couples under control regarding their reproduction cycles i.e. replacing their eggs by plaster eggs.

After the young couple, Willy and Winnie, had that healthy and wonderful son Angelo I was not worried at all about their breeding together and assumed that it is kind of usual under feral pigeons - this kind of incest breeding. I could not have avoided it anyway before because they were breeding somewhere else.

Now - as they are living on our balcony as well - the situation is different. I wanted to let them breed once per year - therefore these little two since last Monday. One is 6 days now and the other 5. And I realize that they are much smaller than the ones their parents produced last year, at least 30% smaller. They are vivid though, they are fed regularly, they produce poop and the young parents are very good parents protecting them, warming them. But they are astonishingly small. This is what irritates me.

Do I need to worry? Do I need to do something? Or just leave them alone.

Could it be because the parents are so young still? Could it be that they are brother and sister - from 2 different batches though? Could it be because they have 2 babies now?

I have no idea how the development of their first child Angelo was. He was already grown up when they brought him. So I cannot say how this was going.

Unfortunately I did not weigh them each day what I should have done probably. Maybe I should start now? I also do not want to disturb them too often.

In the meanwhile I did - the 6 day old weighs 100 gr and the younger 90 gr. Shouldn't this be more?

Any advice would be appreciated very much."


PS. the image shows Angelo when he appeared on the balcony for the first time when he was introduced to us by his parents...

Hi Petra

I saw the original as I was just about to go visit my mother, and have only now got to responding, unfortunately.

You know, I cannot find anything about how much baby pigeons 'should' weigh! I do know that we have some very small adult pigeons. Our 'Gonzo' is tiny compared to her mate, and our latest aviary resident, who appears to be male, is probably little more than half the size of a couple of the big ex-racers.

John

Petra...I would keep an eye on them and not worry just yet. Notice any behavior changes such as listlessness, stincky poop or not wanting to be fed.
It makes sense that the younger of the two babies is smaller. It will catch up in time.
Angelo is just stunning.

Petra,
Angelo has got to be one of the most stunning pigeons I've seen.

I agree with Charis. Keep a close eye on things.
If you do notice any changes :boing: please post them immediately.

Keep us posted.

Cindy

I am with the others...beside which 100gms sounds pretty good for 6 days!

Cynthia

Hi dear folks,
I am somewhat relieved and maybe I am over-anxious. Thank you for your replies - I will keep you updated how it goes. This afternoon both babies were adorably vivid although they are still so small and hardly show any quills.
I also uploaded the pics from my camera - the comparsions from a couple of days and realized that they have grown - although not in the same way as the ones from last year. I have to work on the photos and I'll show you what I mean. The difference is truly significant. Although I have no record from last year's weights - it must have been much more than that of this year's. But then it is a different couple.
So far the new ones seem to be okay though but I will watch closely. They are soooo sweet - those little buggers - I named them Peppo and Peppino! They had a wonderful dense golden "fur" a couple of days ago - much denser than the one of the others. Funny isn't it?

Thank you again!

Just make sure they produce plenty of to show they're getting fed plenty

I will try my best

Hi Petra,
Here are some photos I posted Last night in the Baby Pigeon forum comparing the growth rate from newborn to 1 month of age. Baby Pigeon Pictures

They may help you as kind of a guide for your little ones.

Cindy

Cindy,
thanks so much for the pics - they look so adorably feisty - I had to laugh loud - simply wonderful.
Tomorrow I will see that I can post a few pics! Now it's napping time here - past 1°clock in the night :eek:
Good night everybody!

Quote :

Here are some photos I posted Last night in the Baby Pigeon forum comparing the growth rate from newborn to 1 month of age. Baby Pigeon Pictures

Those are GREAT pics Cindy! very clear and very helpful!

:moo: (Holy Cow! had to use it!) 00:59 here...I suppose I ought to stagger up to bed too!

Hi dear folks,

it seems that everything is okay. Somehow both babies are growing in funny leaps - as if someone makes tiny steps all the while and suddenly takes a huge leap forward.
This morning I weighed them again, both are nearly on 110 gr now - which means that the younger even caught up. And now you can clearly see the quills.

I have added a few pics:

day 1:





day 2:





day 6: (which was taken yesterday evening)






Today they have siginificantly more quills and are very vividly moving around. And they do a lot of poop - as I promised.

I think currently I definitely need not to worry and more. They are coming along pretty well.
Will keep you updated though.
Thanks a lot for your help!

It's just astounding, the amount baby Pigeons grow in one day. They are very cute with their yellow fuzz and black beaks.
Thanks for the up-date and the pictures.

Sure appreciate the photos.
:WHAT?: WOW!! What fuzzy little pijjie babies. Too cute.
Compared to your babies our Dolly was near naked.

Pigeon babies are funny, cute little 'dinosaurs'

I love it when they rise up together and snap and hiss at an intruding hand

I remember Dolly and Dumpling doing the 'raise up and snap' routine.
They thought they were such tough little pijjies.

Thee is just nothing in this world as wonderful, fascinating and charming as a baby Pigeon.

Matilda wrote:

Thee is just nothing in this world as wonderful, fascinating and charming as a baby Pigeon.

Keep it up and we're just gonna have to have babies.. I've got myself convinced that we're full - - no room fpr more )except of course, the Frills that are on their way). It's real tough to stand firm against the pressure here, tho' :Rolling eyes: