Content
- 1 What is the name of a dove chick?
- 2 What dove chicks look like?
- 3 Where are the pigeon chicks located?
- 4 Why don't we see pigeon chicks?
- 5 When doves hatch their chicks
- 6 How many pigeons hatch chicks?
- 7 How doves hatch their chicks
- 8 How long does a dove chick grow?
- 9 When dove chick starts to fly
- 10 Conclusion
The pigeon chick, like the chicks of other birds, hatches from an egg laid by the female. However, baby pigeons have significant differences from the chicks of other birds.
What is the name of a dove chick?
The pigeon is the most common bird in the world, ancient and one of the first to be domesticated by humans. The bird can be found everywhere except desert areas and areas with cold climates. South America and some European countries are recognized as the homeland of pigeons. Pigeons live for about 7 years, domestic individuals up to 15 years or more. These birds are bred for various reasons: for some it is a serious hobby for life, for others it is a way to earn money. Undoubtedly, pigeon breeding continues to develop and there are more and more bird lovers.
Accordingly, interest arises in pigeon chicks. Many people wonder what a chick looks like, why no one sees them, and what is the name of a dove chick.A small pigeon chick is a baby pigeon that is born by hatching from an egg and until a certain age is under the vigilant care of a caring parental pair.
What dove chicks look like?
Baby pigeons are born weighing about 10-12 g. For the first few days they have no vision or hearing. The body of newborn pigeons is disproportionate: they have short, weak legs, a small head and a large beak, so they cannot get up at first. This saves their life as they sit quietly in the nest and do not attract the attention of predators. During this period, babies sleep constantly.
On the fifth day, babies' eyes open and their hearing develops. Thin tubes appear on the body, which then turn into full-fledged feathers, and the first fluff appears. Chicks sense heat or cold. If they move a little away from their mother, they immediately try to hide back. During this period they are surrounded by the care of their parents.
Where are the pigeon chicks located?
Pigeons hatch their offspring in nests. Future parents are serious about building a house. The male collects materials, and the female’s task is to build a nest. Settlement begins during the mating period. Pigeons always build their home in one place and do not leave it. On the contrary, with each clutch the nest becomes larger and warmer, as the pigeons constantly strengthen and insulate it. This is due to the lack of feathers in newborns. Parents try their best to keep their pigeons warm.
And yet, if you compare the nest of pigeons and other birds, you can conclude that they are unimportant builders.Their home looks more like branches piled up in a chaotic manner. Pigeons collect material half a kilometer from their home. To build, they need branches, straw, dry grass, and shavings. The arrangement lasts about 10 days. It turns out to be round in shape, with a small depression. And if it does not fly away with the wind immediately after construction is completed, then the structure can be considered strong.
Often pigeons try to camouflage the nest and make it as inconspicuous as possible. To do this, after completion of construction, they cover it with leaves, twigs, and grass. This helps not only to hide the nest, but also to protect the pigeons from falling out of it.
Why don't we see pigeon chicks?
Despite their trusting attitude towards humans, pigeons prefer to hide their chicks securely. Therefore, no one can know for certain what is happening in their nests. In addition, until they reach the age of one month, the pigeons do not leave their homes.
In cities, pigeons build nests in places that remind them of rocks - on the roofs of multi-story buildings, under window sills. Birds perceive them as hard-to-reach rocks and caves. Outside the city, pigeons prefer to nest in trees among the foliage, in hollows.
Pigeons make nests in very secluded places, inaccessible to prying eyes and especially predators. By their nature, pigeons are defenseless and therefore set up their home where nothing threatens them. Thus, pigeons manage to preserve all their offspring.
When doves hatch their chicks
Pigeons hatch their chicks almost throughout the year - from the beginning of February to November. With good fertility of the parent pair and favorable conditions, pigeons can have up to 8 clutches per year.Among all breeds, the rock pigeon has the highest reproductive function.
The ability to breed offspring over a long period of time is explained by the fact that pigeons have certain features of feeding their chicks. Until a certain age, the female feeds the pigeons with crop milk, which has valuable nutritional qualities.
In some breeds of pigeons, for example the whirlwind, the time of mating and hatching of pigeons occurs exclusively in the spring, so on average they have up to 3 clutches per year. Based on this, the time of appearance of the chicks depends on the breed of pigeons and living conditions.
How many pigeons hatch chicks?
It is impossible to unequivocally answer the question of how long a parent pair of pigeons hatch their chicks. On average, this can last from 16 to 20 days. Often everything depends on weather conditions. In cold and windy weather the process is delayed; in hot weather the chicks hatch faster.
Pigeon chicks are especially interesting in winter.
As for breeding purebred pigeons at home, breeders prepare a pair for hatching several months in advance, providing them with the right diet, a secluded place for nesting, and preparing material for their future home.
How doves hatch their chicks
Pigeons are distinguished from other representatives of birds by their highly developed parental instinct. The chicks are mainly incubated by the female. Her partner replaces the female so that she can find food and exercise. As a rule, the male is in the nest strictly from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., the rest of the time is spent by the expectant mother.
The hatching process takes from several hours to a day. Initially, a small crack appears on the shell, then it grows, others appear until the egg falls apart. Chicks can appear one by one or at the same time. Sometimes babies need help; parents carefully release them from their shells.
How long does a dove chick grow?
Immediately after the baby emerges from the egg, the female hurries to feed him colostrum. This happens in the first hours of his life.
The female secretes colostrum from her beak, and its chemical composition is very similar to human milk. Thanks to him, pigeons gain weight very quickly. Colostrum is formed immediately after laying, when certain enzymes begin to form and secrete in the female’s body. After 19 days, the female’s saliva composition changes and colostrum begins to be released. It helps chicks quickly gain weight and transform from a clumsy baby into a beautiful individual with a strong immune system.
Important! Baby pigeons grow rapidly, and it is almost impossible to control this process. A month-old pigeon chick is no different from adults.
Dove chick - photos by week can be seen below.
Newborn babies.
The end of the first week of life, the eyes have opened slightly, feathers have appeared.
The end of the second week - a meaningful look, the first plumage.
The end of the third week - he is already confidently standing on his paws.
One month from birth - you can fly!
When dove chick starts to fly
Typically, a baby pigeon begins to fly 30 days after birth. By this time, he looks like an adult pigeon chick, already very similar to a full-fledged individual. At first, the cubs stick together and continue to beg for food from their parents.As the pigeons' wings become stronger, they master the area and begin to lead an independent lifestyle. Young birds sometimes form flocks and go in search of food and water.
As for domestic pigeons, the breeder needs to place the young ones at one month of age in a separate room so that they quickly adapt to existence outside the nest. After a few days, after they get used to the new environment, they can be released outside. Young birds need to be taught to fly gradually, guiding them towards a flock of adults.
Caring for domestic pigeon chicks
The main task of the pigeon breeder after the appearance of new inhabitants in the flock is to unobtrusively look after the parent pair and newborn chicks. Since pigeons are very caring towards their young, the breeder most likely will not have to feed and care for the babies. Therefore, all that is required during this period is to gradually accustom the kids to themselves. At first, it is better to come to the dovecote in the same clothes. Regular feeding will help establish contact. When the chicks begin to calmly respond to their owner, you can try hand-feeding them. Children remember their first impressions of the outside world for the rest of their lives. Often, positive moments in communication with the breeder shape the behavior and character of pigeons.
During feeding, young birds should be examined to assess their level of health. A healthy chick is characterized by activity, good appetite, absence of mucus in the beak and eyes, even pupils, clean skin, and formed, soft stools.If the chicks are born during cold weather, the pigeon breeder should support the chicks’ immunity with vitamins and mineral supplements and timely vaccinations.
Conclusion
A pigeon chick immediately after birth is a small, unsightly creature, with a disproportionate, weak body. Only thanks to the vigilant care of loving parents, by the age of a month, he turns into a beautiful, noble bird with a peace-loving character.
